Looking After Your Mental Health at University

University can be exciting, rewarding and full of new opportunities.

It can also involve major changes to almost every part of your life.

You may be adjusting to:

• Living away from home.

• Managing your own money.

• Meeting new people.

• Sharing accommodation.

• Studying more independently.

• Balancing deadlines.

• Working part time.

• Coping with uncertainty about the future.

• Managing an existing mental health condition.

• Trying to look as though everything is going brilliantly.

It is normal to experience difficult days, stress, homesickness or periods of self-doubt.

However, you do not need to wait until you are in crisis before asking for support.

The NHS recommends seeking help when stress becomes difficult to manage, the steps you are trying are not helping, or stress is affecting your daily life or university work.

Looking after your mental health does not mean feeling happy all the time. It means paying attention to how you are doing, maintaining habits that support you and taking action when something is beginning to feel unmanageable.

This guide explains how to protect your wellbeing, recognise possible warning signs and access appropriate support at university and through the NHS.

Important: This guide provides general information, not a diagnosis or replacement for professional medical advice.

What Is Mental Health?

Mental health includes your emotional, psychological and social wellbeing.

It can affect:

• How you think.

• How you feel.

• How you respond to stress.

• How you relate to other people.

• How you make decisions.

• How you study and work.

• How you care for yourself.

Everyone has mental health, just as everyone has physical health.

Your mental health can change over time and may be influenced by:

• Life events.

• Relationships.

• Physical health.

• Sleep.

• Money.

• Academic pressure.

• Discrimination.

• Housing.

• Loneliness.

• Trauma.

• Medication.

• Alcohol or drugs.

• Existing mental health conditions.

Feeling anxious, sad or overwhelmed does not automatically mean you have a mental health condition.

However, persistent distress, major changes in behaviour or difficulty functioning may mean that you need additional support.

Why Can University Affect Mental Health?

University often brings several major changes at once.

You may have lost some of the routines and support that previously helped you feel stable.

Possible pressures include:

• Academic deadlines.

• Examination stress.

• Financial worries.

• Homesickness.

• Loneliness.

• Social pressure.

• Flatmate conflict.

• Relationship difficulties.

• Uncertainty about your course.

• Pressure to succeed.

• Employment.

• Caring responsibilities.

• Discrimination or harassment.

• Changes to medical care.

• Worries about graduate employment.

The NHS identifies academic pressure, money worries and separation from friends and family as common sources of student stress.

You may also feel pressure to be grateful or happy because university is often described as “the best time of your life”.

This can make it harder to admit that you are struggling.

University can contain brilliant experiences without every week feeling brilliant.

Mental Health Can Change During the Academic Year

Different parts of the university year may create different pressures.

Before Starting

You may feel:

• Nervous about leaving home.

• Worried about making friends.

• Uncertain about your course.

• Concerned about money.

• Anxious about managing independently.

During Freshers’ Week

You may experience:

• Social exhaustion.

• Pressure to attend events.

• Homesickness.

• Lack of sleep.

• Anxiety about fitting in.

• Discomfort in unfamiliar accommodation.

When Teaching Begins

You may begin worrying about:

• Academic ability.

• Independent study.

• Speaking in seminars.

• Falling behind.

• Understanding assignments.

Around Deadlines and Examinations

You may experience:

• Increased anxiety.

• Poor sleep.

• Procrastination.

• Perfectionism.

• Difficulty concentrating.

• Feelings of failure.

During Holidays

Some students find holidays difficult because:

• University services have reduced hours.

• Friends travel away.

• They remain in accommodation alone.

• Returning home creates conflict.

• Family circumstances are difficult.

• They lose established routines.

Understanding these patterns can help you prepare rather than interpreting every difficult period as a personal failure.

Learn Your Own Early Warning Signs

Everybody experiences changes in mental health differently.

Your early warning signs might include:

• Sleeping much more or less than usual.

• Missing lectures.

• Avoiding messages.

• Staying in your room.

• Losing interest in activities.

• Feeling constantly tense.

• Becoming unusually irritable.

• Struggling to eat regularly.

• Relying more heavily on alcohol or drugs.

• Ignoring personal care.

• Finding ordinary decisions overwhelming.

• Being unable to concentrate.

• Feeling hopeless.

• Believing that you are a burden.

• Thinking about self-harm or suicide.

Try to identify what changes first when you begin struggling.

You might ask:

• What do I stop doing?

• What becomes more difficult?

• How does my sleep change?

• Do I withdraw from people?

• What thoughts become more frequent?

• What have friends or family noticed previously?

• Which situations tend to trigger difficulties?

Recognising the early signs can help you act before the situation becomes more severe.

Create a Personal Mental Health Plan

A simple written plan can make it easier to know what to do when your thinking becomes overwhelmed.

