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Students are more at risk of certain illnesses than the general population. It is very important to have the appropriate vaccinations and remain vigilant for symptoms.
On this page:
- Meningitis
- Responding to a suspected case of meningitis
- Covid-19
- MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
- Responding to a suspected case of measles, mumps and rubella
Meningitis
All university students should be immunised against the different meningitis strains. Most UK students will have received the meningococcal ACWY vaccine (MenACWY) between the ages of 13 and 15 and the meningococcal B (MenB) vaccine as an infant. The MenB vaccine is offered to infants as part of the NHS vaccination schedule.
If you haven’t had these vaccines for any reason, please speak to your doctor about getting vaccinated. This includes international students.
The MenACWY vaccine protects against 4 types of meningococcal disease and septicemia and is available free to students who are going to university for the first time up until their 25th birthday.
If you are over 25 years of age, your risk of being infected with meningitis is substantially reduced, and you do not need to have the vaccine.
When and how to get the vaccine
If you need the meningitis ACWY vaccine, you should ideally have it several weeks before you arrive at university, as it can take some time for your immunity to build up.
If you're a UK student, your home GP (General Practitioner) should be able to arrange for you to have the vaccine.
If you're an international student, ask your doctor for the vaccine - depending on what's available under your local health service, you may be able to have the vaccine in your home country before you depart for the UK.
If you need the vaccine and for any reason have not had this before you arrive at UCL, speak to your GP in London as soon as you're registered to arrange this. You should have the vaccine as soon as possible to minimise your risk of infection. Read more about registering with a GP.
Read more about the meningitis ACWY vaccine from the NHS.
- Symptoms
Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.
Bacterial meningitis is very serious, can develop quickly and, in some cases, can be fatal. Viral meningitis is rarely severe and is not helped by antibiotics. Bacterial meningitis is less common than viral meningitis, but is a severe illness and needs urgent treatment with antibiotics.
As the early symptoms of meningitis can disguise themselves as other things, such as common illnesses like flu or maybe even a hangover, it’s easy to mistake meningitis for something else.
A classic symptom of meningitis is a blotchy rash that doesn't fade when a glass is rolled over it, but this symptom does not always appear. Further symptoms can include:
- stiff neck (for example, you cannot place your chin on your chest)
- fever
- cold hands and feet
- vomiting and diarrhoea
- drowsiness, difficulty waking up
- irritability and/or confusion
- aversion to bright lights
- severe headache, joint or muscle pains
- pale, blotchy skin with or without a rash
- convulsions/seizures
These symptoms can appear in any order, and not everyone will get all of them.
Responding to a suspected case of meningitis
Those experiencing symptoms of meningitis should seek medical advice immediately. Bacterial meningitis can potentially be fatal within a matter of hours, and urgent treatment is vitally important.
Any student under the age of 25 who has several of the symptoms above and suspects they may have meningitis should seek urgent medical attention by calling 999 for an ambulance or going directly to the nearest A&E (Accident and Emergency) department. The closest A&E to UCL's main Bloomsbury campus is UCLH.
Even if you are unsure, if meningitis is suspected, it is always best to get urgent medical attention.
If you only have one or two of the symptoms above and think it's probably not anything serious, or if you think you may have been exposed to someone with meningitis, call 111 (the NHS advice line) or your GP for guidance on what to do.
COVID-19
If you have Covid-19, try to stay at home until you are feeling better.
You can no longer book a Covid-19 vaccination online, but can get vaccinated against Covid-19 by the NHS.
Read more about getting a Covid-19 vaccine.
- Symptoms
Covid-19 symptoms are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses and may include:
- a high temperature or chills
- a loss or change of your sense of smell or taste
- feeling exhausted
- a headache
- a sore throat
- a blocked or runny nose
- diarrhoea
MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella)
Measles, mumps, and rubella are highly infectious conditions that can spread easily among unvaccinated people, especially among university students. This may be attributable to fewer people being vaccinated against them.
Students who have not had the MMR vaccine are strongly encouraged to get this before coming to UCL or as soon as possible after arrival. Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide the best protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.
When and how to get the vaccine
If you need the MMR vaccine, you should ideally have it several weeks before you arrive at university, as it can take some time for your immunity to build up. If you are a UK student, your home GP (General Practitioner) should be able to arrange for you to have the vaccine.
If you are an international student, ask your doctor for the vaccine. Depending on what's available under your local health service, you may be able to have the vaccine in your home country before you depart for the UK.
Should you need the vaccine and for any reason have not had this before you arrive at UCL, speak to your GP in London as soon as you're registered to arrange this (many students will be able to register at Ridgmount Practice, our partner GP surgery, and get the vaccine here). You should have the vaccine as soon as possible to minimise your risk of infection. Read more about registering with a GP.
Read more about the MMR vaccine from the NHS.
Symptoms
- Measles
Measles is an infection that spreads easily and can cause serious problems in some people.
The infection usually starts with cold-like symptoms, followed by a rash a few days later. Other symptoms include:
- a high temperature
- a runny or blocked nose
- sneezing
- a cough
- red, sore, watery eyes
- Mumps
Mumps is an acute viral illness in which the salivary parotid glands in the cheek and jaw swell and become painful. Mumps is highly infectious. It usually occurs in people who have never been or have only partially been immunised.
The main symptoms are:
- fever
- headache
- tiredness
- aching muscles and joints
- a reduced appetite lasting several days
- swelling and pain of one or both salivary parotid glands lasting 4-8 days (the parotid glands are found at the side of the face just below the ears and usually cannot be seen or felt)
- dry mouth
- difficulty or pain when chewing and swallowing
About a third of people have no symptoms at all.
Mumps is normally a mild illness. However, the following complications can sometimes occur:
- viral meningitis in 1 in 7 cases
- encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) in 1 in 400 cases, associated with deafness in one or both ears
- inflammation of the pancreas, heart, and other organs
- inflammation of the testes (testicles), usually on one side, in 1 in 5 adolescent or adult males, occasionally causing infertility
- inflammation of the ovaries 1 in 20 adolescent or adult females, causing infertility
- Rubella
Rubella (German measles) is a rare illness that causes a spotty rash. It usually gets better in about a week, but can be serious if you get it when you are pregnant.
The main symptom of rubella is a spotty rash that starts on the face or behind the ears and spreads to the neck and body.
Rubella can also cause:
- aching fingers, wrists, or knees
- a high temperature
- coughs
- sneezing and a runny nose
- headaches
- a sore throat
- sore, red eyes
Responding to a suspected case of measles, mumps, or rubella
If you believe you have contracted measles, mumps, or rubella, you should contact your GP for advice. Mention that you suspect an infectious illness.
It may be preferable to have a telephone appointment rather than an in-person appointment, to reduce the risk of infection to others.
Anyone feeling unwell should not go to university or work for the period that they feel unwell, or until they have been cleared by their GP to do so.
