Pre-Travel Checklist for students who have a medical condition or who are taking regular medication

1. I have discussed the pros and cons of living in a foreign country with my medical condition/s with my medical provider in my own country.   ✓
2. I have a letter confirming my diagnosis and treatment plan from my medical provider. ✓
3. Regarding any medication
   • ✓   I am bringing my medication with me, OR
   • ✓   I have checked that my medication is readily available in Ireland, OR
   • ✓   If my treatment is not available in Ireland, I have discussed an alternative treatment with my provider that is available, and I am happy to proceed with my travel plans.
     
4. I understand that my treatment may need specialist supervision whilst I am studying in Ireland and that there may be delays getting an appointment with a specialist. ✓
5. If my particular condition is high risk and requires continuity specialist treatment without interruption, my medical provider has organised this before my travel.  ✓

Most medications are available in Ireland and can be prescribed by a general practitioner within UCD Student Health Service or a community GP. This should enable you to continue your treatment as necessary.

Check if your medication is licenced for use in Ireland via the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) (opens in a new window)here.  Even if it is licenced it may be prescribed under specialist supervision only and therefore unavailable in UCD Student Health.

Further information about availability and costs of medication can be provided by emailing our on-site UCD pharmacy ((opens in a new window)Procare Pharmacy).

• Bring your medications with you for the duration of your stay. You will need your original prescription and, in some cases, for restricted medications, you will need a letter or medical certificate from your prescribing doctor explaining why you need this medication. It is essential that you bring a sufficient supply with you and that you pack the medication in its original packaging in your hand luggage. 
• If your current medication is unlicensed in Ireland, you will need to discuss an alternative option with your medical provider which can be prescribed here for the duration of your stay.
• If you cannot find the answers you need in our medications list or our FAQs, you can email the UCD Pharmacy ((opens in a new window)Procare Pharmacy)to enquire about medication costs and availability. 
• You can attend the doctor (GP) here at UCD Student Health Services or in the community and discuss your medical needs.  The GP can then prescribe medication if clinically indicated. 

The doctors at UCD Student Health are General Practitioners (GPs). They provide primary medical care to registered UCD students.

As GPs, they must follow the rules and standards set by the Irish Medical Council, which include the following:

• They can only prescribe medications within their professional scope of practice.
  
  
• They must follow the official guidelines for how each medication is meant to be used (known as the Summary of Product Characteristics, or SPC).
  
  

GPs at UCD Student Health may be unable to prescribe medications that are:

• Not licensed for use in Ireland
  or
  
• Not prescribed in line with the SPC or approved medical labelling (also referred to as off label or off licence prescribing)

If you require medication that falls into one of these categories, you will need a referral to a specialist (in secondary or hospital care) who can review and manage your treatment. It is important to understand that there are often significant waiting times to be seen by specialists in both the Public and the Private healthcare systems.

For International Students

Please note: Prescribing practices may differ from those in your home country.
We strongly recommend that you research your treatment options before travelling to Ireland, especially if you are currently taking medication that may not be licensed or routinely prescribed in primary care settings.

Diagnosis and treatment of ADHD/ADD in Ireland is very strictly regulated. Medication  prescribed in Ireland must be under the supervision of a consultant psychiatrist registered with the (opens in a new window)Irish Medical Council.

Due to these prescribing restrictions, the general practitioners of the UCD Student Health Service can not facilitate ADHD medication prescriptions. Specialist referral is necessary and prospective students are referred to (opens in a new window)ADHD Ireland for information on how to organise ongoing treatment for their medical condition in advance of travel.

The potential for disruption of your regular treatment schedule should be discussed with your prescribing physician prior to travel.

If you have a diagnosis of ADHD / ADD from a specialist abroad, please bring your documentation confirming the diagnosis as this may enable you to avail of additional supports through UCD Access and Lifelong Learning

If you are in UCD studying for a short period of time, it can be helpful to bring enough supply of medication from your home country to last until you return home.