Include:

My Early Warning Signs

For example:

• I stop attending lectures.

• I avoid opening emails.

• I sleep during the day.

• I cancel every plan.

• I feel constantly panicked.

Things That Usually Help

For example:

• Speaking to a trusted person.

• Returning to regular meals.

• Going outside.

• Reducing alcohol.

• Attending a wellbeing appointment.

• Following my treatment plan.

• Breaking academic work into smaller tasks.

People I Can Contact

Include:

• A friend.

• A family member.

• Your personal tutor.

• A GP.

• University wellbeing.

• A counsellor.

• A trusted flatmate.

Professional Support

Record:

• University counselling details.

• GP contact information.

• Local urgent mental health services.

• Any clinician or specialist team.

• University security.

• Accommodation support.

What to Do in an Emergency

Write down:

• Who to contact.

• Where to go.

• Who can stay with you.

• What information other people may need.

• Any existing crisis or safety plan created with a professional.

Store the plan somewhere you can access easily.

Build Routines That Support You

Healthy routines cannot prevent every mental health difficulty, and they should not replace professional treatment.

However, basic routines can provide stability.

Student Space recommends establishing supportive habits early rather than postponing sleep, meals, exercise and wellbeing until after university life has become settled.

Focus on consistency rather than perfection.

A realistic routine might include:

• A broadly regular waking time.

• Eating several times a day.

• Attending essential teaching.

• Time outside.

• Some physical movement.

• Regular contact with other people.

• Study periods.

• Time away from academic work.

• A wind-down routine before sleep.

You do not need to optimise every part of your existence.

Sometimes looking after yourself means eating something, answering one message and attending the appointment you were tempted to cancel.

Protect Your Sleep

Sleep affects concentration, memory, mood and your ability to manage stress.

University sleep can be disrupted by:

• Noise.

• Social events.

• Anxiety.

• Irregular teaching.

• Caffeine.

• Late-night studying.

• Shift work.

• Phone use.

• Alcohol.

• Shared accommodation.

Helpful habits may include:

• Waking at a broadly consistent time.

• Reducing caffeine later in the day.

• Creating a short wind-down routine.

• Keeping work away from your bed where possible.

• Getting some daylight during the day.

• Using earplugs or an eye mask where safe.

• Avoiding routine all-night study sessions.

• Seeking help when sleep problems persist.

Student Space advises using daylight, regular movement and a consistent routine to support sleep at university.

A perfect eight-hour routine may not always be possible.

Repeatedly treating sleep as optional is unlikely to help either your wellbeing or your academic performance.

Eat Regularly

When you are stressed, low or busy, eating can become difficult.

You may:

• Forget meals.

• Lose your appetite.

• Rely on snacks.

• Spend more than planned on takeaways.

• Avoid the kitchen because of flatmates.

• Feel too exhausted to cook.

Keep a few simple options available, such as:

• Bread.

• Cereal.

• Soup.

• Pasta.

• Rice.

• Eggs.

• Frozen vegetables.

• Fruit.

• Yoghurt.

• Tinned food.

• Easy freezer meals.

The goal is not to create a perfect diet.

It is to make eating possible when your energy is low.

Speak to a GP or qualified professional if you are regularly unable to eat, experience major changes in eating or weight, or are concerned about your relationship with food.

Include Movement

Physical activity can support wellbeing, but it does not have to mean joining a gym or becoming competitive.

You could:

• Walk to campus.

• Take a short walk between study sessions.

• Join a beginner’s sports club.

• Swim.

• Dance.

• Stretch.

• Cycle.

• Follow an accessible exercise routine.

• Spend time outdoors.

Choose something realistic and suitable for your health.

Movement should support you, not become another standard you use to judge yourself.

Spend Time Outside Your Room

Your room can feel safe when you are anxious or low.

However, long periods of isolation may make it harder to maintain routines and connections.

You do not need to attend a large social event.

Try:

• Studying in the library.

• Sitting in a communal area.

• Walking to a café.

• Attending one seminar.

• Eating somewhere outside your room.

• Visiting a quiet campus space.

• Going to a society activity briefly.

A small change of environment can interrupt the feeling that every part of your life is happening in one room.

Maintain Social Connections

You can feel lonely even when surrounded by people.

Student Space explains that loneliness is often connected to the quality of social connection rather than simply the number of people nearby.

Try to maintain several types of connection:

• University friends.

• Friends from home.

• Family.

• Coursemates.

• Society members.

• Online communities.

• Faith or cultural groups.

• Professional support.

You do not need a huge friendship group.

One or two reliable relationships may be more valuable than knowing a large number of people superficially.

Read Making Friends at University for practical advice.

Create Small Social Goals

When you feel lonely or anxious, “make more friends” is far too large a task.

Choose something specific:

• Sit beside someone in a seminar.

• Message one coursemate.

• Attend the same society again.

