Men ACWY vaccination

Young people are now routinely offered a vaccination to prevent meningitis W disease. The Men ACWY vaccine protects against four different causes of meningitis and septicaemia: Meningococcal (Men) A, C, W and Y diseases. It replaces the separate Men C vaccine.

In England, the Men ACWY vaccine is routinely offered to teenagers in school years 9 and 10. If you missed having it at school or did not have it before coming to the UK to study, you can ask your GP for this vaccine until your 25th birthday.

It is particularly important to have the vaccination if you're a student going away to university or college for the first time, ideally before the start of the academic year. This is because you'll be at particularly high risk in the first weeks of term when you're likely to come into contact with many new people of a similar age.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

If you missed getting vaccinated when you were in secondary school, the HPV vaccine is available for free on the NHS for all girls under 25 and boys born after 1 September 2006.

The vaccine protects against the human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes most cervical cancers and cancers that affect both boys and girls, including some anal, genital, mouth and throat (head and neck) cancers. It also offers protection against the most common genital warts caused by HPV.

Any student who missed their HPV vaccine can catch up before their 25th birthday by contacting their GP practice.

Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination

Universities and colleges also advise students to be immunised against mumps, measles and rubella before starting their studies. The MMR vaccine is
part of the routine NHS childhood immunisation schedule. This means most young people who've grown up in England will have had two doses of it in childhood. These highly infectious conditions can easily spread between unvaccinated people.

Getting vaccinated is important, as these conditions can also lead to serious problems, including meningitis and hearing loss. If you're not sure you've had two doses of the MMR vaccination, contact your GP practice.

Flu vaccination

Have an annual flu vaccination if you have a long-term health condition, such as asthma (needing steroid inhaler or tablets), diabetes, kidney disease or heart disease. Find more information and check your eligibility at Get Vaccinated Now.