Medication for Gender Reassignment must be prescribed under hospital consultant endocrinologist supervision in Ireland.

Students requesting treatment in UCD are referred to the (opens in a new window)National Gender Service to facilitate this. 

This is based at (opens in a new window)St Columcille’s Hospital in Dublin and has a long waiting time for patients to be seen.

If available, providing information regarding your previous diagnosis and treatment plan from your own treating physician may facilitate an earlier appointment. 

Please be aware that some treatments that may be used quite extensively abroad are unlicensed and therefore cannot be prescribed or administered in Ireland.

If possible, please bring sufficient medication from your home country to cover your stay in Ireland or to last until you have been seen by the National Gender service. 

Patients receive infusions for different medical reasons. This particular  group of drugs are prescribed for complex medical conditions including but not limited to Multiple Sclerosis, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. These drugs are delivered in a hospital setting only, and so referral to a specialist for hospital treatment will be necessary. 

If you have a significant medical condition such as one of these mentioned, it is essential that you discuss your condition with your own specialist including the implications of travelling abroad to study to ensure optimum care can continue to  be administered. 

An appointment will be needed with a specialist in the relevant clinical speciality to facilitate your treatment. Ideally, this should be set up well in advance of travel, particularly if the treatment required is scheduled soon after your arrival in Ireland. 

These treatments are carried out in both public and private hospitals. Patients who have not already made arrangements will be referred to either our local public or private hospital as requested. This may cause an unavoidable delay.

Please ensure that you confirm BEFORE TRAVEL that you have adequate health insurance cover for you to continue your  specific treatment here in Ireland. Otherwise you may incur significant costs.  

A treating doctor in the home country can contact their counterpart here in Dublin to facilitate your ongoing treatment.

If you need to dispose of needles/sharps or medical waste, please contact the UCD Student Health Service. They can assist in organizing a collection service for your clinical waste. Please note, there is a charge for this service.

Allergy injections are only given in a hospital setting and require referral to an allergy hospital consultant.

Please note that medical regulations prevent them from being administered in the UCD Student Health Service.

Roaccutane treatment is available in Ireland.

Under current regulations it requires referral to a consultant dermatologist for supervision of this particular medication.

Students taking Xolair (Omalizumab) may not be able to continue this treatment while here. It would be advisable that students complete their treatment in their home country before travelling to Ireland to start their studies.

Your specialist should provide a written summary of your diagnosis and treatment plan.  In some circumstances, they may also need to contact a specialist in Ireland directly to ensure your treatment is available and can be arranged without interruption.

We understand that it may be difficult for you to get a referral from your own doctor.

In this case, we suggest that you make an initial appointment with a doctor in the UCD Student Health Service as soon as you arrive in Ireland. Please bring any relevant information you can along with a list of all medications to the consultation and the UCD doctor will help to organise a referral to a suitable specialist. There is often a delay of weeks or months before the specialist appointment can take place, so you need to ensure that you have made allowance for this.  This is particularly important if your medical condition could deteriorate if your medication is stopped for any reason.

Yes, private health care is available. We would always recommend that you have adequate insurance for this.  We would advise you to check in advance of travel to Ireland that any hospital or specialist  treatment you require is fully covered by your insurance policy. The current VHI Policy for international students does not cover private hospitals or private specialist treatment.  

Anyone who is an ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland can apply for the Drugs Payment Scheme.

Ordinary resident means that you are living in Ireland and intend to live in Ireland for at least one year.  However, eligibility is also based on the type of immigration stamp you hold.  Most student from outside the EU/EEA hold a stamp 2 or 2A permission and cannot receive any benefits or use publicly funded services (e.g. public  hospitals) unless you have an entitlement via other means.  Please check your immigration stamp and the DPS website for further details. 

Please see the following link for information on the (opens in a new window)Drugs Payment Scheme.

Please see our more comprehensive version of frequently asked questions about the Irish health service and medications here.

A GP is a General Practitioner or a Medical Doctor in everyday language. They are also referred to as family practitioners in some countries and they provide what is called primary medical care in Ireland. A General Practitioner (GP) provides the first point of care for patients.