• Ask someone to get coffee.

• Study in a shared space.

• Call a friend from home.

• Join a peer-support group.

• Volunteer for one event.

Friendship often develops through repeated, ordinary contact.

You do not need to manufacture an extraordinary social life in one week.

Use Social Media Carefully

Social media can provide connection, but it can also increase comparison.

You may see:

• Parties.

• Friendship groups.

• High marks.

• Society events.

• Perfect accommodation.

• Productive study routines.

You do not see:

• Loneliness.

• Conflict.

• Anxiety.

• Cancelled plans.

• Academic difficulties.

• Financial stress.

• The twenty photographs that were not posted.

Consider taking a break or limiting use when social media consistently leaves you feeling worse.

Muting an account is not an act of hostility.

It may simply be useful digital housekeeping.

Manage Academic Stress Early

Academic problems often become mental health problems when students avoid them for too long.

You may begin missing work because you feel anxious, then become more anxious because the work has been missed.

Break the cycle early.

Contact:

• Your personal tutor.

• Module leader.

• Course administrator.

• Academic-skills service.

• Disability team.

• Student wellbeing.

Explain:

• What has happened.

• How it is affecting your work.

• Which deadlines are involved.

• What you have already tried.

• What support you need.

You do not need to provide your complete life story in the first email.

A simple message could be:

“I have been experiencing mental health difficulties, and these are beginning to affect my attendance and assignment work. Please could we arrange a meeting to discuss the support and academic options available?”

Break Work Into Manageable Steps

When you are struggling, large tasks can feel impossible.

Instead of writing:

Complete essay.

Break it into:

1. Open the assignment brief.

2. Highlight the question.

3. Read the marking criteria.

4. Find one source.

5. Write three possible points.

6. Draft one paragraph.

7. Contact the tutor about anything unclear.

Completing a small step may not solve the whole problem, but it creates movement.

Read Time Management at University and Study Skills for University for more detailed strategies.

Perfectionism and Mental Health

Perfectionism can make you believe that:

• Anything below the highest mark is failure.

• You must understand everything immediately.

• Asking for help proves you do not belong.

• A draft must be excellent before anyone sees it.

• Rest is laziness.

• Other students are managing better.

Perfectionism may lead to:

• Procrastination.

• Excessive checking.

• Missed deadlines.

• Sleep loss.

• Avoidance.

• Constant dissatisfaction.

Try replacing “perfect” with a clear academic target.

Ask:

• What does the assessment require?

• What would a competent draft look like?

• Which improvement would affect the mark?

• Am I improving the work or avoiding submission?

• What would I advise another student to do?

Submitted work can receive feedback.

A perfect assignment that never leaves your laptop cannot.

Set Boundaries Around Academic Work

University work can expand into every available hour.

Create boundaries such as:

• A normal time to stop studying.

• One evening without academic work.

• Protected meal breaks.

• A realistic number of daily priorities.

• Notifications turned off during rest.

• A day or half-day with fewer commitments.

Boundaries may need to change around major assessments, but constant emergency working is not sustainable.

Rest is part of managing your workload, not evidence that you are insufficiently committed.

Managing Money Worries

Financial stress can affect sleep, concentration, eating and social participation.

Do not wait until you have no money left before asking for help.

Contact:

• The university money team.

• Students’ union advice.

• Student finance.

• Accommodation services.

• Your bank.

• A trusted family member.

• A free debt-advice organisation.

University support may include:

• Hardship funding.

• Emergency support.

• Food assistance.

• Budgeting advice.

• Short-term loans.

• Bursaries.

• Help with accommodation problems.

Be honest about the scale of the problem.

Ignoring messages about unpaid rent rarely causes the rent to become philosophical and reconsider its position.

Read Budgeting for Students, Hidden Costs of University and Part-Time Jobs at University.

Part-Time Work and Mental Health

A job can provide:

• Money.

• Routine.

• Experience.

• Social contact.

• Time away from studying.

It can also create:

• Tiredness.

• Schedule conflicts.

• Additional pressure.

• Reduced study time.

• Difficulty attending support appointments.

Review your working hours if you are:

• Regularly missing teaching.

• Sleeping poorly.

• Unable to complete assignments.

• Constantly exhausted.

• Feeling trapped by your schedule.

Speak to your employer early about:

• Examination periods.

• Placement blocks.

• Availability.

• Reducing or changing shifts.

You may also be eligible for financial support that reduces the need to work excessive hours.

Alcohol, Drugs and Mental Health

Some students use alcohol or drugs to manage anxiety, loneliness, low mood or social pressure.

Substances may provide temporary relief while making longer-term problems worse or creating new risks.

Pay attention if you are:

• Drinking or using drugs more frequently.

• Needing more to achieve the same effect.

• Using substances alone.

• Missing work or teaching.

