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You may be able to claim a refund if:

  • you’re in full-time higher education in the UK
  • you have a visa that started on or after 1 January 2021 for EU students or 1 November 2021 for Swiss students
  • you have a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) issued in an EU country Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein
  • you live in the UK and have a UK address - this can be student accommodation

You must apply for reimbursement within 12 months after arriving in the UK.

We cannot reject an application based on you applying outside of the 12 months.

Full-time education

Full-time education is where a student spends an average of more than 12 hours per week during term time:

  • receiving tuition
  • engaging in practical work
  • receiving supervised study
  • taking examinations

Higher education is classed as:

  • level 4 and above in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland
  • level 7 and above in Scotland
  • a preparatory course or foundation year which is needed before being able to start a degree course

Apprenticeships, college and sixth form are not classed as higher education.

Working while you study

You're not eligible for a refund if you work or intend to work in the UK while you study.

This is because if you start paid work, your EHIC may become invalid and you'll not be able to use it to access healthcare.

Dependants

Your partner and children may be eligible for a refund if:

  • they're in the UK on a visa that started on or after 1 January 2021 or 1 November 2021 if you're a student from Switzerland
  • they have a valid EHIC
  • they do not work or intend to work in the UK

Your dependants may be eligible for a refund even if you're not.

Making an application

Apply for a refund of the IHS online.

You must have your:

  • IHS number - this is on the confirmation letter you'll have received from WorldPay when you paid your IHS
  • Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS) letter
  • valid EHIC
  • share code to prove your immigration status as part of your application

View how to access your share code and how to contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) if you cannot generate a code.

If you have a Biometric Residency Permit (BRP), you're not eligible to apply for a refund online. Contact our helpdesk for an application form by:

Telephone: 0300 330 7693

Email address: ihsreimbursements@nhsbsa.nhs.uk 

Students from Norway

You can apply for a refund online from 1 January 2024.

You can apply for a backdated payment of your IHS if you paid this between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2023.

Students from Iceland and Liechtenstein

If your visa started before 1 January 2024, you'll not be reimbursed for the period before this date.

Payment

The refund will be paid in full to cover the start date of your visa to the earliest of:

  • the end date of your visa
  • the expiry date on your EHIC

Refunds are based on full 6-month periods of eligibility.

Any IHS paid that does not make up a 6-month period of eligibility, will not be refunded.

Other queries

If you have any other queries about claiming a refund, contact the IHS team at nhsbsa.ihsstudents@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.