Health insurance

The NHS (National Heath Service) is the national institution of public health in the UK. All individuals have the right to receive free medical assistance in the case of:
Urgency (but the treatments following are to be paid by the patient)
For the treatment of contagious illnesses
For psychiatric treatments

Students registered in a study program for longer than six months, have the right to NHS services, just like British citizens. Registration with the NHS is conducted by the university during the first days of your stay, which is then followed by a medical examination visit, usually provided by the University. Once this has been completed the students are then allowed to receive free treatments within the network of the NHS (hospitals and general practice doctors.)
Students residing in the UK for less than six months do not have the right to inscribe with the NHS (except for the three cases listed above). They must pay for visits to general practice doctors and hospitals. Hence it is strongly advised to get medical insurance for the whole period of stay in the UK.
There are a number of countries throughout the world whose medical insurance is equivalent and valid in the UK: Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Anglo-Normandy Islands, Czech and Slovak Republic, Hungary, Malta, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Russia, St. Helena,USA and ex-Soviet Union states and ex-Yugoslavia states. Citizens of these countries have the right for treatment in the NHS system during their stay in the UK.
EU citizens residing in the UK for less than six months have the same rights as the students residing for more than six months. However, they must fill out the E128 form available in their country of origin.

There are certain medical services that must always be paid:
Purchase of medication prescribed by the doctor, in the pharmacy
Dentist
Optician