• Experiencing memory loss.

• Taking risks.

• Mixing substances with medication.

• Using them mainly to escape your feelings.

• Finding it difficult to stop.

Speak honestly to a GP, university wellbeing service or specialist support service.

In a medical emergency, call 999.

You will not be wasting anybody’s time by seeking urgent help.

Homesickness

Homesickness can happen even when you were excited to leave home.

You may miss:

• Family.

• Friends.

• Pets.

• Familiar food.

• Your old routines.

• Feeling competent.

• Knowing where everything is.

• Being understood without explanation.

Helpful steps may include:

• Planning regular contact home.

• Building a daily routine.

• Bringing familiar items to your room.

• Spending some time outside your accommodation.

• Attending one regular activity.

• Planning a visit.

• Speaking to somebody at university.

Student Minds advises accessing university support when homesickness causes more distress than you can manage or does not begin easing after several weeks.

Homesickness does not automatically mean you chose the wrong university.

Persistent or severe distress deserves support rather than endless instructions to “give it time”.

Loneliness

Loneliness may feel like:

• Having nobody to contact.

• Knowing people but not feeling understood.

• Being excluded.

• Missing established friendships.

• Feeling invisible in large classes.

• Spending most of your time alone.

• Believing everybody else already has a group.

Student Space recommends focusing on meaningful connection, including volunteering, shared activities and spending time with people in ways that feel enjoyable and genuine.

Try:

• Repeated attendance at one activity.

• A smaller society.

• A course study group.

• Volunteering.

• A part-time job.

• Peer mentoring.

• Faith or cultural communities.

• Speaking to student wellbeing.

Loneliness is common, but that does not mean you must simply tolerate it.

Imposter Feelings

You may feel that:

• You were admitted by mistake.

• Everybody else is more intelligent.

• Your previous achievements do not count.

• Asking questions will expose you.

• One weak mark proves you do not belong.

Remember:

• Other students have different strengths and experiences.

• University-level study is supposed to involve challenge.

• A mark is feedback on one piece of work, not a verdict on your worth.

• Asking for clarification is part of learning.

• Confidence and competence are not the same thing.

Talk to your tutor or academic-skills team if these feelings are preventing participation or causing significant distress.

What Support Is Available at University?

Universities organise support differently.

Services may include:

• Counselling.

• Mental health advisers.

• Wellbeing teams.

• Disability or inclusion services.

• Student advice.

• Sexual violence liaison services.

• Chaplaincy or faith support.

• Peer support.

• Residential-life teams.

• Financial support.

• Academic-skills services.

Student Minds notes that university support commonly includes combinations of counselling, mental health, wellbeing, disability, advice, chaplaincy and specialist support services.

Search your university website for terms such as:

• Mental health.

• Wellbeing.

• Counselling.

• Disability.

• Student support.

• Urgent help.

• Report and support.

Save the information before you need it.

University Counselling

Many colleges and most universities provide a free and confidential counselling service for undergraduate and postgraduate students. The type of support, number of sessions and waiting time vary between institutions.

Counselling may help with:

• Anxiety.

• Low mood.

• Stress.

• Bereavement.

• Relationship problems.

• Homesickness.

• Identity.

• Trauma.

• Academic pressure.

• Difficult life events.

You do not need a formal diagnosis to ask what support is available.

A university counselling service may not be suitable for every condition or level of need. It may recommend another service, including NHS care.

Your Personal Tutor

Your personal tutor or academic adviser may not be a mental health professional.

However, they can often help you:

• Explain your situation to the department.

• Understand academic options.

• Access university procedures.

• Contact specialist services.

• Manage attendance concerns.

• Plan a return after illness.

• Discuss interruption or course changes.

You do not need to disclose every personal detail.

Tell them enough to explain how the situation is affecting your studies and what support you need.

University Disability Support

A mental health condition may qualify you for disability-related support where it has a substantial and long-term effect on daily activities.

Possible support may include:

• Academic adjustments.

• Examination arrangements.

• Specialist mentoring.

• Study-skills support.

• Assistive technology.

• Adjustments to attendance processes.

• Support plans.

• Accessible accommodation arrangements.

Contact the university’s disability or inclusion service to ask about the evidence and process.

Support arrangements can take time, so early contact is helpful.

Sharing a Mental Health Condition

You can share a mental health condition or support need through your UCAS application or directly with your university.

UCAS states that this information is not used to make the academic decision on an application. It is shared securely with staff responsible for arranging support. UCAS also states that you do not need a diagnosis simply to share a difficulty and begin discussing support, although evidence may be required for particular adjustments or funding.

Sharing information may help the university prepare:

• A support agreement.

• Examination adjustments.

• Disability appointments.

• Accessible accommodation.

• Specialist support.

• Communication with relevant staff.

You remain in control of whether to share.

