Meningococcal disease (meningitis and septicaemia) is a rare but life-threatening disease caused by meningococcal bacteria. Why teenagers and students should have the MenACWY vaccine Students should contact their GP to have the MenACWY vaccine before starting university or college. If that's not possible, they should have it as soon as they can after they begin university.įind out if you can have the MenACWY vaccine with the Meningitis Research Foundation's eligibility checker.

Students going to university or college for the first time, including overseas and mature students, who have not yet had the MenACWY vaccine remain eligible, as freshers (first-year students), up to their 25th birthday. University studentsĪny university student born on or after 1 September 1996 who was eligible but missed their teenage MenACWY vaccine can still have the vaccine up to their 25th birthday. If they've left school (including people who have started apprenticeships or joined the armed forces), they should make an appointment with their GP practice. If they're still at school, they should talk to their school nurse. Young peopleĪnyone born on or after 1 September 1996 who was eligible but missed their teenage MenACWY vaccine can still have the vaccine up to their 25th birthday. At what age should teenagers and young people have the vaccine?Ĭhildren aged 13 to 15 (school Years 9 or 10) are routinely offered the MenACWY vaccine in school alongside the 3-in-1 teenage booster. The MenACWY vaccine is given by a single injection into the upper arm and protects against 4 strains of the meningococcal bacteria – A, C, W and Y – which cause meningitis and blood poisoning (septicaemia). If you have not previously had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine, you can ask a GP for the vaccine 2 doses of the MMR vaccine – as there are outbreaks of mumps and measles at universities.You can ask a GP for this vaccine until your 25th birthday, if you missed having it at school or before coming to the UK to study the MenACWY vaccine – which protects against serious infections like meningitis.If you're starting college or university you should make sure you've already had:

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