ÒÚÍò¸»ÎÌÓéÀÖ³Ç

Below are some common questions in relation to medications.  If you need any additional clarification before travelling, please send an email to StudentHealthCentre@ul.ie and one of our doctors will review your query.

Q. Can I bring medication with me to Ireland?

You must bring a copy of your prescription and a letter from your doctor when travelling with medication to Ireland. You may be requested to show these documents to Customs Officers on arrival.  

For further information about the procedure for bringing medication with you and what you need to do, send an email to ecustoms@revenue.ie outlining what medications you wish to bring and what quantity. 

If you need to visit a doctor during your stay in Ireland, you will need to bring the letter from your doctor to your appointment.

Q. How can I check if my medication is available in Ireland?

Medications that are available in your own country are sometimes not licensed for use in Ireland. It is very important to check this before you make the decision to travel! It is also important to check the cost of the medication as the price may be significantly higher in Ireland.

Please note the decision to continue to prescribe or advise an ongoing treatment lies with the prescribing/treating doctor in Ireland.

Listed below are some common medications that fall into the hospital consultant only prescribed category in Ireland and cannot be prescribed by a General Practitioner (GP).

1. Roaccutane for the treatment of Acne

This must be prescribed by a hospital consultant dermatologist. It cannot be prescribed by a GP.

2. Immune Modulators

These drugs are hospital consultant prescribed and referral for hospital treatment will be necessary. They are not available from the Student Health Centre.

3. Allergy injections

Allergy injections are only given in a hospital setting and require referral to an allergy hospital consultant. They cannot be administered in the Student Health Centre.

4. Transgender medication

Students requesting treatment at the Student Health Centre are referred to the National Gender Service. This is based at St Columcille's Hospital in Dublin and has a long waiting time for patients to be seen. Please be aware that some treatments that may be used quite extensively abroad are unlicensed and therefore cannot be prescribed or administered in Ireland. 

5. Drugs used for treating ADD/ADHD.

If you have a diagnosis of ADHD / ADD from a specialist abroad, please bring your documentation confirming the diagnosis and treatment plan from your treating physician with you. Treatment in Ireland must be under the supervision of a hospital consultant psychiatrist and it must be licensed for use in Ireland.

6. Xolair (Omalizumab)

Students taking Xolair (Omalizumab) may not be able to continue this treatment while in Ireland. It would be advisable that students complete their treatment in their home country before travelling to Ireland to start their studies.

Q. I need regular infusions for my medical condition.  Can I continue these when I come to study in Ireland?

We are not equipped in the Student Health Centre to deliver this type of treatment as it requires hospital supervision. 

All visiting students are advised to ensure that they have received completed courses of all immunisations appropriate to their age that are recommended for their home country. If not already included in this list the following immunisations are also recommended: MMR and Meningitis C and COVID-19. Ideally you should avail of these vaccinations at least 8 weeks prior to your arrival in Ireland.

Students on regular medication must obtain a prescription from an Irish doctor.  This can only be done if it is licensed for use in Ireland. Please check before you travel that you have confirmed this.

The University’s Student Counselling and Wellbeing Service provides a number of supports to those with mental health needs.  

There is no dental surgery on campus and we are not linked to any particular local dentist.  Below is a list of some dentists close to the University:-

• No8 Dental Clinic, University Court Medical Centre, Castletroy, Limerick Tel: +353 (0) 61 331414
• Dr Ruth Murphy, Glanleam, Dublin Road, Castletroy, Limerick Tel:  +353 (0) 61 335226
• Shields Dental Clinic, Unit 15, Castletroy Shopping Centre, Limerick Tel: +353 (0) 61 480070
• Dr Killian Iarlaith, 5B Whitethorns, Castletroy, Co. Limerick, Tel: +353 (0) 61 339723

Q. What is a specialist or a consultant?

A specialist is a hospital-based doctor who offers specialised assessment and treatment for more complex types of medical problems. They are also referred to as hospital consultants. 

In Ireland, you must first have an initial medical assessment with a GP before attending a specialist doctor. Where appropriate the GP will refer you to a specialist for further assessment, investigation, and management. 

Q. What is the difference between a public and a private hospital?

The Health Service Executive (HSE) runs the public hospitals in Ireland on behalf of the Irish government. Everyone is entitled to go to a public hospital. There may be some charges depending on your circumstances e.g. your immigration permission/visa stamp or when attending the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department without first seeing a GP. There can often be long waiting lists for assessment and treatment in public hospitals.

A private hospital is fee-based and we would recommend that you check the terms of your medical insurance policy to ensure that the costs involved are covered by the policy. Waiting times to be seen are generally shorter in private hospitals than in public hospitals.