However, delaying may mean support takes longer to arrange.

Disabled Students’ Allowance

Disabled Students’ Allowance, usually called DSA, can help with additional study-related costs caused by a mental health condition, long-term illness or other disability.

For students funded through Student Finance England:

• Support depends on individual needs rather than household income.

• DSA can be received alongside other student finance.

• It does not normally need to be repaid.

Support may include:

• Specialist mentoring.

• Study-skills support.

• Assistive technology.

• Equipment.

• Additional study-related travel.

• Other agreed support.

Funding arrangements differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so apply through the body responsible for your student finance.

A university disability adviser can often help you understand the process.

Register With a GP

If you live at university for most of the year, the NHS advises registering with a GP near your university as soon as possible. This is particularly important when you have an ongoing condition or need regular medication.

Before moving:

• Arrange enough medication for the transition.

• Keep a list of medication and doses.

• Ask how repeat prescriptions will work.

• Find the nearest pharmacy.

• Discuss the transfer of specialist treatment.

• Keep relevant medical information.

• Know how to access urgent help.

Do not stop medication or change the dose without speaking to an appropriate healthcare professional.

Speak to a GP

A GP can:

• Discuss symptoms.

• Provide medical advice.

• Review medication.

• Refer you to specialist services.

• Provide information about treatment.

• Help with medical evidence where appropriate.

Book an appointment when:

• Your symptoms are persistent.

• Your daily life is being affected.

• You are struggling to function.

• Self-help is not working.

• Your condition is worsening.

• You are concerned about medication.

• You need professional assessment.

Write down what you want to discuss before the appointment.

Include:

• When the problem began.

• How often it happens.

• How it affects sleep, eating, study and relationships.

• Medication or substances used.

• Any thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

• What support you have tried.

Be honest.

Professionals can make better decisions when they understand the actual situation.

NHS Talking Therapies

In England, adults experiencing problems such as anxiety or depression may be able to refer themselves to NHS Talking Therapies without first speaking to a GP. A formal diagnosis is not always required to begin the referral process.

Available treatment depends on:

• Your needs.

• Local services.

• Assessment.

• Clinical suitability.

Students elsewhere in the UK should check the NHS mental health services available in the nation and local area where they live.

Academic Adjustments and Mitigating Circumstances

Mental health difficulties may affect:

• Attendance.

• Deadlines.

• Examinations.

• Presentations.

• Group work.

• Placements.

• Concentration.

Universities may have procedures called:

• Mitigating circumstances.

• Extenuating circumstances.

• Exceptional circumstances.

• Extensions.

• Deferrals.

• Examination adjustments.

• Interruption of study.

Check:

• The application process.

• The deadline.

• Evidence requirements.

• Which decision-maker is involved.

• Whether the request affects progression.

• What alternatives are available.

Do not assume that telling one lecturer automatically updates every deadline or creates a formal adjustment.

Follow the official process where possible.

Taking a Break From Study

Sometimes a student may consider:

• Reducing commitments.

• Deferring an assessment.

• Repeating a module.

• Interrupting study.

• Changing course.

• Leaving university.

Do not make a permanent decision during an immediate crisis where it is safe to pause.

Speak to:

• Your personal tutor.

• Student support.

• Your department.

• Disability services.

• Student finance.

• Accommodation.

• An international student adviser where relevant.

• A healthcare professional.

A break or withdrawal can affect:

• Tuition fee liability.

• Maintenance funding.

• Accommodation contracts.

• Visa status.

• Future student finance.

• Access to services.

Taking a break is not automatically failure.

It may be an appropriate part of protecting your health and planning a sustainable return.

Signs That You May Need More Support

Consider professional help when:

• Low mood or anxiety is persistent.

• You are struggling to complete daily tasks.

• You have stopped attending teaching.

• You are isolating yourself.

• Sleep or eating has changed significantly.

• You are relying on alcohol or drugs.

• You feel unable to cope.

• You are experiencing panic attacks.

• You feel worthless or hopeless.

• You are thinking about self-harm.

• You are having thoughts of suicide.

• Friends or family are seriously concerned.

The NHS recommends seeking help when stress is affecting your life or university work, when you are struggling to cope or when the strategies you have tried are not helping.

You do not need to become worse before you deserve help.

Asking Directly for Help

You can say:

• “I am not coping well at the moment.”

• “My mental health is affecting my university work.”

• “I have started missing lectures because of anxiety.”

• “I feel low most days.”

• “I am having thoughts of harming myself.”

• “I do not feel safe.”

• “I need urgent support.”

Clear language helps people understand the level of concern.

You are not being dramatic by accurately describing what is happening.

When You Need Urgent Mental Health Help

Immediate Danger

Call 999 or go to A&E when you or somebody else is in immediate danger, has suffered a serious injury, has taken an overdose or needs emergency medical care.