In UCD the student health service has general practitioners along with practice nurses and administration support. It is a very busy service and whilst we endeavour to see any sick student the same day if possible, there can sometimes be several weeks delay for routine appointments.

There are also GP practices throughout Dublin including in the environs of UCD.

The UCD Student Health Service is an on-campus GP medical practice that provides medical care and support for our students. We are here to assess and manage acute infections, physical illness, mental health issues, sexual health, contraception and travel health, addictions, transition-related medical care along with mandatory health screening and vaccination of healthcare students. We actively promote good health.

We have access to blood and urine tests along with radiological investigations. We can prescribe medication that is dispensed at local pharmacies. We refer students to our counselling service colleagues and to our part-time in-house psychiatrist where appropriate when managing mental health issues.

We provide birth control services, PAP smears, STI testing and a routine gynaecological service also. We actively promote good health amongst our student population.

We arrange referral to the hospital services when the student presents with complex, serious, or urgent medical issues that require further investigation and treatment. This may be either to our local hospital accident and emergency departments or to hospital consultant out-patient services. These services are provided in both public and private hospitals.

We take patient confidentiality very seriously.

We want to ensure we have a relationship with our students whereby they can trust us to give us all relevant information about their condition or issue.  Information is stored in a GDPR compliant and medically acceptable way.

When patients are referred to hospital consultant services, their information is sent through secure channels.  Referrals for counselling or psychiatry in-house is done with the patient's consent and respect for confidentiality. 

We do not release patient information to anyone without the student's consent, this includes other departments within UCD and family members.

If a parent contacts the service looking for information relating to their child, we cannot release this information without the specific consent of our patient.  We may sympathise with the parents' concern for their child's well-being, but confidentiality is our priority.  The only exception to this is where there is a threat to life. 

We endeavour to see students in as timely a way as possible.

The Student Health Service is a very busy service, particularly in term time and prior to the examination period.  Sick and unwell students are always given priority.  Students who need urgent prescriptions for medically critical conditions such as asthma or diabetes are facilitated.

Students are asked to make routine appointments well in advance for matters such as contraception, check-ups, renewal of ongoing non-urgent prescriptions, and vaccinations.

At busy times, the waiting list for routine appointments may be 2-3 weeks.

In the event that we do not have appointments available, we will direct students to alternative GP services in the community. Please contact us on 01 716 3134 to make an appointment.

UCD Student Health Service is a fee-charging service. The current charge for a doctor consultation is €30. Please follow the link to see the charges in Student Health Services.

An initial assessment will be carried out by a member of our medical team.

The following are taken in-house and sent away for analysis:

• Routine blood samples
• Urine samples and swabs
• STI screening
• Cervical smears (pap)

X rays and other radiological tests are done externally, and the doctor will make a referral for you as appropriate.  If you become suddenly unwell and in need of hospital treatment you will be referred with an appropriate level of urgency to the Emergency Department or Urgent Care centre closest to you.

You will need to pay for your care on the day you visit the doctor in UCD.  You will be able to access a receipt from your UCD SIS web account. Link to sis web and instructions can be found HERE

It is up to you to check your insurance coverage and submit a claim for any allowed charges incurred.

Yes. There are also a significant number of general practitioners within the environs of the UCD campus.  Most students will be charged for general practice visits; this fee is payable on the day.  If your medical insurance covers these costs, you can ask for a receipt and reclaim the fee from your insurance company.  Please see their individual GP practice websites for more details of their services and charges.

Some students will be able to avail of the medical card scheme or use a European health card E 111 to avail of free general practice services with a community GP.

Here are some useful links to find a Local General Practitioner

• (opens in a new window)Find a GP on the HSE 
• (opens in a new window)or Health Atlas -find a local GP

We would encourage all students to apply for a PPS number as it can give access to some services, including contraception for under 35-year-olds and vaccinations for under-25-year-olds free of charge.

