Starting university often means taking responsibility for your health for the first time. Alongside accommodation, enrolment and freshers’ week, several medical checks are worth completing before leaving home.

For students with asthma, serious allergies or other long-term conditions, preparation is particularly important. Shared accommodation and close contact with many new people can also increase exposure to infections.

Check Your MenB Vaccination

Meningococcal group B bacteria can cause meningitis and sepsis, both potentially life-threatening illnesses. Students living in halls and shared accommodation may face greater exposure because the bacteria can spread through close or prolonged contact.

In England, a time-limited MenB vaccination programme is operating for eligible young people during 2026–27. This includes certain people born between September 2007 and August 2008, as well as eligible first-time university students born on or after 21 July 2001.

Two doses are required, given at least 28 days apart, so vaccination should not be left until the final days before moving.

If you are unsure which vaccines you have already received, check your vaccination history through the NHS App or contact your GP surgery.

Prepare Asthma Medication

Students with asthma should check that inhalers are in date and that they have enough medication for the move.

Preventer inhalers should continue to be used according to the prescribed treatment plan, while reliever inhalers should remain easily accessible.

Some inhalers may still contain liquid even after all measured doses have been used. If yours does not have a dose counter, keep track of how many doses you have taken and replace it before it runs out.

If you use a spacer, remember to take that too.

Asthma symptoms that become more frequent or difficult to control should not be ignored. If prescribed emergency treatment is not helping during a serious attack, urgent medical assistance may be needed.

Do Not Forget Allergy Injectors

Anyone at risk of anaphylaxis should check adrenaline auto-injectors before moving.

Different devices work slightly differently, so it is important to understand how your specific injector is used. Expiry dates should also be checked regularly.

MHRA safety guidance advises people who have been prescribed adrenaline auto-injectors to carry two in-date devices with them and know how to use them before an emergency occurs.

It can also be useful to tell trusted friends or housemates where the injectors are kept and what to do if a severe allergic reaction develops.

Anaphylaxis can progress quickly, so emergency medication needs to be immediately available rather than left somewhere difficult to reach.

Antibiotics Are Not for Colds

The start of the academic year often brings coughs, colds and other respiratory infections as students begin living and socialising together. But antibiotics do not work against viral infections such as ordinary colds or flu.

Using antibiotics when they are not needed contributes to antimicrobial resistance, which makes bacterial infections more difficult to treat.

If antibiotics are prescribed, follow the instructions from your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Do not share them with another person or save leftover tablets for a future illness.

Unused antibiotics should be returned to a pharmacy for safe disposal rather than flushed down the sink or toilet or placed in household rubbish.

Register With Local Health Services

Students moving to another city should also think about how they will access healthcare once they arrive.

Registering with a local GP practice can make it easier to obtain repeat prescriptions, manage existing conditions and arrange appointments.

Before leaving home, make sure you have enough essential medication to cover the transition.

Keep important medicines somewhere accessible during the move rather than packing them deep inside luggage or boxes.

A simple record of current prescriptions, allergies and important medical conditions can also be useful, particularly for anyone managing several treatments.

Know When to Seek Help

Independent living also means recognising when a health problem needs professional attention.

For asthma, worsening breathlessness or symptoms that are no longer responding to usual medication require prompt advice.

Severe allergic reactions need immediate treatment according to the person’s emergency plan, followed by urgent medical assistance.

Students should also familiarise themselves with local NHS services. NHS 111 can provide urgent medical advice when the situation is not immediately life-threatening, while 999 should be used for serious emergencies.

A Little Preparation Goes a Long Way

Taking responsibility for your health does not mean travelling to university with a cupboard full of medicines.

The most useful preparation is much simpler: check vaccination status, renew essential prescriptions, look at expiry dates and understand how important medicines on medical devices should be used.

For students with long-term conditions, the period before university can also be a useful opportunity to review their treatment plan with a healthcare professional.

Phil Tregunno, Deputy Director of Patient Safety Monitoring at the MHRA, advises students to prepare their healthcare needs before arriving at university so they can concentrate on settling into independent life once term begins.

A few checks before moving can prevent avoidable problems later — and make the first weeks of university considerably easier.