The NHS states that you should call 999 or go to A&E when somebody is in danger.

Where possible:

• Stay with the person.

• Move away from immediate danger.

• Tell somebody nearby.

• Contact university security or accommodation staff.

• Provide emergency services with clear information.

• Do not promise to keep a serious safety risk secret.

Urgent Mental Health Support

In England, use NHS 111 online or call 111 and select the mental health option when you need urgent mental health help but there is not an immediate life-threatening emergency. NHS 111 will direct you to suitable local support.

Students in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland should use the urgent mental health pathway provided by their national and local NHS service.

Samaritans

Samaritans can provide confidential emotional support at any time on 116 123.

You do not need to be suicidal to contact Samaritans.

What to Do If You Are Thinking About Suicide

Tell somebody as directly as you can.

You might contact:

• Emergency services.

• NHS urgent mental health support.

• A GP.

• University security.

• Accommodation staff.

• A trusted friend.

• A family member.

• University wellbeing.

• Samaritans.

Try not to remain alone with an immediate risk.

Move away from anything you might use to harm yourself and ask somebody to stay with you or help you reach professional support.

Thoughts can change, even when they feel permanent in the moment.

The priority is getting through the immediate period safely with another person involved.

Supporting a Friend

You may notice that a friend is:

• Withdrawing.

• Missing classes.

• Drinking more.

• Struggling to eat.

• Persistently anxious or low.

• Neglecting personal care.

• Talking about hopelessness.

• Saying people would be better without them.

• Giving away possessions.

• Mentioning self-harm or suicide.

Choose a calm moment and say what you have noticed.

For example:

“You have seemed very low recently, and I’ve noticed you have stopped coming to lectures. How are you doing?”

Listen without immediately trying to solve everything.

Ask:

• “What would help right now?”

• “Have you spoken to anybody professional?”

• “Would you like me to sit with you while you contact support?”

• “Are you feeling safe?”

• “Are you thinking about harming yourself?”

Asking directly about suicide does not create the idea.

It gives the person an opportunity to answer honestly.

You Are Not Your Friend’s Therapist

You can:

• Listen.

• Encourage support.

• Help find services.

• Attend an appointment with them where appropriate.

• Contact urgent help.

• Check in.

You cannot:

• Provide professional treatment.

• Remain available every hour.

• Guarantee their safety alone.

• Keep serious risk secret.

• Take responsibility for every decision.

Involve other people when the situation exceeds what a friend can safely manage.

Your wellbeing matters too.

Mental Health and Shared Accommodation

Shared living can affect wellbeing through:

• Noise.

• Lack of privacy.

• Cleaning disputes.

• Different schedules.

• Conflict.

• Feeling unsafe.

• Social pressure.

• Isolation within the flat.

Begin by addressing practical issues clearly.

For example:

“The noise after midnight is affecting my sleep and lectures. Could we agree quieter hours during the week?”

Where the problem continues, contact:

• Accommodation services.

• A residential adviser.

• The landlord or provider.

• University wellbeing.

• Security.

• Safeguarding services.

Read Living with Flatmates and What Happens If You Don’t Like Your Accommodation?

Harassment, Abuse and Sexual Violence

Experiences of harassment, stalking, discrimination, domestic abuse or sexual violence can seriously affect mental health.

You are not responsible for somebody else’s abusive behaviour.

Support may be available through:

• A university reporting service.

• A sexual violence liaison officer.

• Safeguarding.

• Student wellbeing.

• Specialist charities.

• A GP.

• Police.

• Emergency services.

Student Minds identifies sexual violence liaison and specialist university services among the types of support that may be available.

Seek immediate help if you are unsafe.

You can ask about your options without being forced to make every decision immediately.

Mental Health for International Students

International students may experience additional pressures involving:

• Culture shock.

• Language.

• Visa rules.

• Distance from family.

• Time-zone differences.

• Racism or discrimination.

• Different teaching methods.

• Financial pressure.

• Limited local support.

• Worry about accessing healthcare.

International students can access university wellbeing and support services. UCAS confirms that international applicants can share mental health or disability-related needs through the application and access support from their university.

Contact:

• International student services.

• University wellbeing.

• A GP.

• Disability support.

• Faith or cultural societies.

• Academic-language support.

Do not assume you must solve everything alone because your family is far away.

Mental Health for Commuting Students

Commuting students may experience:

• Long journeys.

• Travel disruption.

• Less spontaneous social contact.

• Difficulty attending evening activities.

• Pressure from responsibilities at home.

• Limited time on campus.

Try to:

• Use gaps between classes constructively.

• Join at least one regular activity.

• Find commuter-student networks.

• Identify campus spaces where you can rest.

• Speak clearly with family about study time.

• Ask whether appointments can be offered online.

• Plan social activities that fit transport.

