How do I get an ADHD assessment as a university student?

Ask your GP to refer you for an NHS ADHD assessment, then use Right to Choose (England only) to pick a provider with shorter waits. The NHS route is free; a private assessment costs roughly £600-£1,500 in 2026.

The steps, in order (England)

1. If you study away from home, register with a GP practice near your university so you can be seen locally. Book a longer appointment to talk about ADHD, and fill in an adult ADHD self-report questionnaire (the ASRS) beforehand so you can take it with you.
2. At the appointment, ask to be referred under NHS Right to Choose, naming a provider that holds an NHS contract (for example Psychiatry-UK or ProblemShared). You are asking, not demanding: your GP has to agree that an assessment is clinically appropriate, and you must not already be under another NHS service for ADHD.
3. The provider contacts you, sends pre-assessment forms, and books your appointment. A diagnosis can only be confirmed by a specialist, a psychiatrist or a specialist ADHD nurse, in line with NICE guidance (NG87). You stay an NHS patient throughout and are not charged.

How long it takes

Right to Choose providers usually make first contact within weeks, but assessment waits in 2026 vary a lot. Several Integrated Care Boards have capped how many assessments they fund this year, so the wait can run to many months. Standard local NHS waiting lists are often longer still, frequently over a year. Right to Choose does not apply outside England: in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland your GP refers you to the local NHS service only.

If you cannot wait

Two things you can do in parallel. First, register with your university disability service now: they cannot diagnose you, but they can put interim support in place (extra time, deadline flexibility, a mentor) on the strength of a referral or a strong suspicion, before any diagnosis lands. Second, a private assessment is the fast paid route, roughly £600-£1,500 in 2026. Check the clinician is GMC-registered and that the fee includes a full written report you can use as evidence.

Claim DSA once you have evidence

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) pays for study-related support and is worth up to £27,783 for the 2026 to 2027 academic year. To apply you need evidence of your ADHD, usually the diagnostic assessment report or a letter from a qualified practitioner, submitted through Student Finance. You do not pay DSA back, and it is separate from your maintenance loan.

This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.