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Student Psychological and Counselling Services

We're dedicated to helping UCL students with personal, emotional and psychological concerns. Our service is free to undergraduate and postgraduate students registered at UCL. We provide free short-term counselling, single session therapy, psychiatric support and group workshops. We aim to support as many students as we can. This means that you will only be able to access the service once in an academic year to allow for others to be able to access SPCS support.

We are unable to provide support for long-term conditions or in the event of a crisis situation. If in crisis, find out how to access urgent support.

PhD students

If you are a PhD student, please access support via the Spectrum.Life Assistance Programme. This is a dedicated pathway for PhD students to access counselling support. Spectrum.Life’s team of counsellors are available to help you address a range of emotional and psychological difficulties. 

Summer update

During the summer all final year ​undergraduate students, as well as all final and one year postgraduate students are being offered single-session therapy. These sessions provide ​a highly-focused method for ​addressing your most pressing ​concern in one session, so that we ​can ensure access to timely ​support before completion of​ your course. 

Waiting times for counselling

Our waiting time for an initial appointment after registering is two to three weeks. This can sometimes rise in times of high demand. If we feel you are at higher risk, you will be prioritised.

All students are triaged within 24 hours of registering with SPCS. During triaging, if we feel you may be at higher risk, we will contact you by phone, email and/or text.

Accessing counselling

Types of support provided by Student Psychological Services

We offer a range of free support options, including counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, psychiatric consultation and group workshops.

After you've registered

Understand our service

Find out more about our process, including registration, consultation, ongoing sessions and waiting times. 

Re-scheduling and late arrivals

Rescheduling your appointment

It's important that you attend all your sessions. If you can't make your appointment find out how to re-schedule. 

Self-help and other resources

Find out more about self-help resources

Borrow one of our self-help books free of charge or find out which organisations offer external support. 

Contact us

Contact Student Psychological Services

Find out how to get in touch with us if you need to ask a question or provide us with feedback. 

Crisis support

Talking with a counsellor

Find out how to access urgent support.

Give us your feedback

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We want to hear from you and how you've found our service. Please fill in the short feedback form to help us ensure we're providing the best possible service.

SPCS privacy notice

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Find out more about how SPCS processes your personal data.

Contact Student Support and Wellbeing

Follow Student Support and Wellbeing

Meet the team

Find out more about who we are and what we do. 

Crisis support

Student Support and Wellbeing does not offer emergency support.

If you're in immediate danger of hurting yourself or others:

  • Go directly to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital to get help
  • Call 999 to request an ambulance if you are unable to reach the hospital yourself

If you're feeling distressed and need urgent support:

  • Contact your GP surgery to request an emergency appointment
  • If your GP surgery isn't open, call the free NHS out-of-hours medical line on 111 for help accessing the right services
  • You can call the Samaritans on 116 123 to talk to someone at any time, day or night
  • Nightline are a listening service for students, by students - they're available overnight via live web chat 6pm - 2am

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