However, it is not essential to have a PPS number to attend the UCD Student Health Service or to access healthcare in Ireland.  Please find at this link on our website information on how to get a Public Personal Service Number in Ireland. 

If you do not have a PPS number, you can apply for one (opens in a new window)here using this form. When filling in the form, you need to tick/enter the reason for getting a PPS number.  You should tick/enter STUDY/EDUCATION as your reason. Students will need a letter confirming they are a student.  You can download your Certificate of Attendance via your UCD SIS Web account and provide this with your PPS number application. Further information on how to access your Certificate of Attendance is available on the Student Desk web page.  Non-residents can find information (opens in a new window)here.

The Personal Public Service Number or PPSN provides access to a number of services in Ireland. More information on this can be found (opens in a new window)here.

Students from EU member states and Switzerland are entitled to emergency services under the PUBLIC system if they have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) with them. You should apply for your EHIC before leaving home Please note that the EHIC only covers attendance at public facilities and general practitioners who are part of the scheme, and it does not cover private care.

The Student Health Service is not part of this scheme and cannot facilitate medical cards or EHIC cards at this time.

You will be able to get a list of GPs in your preferred location from the link below who is part of the GMS medical card scheme and can provide a EHIC service.  We recommend you check on the GPs individual website or by calling their service when making your appointment to ensure that they can accept your EHIC card and to check what services are provided and associated charges. 

Useful links:

• (opens in a new window)HSE EHIC Scheme
• (opens in a new window)HSE Services List  

Find a GP in your area:

• (opens in a new window)Find a GP 
• (opens in a new window)Find a Local Health Service by map 

ICOS practical information for the International Student:

• (opens in a new window)Practical Health Information 
• (opens in a new window)GP and Hospital services 

Link to citizens' information on GP's in Ireland.

• (opens in a new window)Citizens information 

This form of treatment is not currently available in UCD Student Health Service.  There are a number of TCM practitioners in Dublin which the student may research independently: (opens in a new window)Chinese Medicine 

A specialist is a hospital-based doctor who offers specialised assessment and treatment for more complex types of medical problems. They are also referred to as Hospital Consultants.   As GPs, we provide an initial medical assessment and, if necessary, refer patients to the hospital services for further assessment, investigation, and management.

Patients need a letter of referral from a general practitioner or another specialist to see a hospital consultant, as direct access is not available in Ireland.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor trained in the speciality of psychiatry.  In addition to assessing and diagnosing the patient, they can offer counselling therapy and can also prescribe medications.

A psychologist or counsellor has different qualifications.  They assess the patient and engage in a range of talking therapies either in an individual or group situation, over several sessions.

It is quite common for the psychiatrist, the GP and the counselling service all to be involved in supporting the student when attending the student health service.

A public hospital is run by the Health Service Executive (HSE) for the government.  Everyone is entitled to go to a public hospital. There may be some charges depending on your circumstances e.g. your immigration permission/visa stamp or when attending the emergency department without seeing a GP first.  Patients are seen as inpatients or outpatients. The services are overseen by a consultant, and patients may see the consultant or a member of their team when attending the hospital.  There can often be long waiting lists for assessment and treatment in the public hospitals

A private hospital is fee-based, we recommend you check your insurance to make sure you are insured for charges before attending. The medical staff are consultants only, and any assessments or treatments will be carried out by the consultants themselves. Waiting times to be seen are generally shorter in private hospitals.

If you are attending a specialist in your home country it is important that you have a consultation with your specialist prior to travel. The pros and cons of living in a foreign country with your condition need to be discussed with your doctor who knows you and your medical issues. You need to ensure that your treatment is available in Ireland and if not, consideration should be given to an alternative treatment that is available in Ireland. Alternatively, you may decide to bring your treatment with you.

Your specialist should provide a written summary of your diagnosis and treatment plan.  In some circumstances, they may also need to contact a specialist in Ireland directly to ensure your treatment is available and can be arranged without interruption.

We understand that it may be difficult for you to get a referral from your own doctor.

