UK Healthcare and the IHS
Your health, your budgetand your visa.
Most Nepali students only hear about the Immigration Health Surcharge when the visa form asks them to pay it. At Genix, we explain it from the start, with real cost examples, what the NHS covers and what it doesn't, the TB test you need in Nepal, and the healthcare steps for your first week in the UK.
Everything you need is on this page, free to read, and our counsellors will walk you through it in person.
- Student IHS rate
- £776 / yearStudent IHS rate
- Paid with your visa
- UpfrontPaid with your visa
- If your visa is refused
- Full refundIf your visa is refused
The UK system
Healthcare and IHS: how it works
Australia uses Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC). The UK does not have an equivalent OSHC requirement. Instead, most international students coming for more than six months pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) as part of their Student visa application.
Paying the IHS generally lets you use the UK's National Health Service (NHS) for as long as your visa lasts, on broadly the same terms as people who live in the UK. You pay it online, in British pounds, when you apply for your visa.
Student rate · £776 a year
How much IHS will you pay?
The amount depends on the length of your visa, not just the length of your course. A Student visa normally adds time around your studies: usually up to one month before the course starts, and up to four months after it ends for courses of 12 months or more. So a “one-year” master's is not simply £776.
£776
per year of visa permission
A part year of more than six months is charged the full £776. A part year of six months or less is charged half, £388. That is why a 16–17 month visa costs £1,164.
| Your course | Typical visa length | Estimated IHS |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year master's (12 months) | About 16–17 months | £1,164 |
| Master's with placement (2 years) | About 2 years 5 months | £1,940 |
| 3-year bachelor's degree | About 3 years 5 months | £2,716 |
| 4-year bachelor's (with foundation or placement) | About 4 years 5 months | £3,492 |
NHS access
What the IHS covers, and what you may still pay
Paying the IHS gives you NHS access. It does not mean every healthcare cost is automatically free.
Usually covered
No charge at the point of use
- Registering with and seeing a GP (local doctor)
- Emergency care at A&E
- Hospital treatment and specialist referrals
- NHS 111 advice line and many pharmacy consultations
You may still pay for
Charges depend on where you live
- Prescriptions in England (a set charge per item)
- NHS dental treatment (charged by treatment band)
- Eye tests and glasses (eye tests are free in Scotland)
- Private healthcare, if you choose to use it
Prescriptions are free in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, while England charges a fixed amount per item. That can make a real difference to your yearly budget, and it is something we explain when you compare UK cities with us.
If plans change
Can you get an IHS refund?
- Your visa application is refusedFull refund
- You withdraw your application before a decisionFull refund
- You paid the IHS twice for the same applicationFull refund
- Your visa is granted for less time than you paid forPartial refund
- A dependant's application is refusedPartial refundTheir IHS only
- Your visa is granted but you decide not to travelNo refund
- You leave the UK before your visa endsNo refund
Refunds are usually made within 6 weeks of the decision, to the card you paid with.
Good to know
Insurance and short courses
Private health insurance
Private medical insurance is not a substitute for the IHS where the surcharge is legally required. You may choose extra insurance for travel, belongings or private healthcare, but that is separate from your visa requirement.
Courses of six months or less
If you apply from outside the UK for a visa of six months or less, you do not pay the IHS. Different rules can apply to applications made from inside the UK. Without the IHS, you may be charged for NHS hospital treatment, so we strongly recommend travel and medical insurance for short courses.
Source: GOV.UK — Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application; NHS charges in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Immigration rules change — re-check GOV.UK before you apply.
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