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Looking after your mental health
Support from UCL
UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS) can direct you to appropriate support both within and outside of UCL. The support we provide is free and available to any student enrolled at UCL
- For telephone support, you can call the Student Support and Wellbeing Services Phone Line on +44 (0)20 3108 8836 during office hours to discuss the options available to you or the UCL 24/7 Support Line on +44 (0) 808 238 0077 (00 353 1 518 0277 from outside the UK), to talk to someone about how you are feeling.
- If you would like to access some confidential support from the Disability and Neurodiversity or Mental Health and Wellbeing Team, you can book an appointment via askUCL. You can watch this step-by-step guide to booking an appointment with an adviser.
- UCL's Counselling Services offer up to six sessions of free therapy, you should register for this via their website.
Read Our Here to Support You Guide
Our Here to Support You Guide provides comprehensive information on all support services available to you at UCL. Produced by Student Support and Wellbeing Services and designed for UCL students of all levels, the guide is categorised by the following sections:
- Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS). We explain who we are and provide information about our wide range of in-person and online support services.
- Support elsewhere at UCL. In addition to Student Support and Wellbeing Services, there is plenty of extra support available to you at UCL.
- Support outside of UCL. This section includes details of external organisations and services that can support your wellbeing whilst you are a student at UCL.
Read the Here to Support You Guide. The guide is provided as a PDF e-booklet and is available to download. You can print out the booklet using the Print @ UCL services.
If you're concerned about a student's wellbeing or safety
If you are concerned about a student's wellbeing or safety, please complete the Student of Concern Form to inform Student Support and Wellbeing Services (SSWS), providing as much information as you can.
If you are submitting a Student of Concern because you haven’t been able to reach a student:
- Have you tried calling the student?
- Have you used their second email address?
- Have you given the student at least 24 hours to respond?
External support for looking after your mental health
There are a variety of organisations that offer support for looking after your mental health.
- NHS
You can talk to your doctor (GP) about your mental health, just make sure you're registered. See here about registering with a Dr (GP)
The NHS has comprehensive guidance and signposting on a wide range of mental health and wellbeing subjects. Visit the NHS page on student mental health.
- Good Thinking
Good Thinking is an NHS approved mental wellbeing service that can link you up to over 100 different free mental health resources and services based across London.
- Every Mind Matters
Every Mind Matters is an NHS campaign to help people with their mental health and wellbeing. Their website provides expert advice and practical tips on supporting your mental health. You can get a free mind plan by just answering their quick 5 questions and they have links to urgent support and tips on how to help others in need as well.
- Mind
The UK's mental health charity, Mind, provides a wide range of resources and guidance for those experiencing mental health difficulties of all kinds.
- Student Minds
Student Minds is the UK’s student mental health charity, empowering students and members of the university community to look after their own mental health, support others and create change.
- The Hive
The Hive delivers a free drop-in health and wellbeing service to support young people aged 16-24 who are connected to Camden.
- Side-by-side
Side-by-Side is a supportive online community where you can feel at home talking about your mental health and connect with others who understand what you are going through.
We all know what it's like to struggle sometimes, but now there's a safe place to listen, share and be heard. Whether you're feeling good right now or having a hard time, it's a safe place to share experiences and listen to others. The community is available to all, 24/7.
Side by Side is moderated daily from 8.30am to midnight.
- Newham Together Café
The mental health charity Mind host a regular Together Café for Newham residents aged 18+ facing mental health challenges. The café is open 5pm-9pm from Monday to Thursday and 3pm-9pm on Fridays, weekends and bank holidays.
The Together Café warmly welcomes all, with no referral process required. The team offers short-term support to equip attendees with recovery strategies, provided in partnership with ELFT. The café offers: group support, one-to-one support, and art therapy.
You can call the Newham Together Café on 07511075701 and email the team at togethercafe@mindthnr.org.uk.