Living at home does not mean you are protected from student stress or loneliness.

Mental Health for Mature Students

Mature students may be balancing:

• Study.

• Employment.

• Children.

• Caring.

• Financial responsibilities.

• Health.

• A return to education after a long break.

You may feel that support is designed mainly for younger students.

It is not.

University counselling, wellbeing, disability and academic-support services are normally available to students of all ages.

Ask about:

• Mature-student networks.

• Flexible appointments.

• Online support.

• Financial advice.

• Childcare support.

• Academic-skills workshops.

• Part-time study options.

Mental Health for Postgraduate Students

Postgraduate students may face:

• Isolation.

• Unstructured work.

• Difficult supervisory relationships.

• Funding pressure.

• Uncertain boundaries.

• Teaching responsibilities.

• Career anxiety.

• Pressure to appear highly independent.

Research does not need to be completed through constant solitary distress.

Speak to:

• Your supervisor.

• A postgraduate tutor.

• The doctoral college.

• Graduate-school support.

• Your funding body.

• University wellbeing.

• A GP.

Where the supervisory relationship is part of the problem, use an alternative departmental or university contact.

Mental Health for Disabled and Neurodivergent Students

Disabled and neurodivergent students may experience additional pressure from:

• Inaccessible teaching.

• Sensory environments.

• Fatigue.

• Pain.

• Executive-function difficulties.

• Masking.

• Repeatedly explaining support needs.

• Delays to adjustments.

• Social misunderstanding.

Support might include:

• Specialist mentoring.

• Study-skills support.

• Assistive technology.

• Rest breaks.

• Alternative assessment arrangements.

• Quiet spaces.

• Flexible communication.

• Adjusted attendance processes.

Contact disability services even if you did not share information before arriving.

Support is not a reward for coping badly enough.

It exists to reduce avoidable disadvantage.

Mental Health for LGBTQ+ Students

LGBTQ+ students may face:

• Isolation.

• Rejection.

• Harassment.

• Misgendering.

• Pressure to disclose their identity.

• Difficulty accessing appropriate services.

• Anxiety about accommodation.

• Family conflict.

Look for:

• LGBTQ+ societies.

• University wellbeing.

• Specialist support organisations.

• Inclusive healthcare.

• Reporting services.

• Trusted staff.

• Peer networks.

You decide when, how and whether to share personal information.

Seek immediate support where you feel unsafe.

Mental Health for Care-Experienced and Estranged Students

Students without reliable family support may experience additional:

• Financial pressure.

• Housing insecurity.

• Loneliness during holidays.

• Difficulty finding a guarantor.

• Lack of emergency support.

• Administrative stress.

Universities may offer:

• Named advisers.

• Bursaries.

• Year-round accommodation.

• Guarantor schemes.

• Holiday support.

• Priority access to services.

• Peer networks.

Tell the university about your circumstances where you feel able to do so.

You may be eligible for practical support in addition to counselling or wellbeing services.

Common Mental Health Mistakes at University

Waiting Until Crisis Point

Early support usually creates more options.

Assuming Everyone Else Is Coping

You cannot see somebody’s complete experience.

Treating Self-Care as Treatment

Sleep, food and exercise can help, but they do not replace professional support where it is needed.

Missing Appointments Because You Feel Too Unwell

Tell the service when attending is difficult. Alternative arrangements may be possible.

Stopping Medication Without Advice

Speak to an appropriate healthcare professional.

Hiding Academic Problems

Contact staff before missed work multiplies.

Believing a Diagnosis Will Ruin Your Degree

Support can help you access education more fairly.

Using Alcohol or Drugs to Cope

Temporary relief may create additional difficulties.

Comparing Your Recovery With Somebody Else’s

People have different needs, treatment and circumstances.

Believing You Have to Justify Needing Help

You are allowed to ask what support is available.

Looking After Your Mental Health Checklist

Before University

• Research university support.

• Share relevant needs where you choose.

• Contact disability services early.

• Apply for DSA where eligible.

• Plan medication and prescriptions.

• Register with a local GP.

• Create an emergency contact list.

• Write a simple support plan.

• Discuss continuity of existing treatment.

• Save urgent-help information.

During the First Weeks

• Establish basic routines.

• Eat regularly.

• Protect sleep.

• Attend essential teaching.

• Spend some time outside your room.

• Join one manageable activity.

• Stay connected with people from home.

• Learn where support services are located.

• Avoid judging university from one difficult week.

• Ask for help early.

Each Week

• Check how you have been feeling.

• Notice changes in sleep and eating.

• Review your workload.

• Make time for rest.

• Speak to somebody you trust.

• Keep medical appointments.

• Monitor alcohol or drug use.

• Do something unrelated to your degree.

• Adjust commitments when necessary.

When You Are Struggling

• Tell somebody.

• Contact university support.