Q. How do I organise the continuation of my specialist care when I come to Ireland?

If you are attending a specialist doctor in your home country, it is very important that you have a consultation with them prior to travelling. The pros and cons of living in a foreign country with your condition need to be discussed. You must check that your treatment is available in Ireland and if not, consideration should be given to an alternative treatment that is available in Ireland. 

Your doctor should provide you with a written summary of your diagnosis and list of medications. In some circumstances, they may also need to contact a specialist doctor in Ireland directly to ensure your treatment is available and can be arranged without interruption.

Please note that there may be a time delay of weeks or sometimes months before specialist doctor appointments can take place, so you need to ensure that you have enough medication with you to allow for this. This is particularly important if your medical condition could deteriorate if your medication is stopped for any reason.

You should always check in advance of travel to Ireland that your treatment is covered by your medical insurance policy and licensed for use in Ireland.

The Student Health Centre does not deal with any medical Insurance providers. You must contact us directly and you will need to pay at the time of booking your appointment. It is up to you to check the terms and conditions of your medical insurance policy and submit a claim when necessary. When booking an appointment, the receipt will be emailed to you and you may use it when submitting a claim.

Students from EU member states and Switzerland are entitled to emergency services under the PUBLIC system if they have an EHIC with them. You should apply for your EHIC before leaving home. Please note that the EHIC only covers attendance at public facilities and GPs who are part of the scheme, and it does not cover private care.

The SHC is not part of this scheme and cannot facilitate EHIC cards.  If necessary, we can provide you with a list of some local doctors. We recommend that you check when requesting an appointment with them that they can accept EHIC cards.

In Ireland, you should only ever present to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department or call an ambulance in the event of a major medical emergency.  In all other cases, you should contact the SHC or one of the services listed in the Out of Hours Clinics information.

Charges apply for attending A&E except for those who have:

An initial assessment by a GP and are referred to the A&E with a doctor’s letter.
OR
Students who present a valid EHIC card will not need to pay.

For information on hospital charges please see

If you have medical insurance, you may be able to claim some or all of any expenses incurred.

For serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies, please telephone 112 or 999 for ambulance response.

The 24 hour ÒÚÍò¸»ÎÌÓéÀÖ³Ç Campus Emergency number is 00 353 (0)61 21 333.

Medical Emergency Response Procedure

Q. What is a GP?

A GP is a General Practitioner or a medical doctor. They are also referred to as family practitioners in some countries. A GP provides the first point of care for patients in Ireland. We have 3 part-time GPs in the Student Health Centre along with a Nurse Practice Manager and a physiotherapist.

Q. As ÒÚÍò¸»ÎÌÓéÀÖ³Ç has a Student Health Centre, is it necessary to register with a local doctor?

ÒÚÍò¸»ÎÌÓéÀÖ³Ç Student Health Centre does not operate as a General Practitioner (GP) service.  It therefore does not do emergency or routine home visits.  If you have an ongoing illness or medical condition that requires regular review you should register with a local GP for the duration of your studies in ÒÚÍò¸»ÎÌÓéÀÖ³Ç.  

Q. How do I register with the SHC?

• We will be introducing an online booking and registration system during the academic  year 2025-26.  In the meantime, if you need to book an appointment please telephone the Student Health Centre and we can register you on our system.
• We do not deal directly with medical insurance companies so you must make the booking yourself.
• The telephone can be very busy at times, especially in the mornings, so please be patient and keep trying.
• You will be expected to pay at the time of making a booking in order to confirm your appointment. A receipt will then be emailed to you should you require it for claiming back the costs of your appointments from your medical insurance company.  

We recommend that you have an Irish mobile SIM card for the duration of your stay as we are unable to access international numbers. The Health Service Executive (HSE) which runs public health services in Ireland is also unable to access international numbers.  If you do not have an Irish SIM card, we will not be able to contact you in the event you are referred to one of its services.

It is possible to use an Irish SIM card without having to purchase another mobile phone.  You just need to make sure that you contact your network provider before travelling to Ireland to ask that they unlock your phone so that it will accept an Irish SIM.  The fee for a SIM card is approximately €15 per month.

Some local mobile phone/SIM card providers are:

• Three Store,  / 
• Vodafone,  / 

Q. Will the Student Health Centre contact or speak to parents/relatives or family of a visiting student?

All consultations at the Student Health Centre are confidential, and details of your condition and treatment will only be shared with others with your expressed consent. Once you have given consent we will communicate with your family as appropriate.

Please see the links below

Find a GP in your area:

Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) practical information for the International Student:

Link to citizens information on GPs in Ireland.