Important vaccinations

The NHS is offering free MenB vaccinations for all students, including international students, studying at university for the first time in 2026/27.

Find out more about the MenB vaccine

Although meningitis is rare, as a new student you may be at higher risk of getting meningitis and spreading it to others, as you are likely to be mixing closely with lots of new people, some of whom may unknowingly be carrying the bacteria that causes meningitis.  

Meningitis causes inflammation of meninges, the membranes around your brain. It can cause sepsis or septicaemia (blood poisoning). Meningitis and sepsis can be very serious if not treated quickly.  

Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include:

• a high temperature (fever)
• being sick
• a headache
• a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not always develop)
• a stiff neck
• a dislike of bright lights
• drowsiness or unresponsiveness
• seizures (fits)

These symptoms can appear in any order. You do not always get all the symptoms.

Get medical help immediately if you think you or someone you look after could have meningitis or sepsis. 

In the UK, the MenACWY vaccine is offered at school to those aged 14 years old. Sometimes the records from school immunisations do not reach the GP records: if your GP does not have details of your meningitis vaccine, you may be able to find out from your school nurse. If you have not been vaccinated, you can contact your GP to request vaccination. If you cannot be sure you have been vaccinated, it is not dangerous to repeat a dose. There are different strains of meningococcus and it is important that you are vaccinated against groups A, C, W and Y which are the main strains in young adults.

This year, the NHS is also offering MenB vaccinations to all students studying in the UK for the first time. If you were born between 1st September 2007 to 31st August 2008, you will be contacted about booking a vaccination appointment. Otherwise, you can get the vaccine from a participating local pharmacy. You will need two doses of the vaccine, 28 days apart. Appointments are available until 31 March 2027, but it’s recommended you get your first dose before starting university. Where possible, international students should receive the first dose of the vaccine in your home country. 

Please note that meningitis is not the same condition as encephalitis, against which students from some countries might have been immunised. If you have been immunised against any form of encephalitis, you will still need a meningitis vaccine. 

Measles is circulating in England; there were 2,911 confirmed cases in 2024 (the highest annual number since 2012) and there have been over 800 cases so far in 2026. Measles is an infection that spreads very easily and can cause serious complications in some people.  In addition, several outbreaks of mumps have occurred at both universities in Oxford in previous years.    

Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine gives you long-term protection from both measles and mumps, as well as rubella. The MMR vaccine is usually given as two doses in early childhood. If you are not certain that you have received the two MMR immunisations, we recommend that you check this with your GP. If you have not received both vaccinations, it’s recommended to get these before arriving at university. If you are not sure you have already had MMR vaccine it is not dangerous to have another one. There should be at least a month between each dose. If you do not have time to have both doses before arrival in Oxford, this can be arranged when you register with a doctor in Oxford.

The Td/IPV vaccine (also called the 3-in-1 teenage booster) is usually offered to students in school year 9 in the UK. It helps to protect against three serious illnesses: tetanus, diphtheria and polio.  

If you missed getting vaccinated at school, contact your GP to discuss getting the vaccination.

The HPV vaccine helps protect against genital warts and cancers (such as cervical cancer and some cancers of the anus and genital areas) caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV).

If you missed the HPV vaccine at school, you can still ask your GP for this vaccine up until your 25th birthday (for women born after 1 September 1991 and men born after 1 September 2006).

Some students might be at an increased risk of getting seriously ill from influenza and/or Covid-19. If you think you might be in a high clinical risk group, contact your General Practitioner at the start of term to see if you need to have a flu vaccine or a first COVID-19 vaccine or booster, and read more about the National Flu Immunisation Programme on the UK Government website.