• Speak to a GP.

• Explain academic effects to your tutor.

• Check extension or mitigating-circumstance procedures.

• Reduce non-essential commitments.

• Return to basic routines.

• Use your personal support plan.

• Seek urgent help where necessary.

In an Emergency

• Call 999 or go to A&E for immediate danger.

• In England, use NHS 111 for urgent mental health support that is not an immediate emergency.

• Tell somebody nearby.

• Contact university security or accommodation.

• Do not remain alone with an immediate risk.

• Contact Samaritans on 116 123.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Normal to Struggle at University?

Yes.

University involves major academic, social and practical changes. Stress, homesickness and self-doubt can be common.

Seek help when the difficulty is persistent, worsening or affecting daily life and study.

How Do I Know Whether I Need Help?

Consider seeking support when:

• Your symptoms are difficult to manage.

• Self-help is not working.

• University work is being affected.

• You are struggling with ordinary daily tasks.

• You feel hopeless.

• You are thinking about self-harm or suicide.

You do not need to wait for a crisis.

Where Can Students Get Mental Health Support?

Possible sources include:

• University counselling.

• Mental health or wellbeing teams.

• Disability services.

• A GP.

• NHS mental health services.

• Personal tutors.

• Students’ union advice.

• Specialist charities.

Many colleges and most universities provide free confidential counselling.

Is University Counselling Free?

Many university and college counselling services are free to enrolled students.

The number of sessions, waiting time and support offered vary.

Do I Need a Diagnosis to Contact University Support?

Not always.

UCAS states that students do not need a diagnosis simply to share a mental health difficulty and ask about support. Particular adjustments or funding may require professional evidence.

Will Sharing a Mental Health Condition Affect My University Offer?

UCAS states that the information is not used to make the academic decision on your application. It is shared with staff responsible for organising support.

Can I Share a Condition After Starting University?

Yes.

You can contact the university directly at any point, although earlier contact may help adjustments begin sooner.

What Is Disabled Students’ Allowance?

DSA can help cover additional study-related costs caused by a mental health condition, long-term illness or other disability.

For Student Finance England, support is based on individual need rather than household income and does not normally need to be repaid.

Should I Register With a GP Near University?

Yes, if you live near university for most of the year.

The NHS advises students to register locally, particularly where they need regular medication or ongoing care.

Can I Refer Myself for Therapy?

In England, you may be able to refer yourself to NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression without speaking to a GP first. Availability and eligibility depend on your local service.

What If My Mental Health Is Affecting an Assignment?

Contact your personal tutor or department and check the university’s formal extension or mitigating-circumstances procedure.

Apply before the deadline where possible and provide any requested evidence.

Should I Tell My Lecturer Everything?

No.

You can explain how your health is affecting your work without disclosing every personal detail.

Specialist wellbeing or disability staff can often help communicate agreed adjustments.

Can I Take Time Away From University?

Possibly.

Universities may offer interruption, temporary suspension or other academic options. Check the effects on student finance, fees, accommodation and visas before deciding.

What If I Cannot Afford Private Therapy?

Begin with university support, a GP and NHS services.

In England, NHS Talking Therapies may accept self-referrals for anxiety and depression.

What Should I Do If a Friend Is Struggling?

Listen, express concern and encourage professional support.

Ask directly whether they are safe where there are serious warning signs. Contact urgent help when somebody is in immediate danger.

What Should I Do in a Mental Health Crisis?

Call 999 or go to A&E where somebody is in immediate danger.

In England, call 111 and select the mental health option for urgent mental health support that is not immediately life-threatening.

Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123.

Will Asking for Help Go on My Academic Record?

Accessing counselling or mental health support does not normally appear as an academic mark or degree classification.

Confidentiality and information-sharing rules vary according to the service, safety concerns and any support arrangements. Ask the service to explain its confidentiality policy.

Is It Weak to Ask for Help?

No.

Recognising that something is becoming difficult and contacting appropriate support is a practical response.

University independence includes knowing when a problem requires other people.

Final Advice for Looking After Your Mental Health

You do not need to manage university perfectly.

You may:

• Feel homesick.

• Struggle with a deadline.

• Need counselling.

• Change medication with medical support.

• Use disability adjustments.

• Take time away.

• Need urgent help.

• Have a difficult term.

• Recover at a different pace from somebody else.

None of these experiences makes you less intelligent, less deserving or less capable of succeeding.

Start with the basics:

1. Notice changes in how you feel and function.

2. Maintain routines that support you.

3. Stay connected with other people.

4. Contact academic staff when your work is affected.

5. Use university and NHS support.

6. Seek urgent help when you are unsafe.

You do not need to prove that the situation is serious enough before speaking to somebody.

You do not need to wait until everything has fallen apart.

Looking after your mental health is not separate from university success.

It is part of making your university life sustainable.