In this case, we suggest that the student makes an initial appointment with a doctor in the UCD Student Health Service as soon as they arrive in Ireland. Please bring any relevant information you can along with a list of all medications to the consultation and the UCD doctor will help to organise a referral to a suitable specialist. There may be a time delay of weeks or sometimes months before the specialist appointment can take place, so the student needs to ensure that they have enough medication with them to allow for this. This is particularly important if your medical condition could deteriorate if your medication is stopped for any reason

You should always check in advance of travel to Ireland that your treatment is fully covered by an appropriate insurance policy.

We would recommend that you make an initial appointment with a GP, either in the Student Health Service (SHS) or in the community.

Depending on your diagnosis and treatment plan the GP may be able to continue your treatment and prescribe medication themselves.

If there needs to be continued specialist supervision, the GP can refer either to our in-house consultant psychiatrist or local mental health services as appropriate. A summary of your diagnosis and treatment plan is very helpful in this situation.  The waiting times to see a psychiatrist in Ireland varies.

In the Student Health Service, an appointment is usually issued within two months with priority given to urgent cases.  The waiting time for a new psychiatry appointment in UCD SHS is currently 2-3 months.

Treatment for ADHD /ADD is always under specialist supervision in Ireland and requires referral to a consultant psychiatrist external to UCD Student Health Service.  For further information please see (opens in a new window)ADHD Ireland website. 

Everyone is eligible to attend the public hospital A&E departments in Ireland whether it is because of an accident or a medical emergency.

There is a standard charge, currently €100 euro (2022) for all A&E (ER) attendances whether you are transferred by ambulance or attend yourself after an accident or in an emergency medical situation. If you have an initial assessment by a general practitioner and are referred to the A&E department with a referral letter the charge may be waived. In this situation, you must show your referral letter to the hospital reception.

If you are from outside the EU/EEA/UK and residing in Ireland on a stamp 2 immigration permission, you not entitled to public health care and must have (opens in a new window)private medical insurance.  Students accessing emergency departments at public hospitals may be charged non-EU hospital charges which are approximately €380 per visit (prices can vary) as ED charges are not covered.   

UCD Student Health Service attendance is also not covered and charges will apply. 

Students who present a valid EHIC card will not need to pay.

Depending on your level of insurance cover, you may be able to recoup some or all these expenses.

St. Vincent's Hospital is a teaching hospital and within the catchment area of the UCD College campus and most of our students would be referred there for treatment. Here is some further information regarding charges at this hospital.

Useful links to St Vincent’s Hospital :

• (opens in a new window)St Vincent’s Public Hospital 
• (opens in a new window)Patient charges
• (opens in a new window)St Vincent’s Private Hospital

Here is a further list and associated links to hospitals that the UCD Student Health Service would refer to : 

• (opens in a new window)Loughlinstown Hospital
• (opens in a new window)The Beacon Hospital 
• (opens in a new window)St James' Hospital   
• (opens in a new window)Blackrock Clinic  
• (opens in a new window)Mater Misericordiae Hospital  
• (opens in a new window)Mater Private Hospital 
• (opens in a new window)Beaumont Hospital 
• (opens in a new window)Beaumont Private Hospital 

Students from the European Union who have a valid EHIC card will not be charged. 

Non-EU students may incur charges.

Here are some links to A&E charges : 

• (opens in a new window)HSE A&E (ER) Charges
• (opens in a new window)ICOS Information on A&E(ER) charges for international non-EEA student
• (opens in a new window)Citizens Information-entitlement to public health services

We would recommend that all students are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 before coming on to the UCD campus.

Here is some relevant (opens in a new window)COVID 19 up to date information from the HSE 

Students apply for a leave of absence for a variety of reasons.  Occasionally, due to significant medical illness, students are unable to continue with their studies and have to apply for a leave of absence. 

UCD has a leave of absence process, the details of which are here.  In these specific medical circumstances and after consultation with one of our doctors, a letter of support may be issued to accompany your leave of absence application.