Wellbeing and mental health support at Royal Holloway
Last updated: 2026-05-27
Where to start if you are not feeling right. What Royal Holloway provides, what is free to anyone in the UK, and how to ask for help without needing a referral, a login or a doctor's note.
Written by Hasseeb Hussain. This is a signposting guide for students, not clinical advice. Phone numbers and service details are checked against the relevant providers, but always verify the latest details on the official Royal Holloway wellbeing intranet page.
If you need help right now
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. The closest emergency department to the Royal Holloway campus is St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey.
For non-emergency NHS advice 24 hours a day, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.
Samaritans are open every hour of every day on 116 123 (free from any UK phone). You can call to talk about anything.
Shout is a free 24/7 UK text-message service for any mental health crisis. Text SHOUT to 85258.
What Royal Holloway offers
Royal Holloway has a dedicated Student Wellbeing team based on the Egham campus. They run drop-in sessions, one-to-one appointments, and a referral pathway into NHS Talking Therapies. You do not need a diagnosis or a GP referral to use them, and you do not need to be in crisis.
The team is based in the Founder's Building. The drop-in is open during term time at advertised hours. Check the Wellbeing intranet page for the current room number, drop-in times and the booking link for one-to-ones, because these change between terms. The Founder's Building is on the campus map if you have not been there yet.
Togetherall
All Royal Holloway students get free access to Togetherall, an anonymous online community moderated 24/7 by licensed clinicians. Sign up with your @live.rhul.ac.uk address and your activity stays anonymous to anyone you know. Useful if you want to talk through how you feel without a face-to-face appointment.
The Students' Union Advice Centre
The SU Advice Centre is separate from the university wellbeing team. They handle academic appeals, housing problems, financial hardship and most things that feel like admin. If your difficulty is partly logistical (a deadline you cannot meet, a landlord problem, money running out), the SU Advice Centre is the right first stop. They will also walk you over to wellbeing if it crosses a line.
Campus GP and the health centre
There is an NHS GP surgery on campus in the College Health Centre. Register when you arrive, even if you do not think you will need it. For mental health concerns, your GP can refer you into NHS Talking Therapies and prescribe where appropriate. Walk-ins are not usually possible; book online or by phone via the surgery's own website.
Free UK services any student can use
These are universal NHS or charity services. You do not need to be a Royal Holloway student to use them and you do not need an appointment.
| Service | What it is | How to access |
|---|---|---|
| Samaritans | Confidential listening line. Anything you are going through. | 116 123, 24/7, free |
| Shout | 24/7 mental health text support. | Text SHOUT to 85258, free |
| NHS 111 | Non-emergency NHS advice. Has a mental health option. | 111, 24/7, free |
| NHS Talking Therapies | NHS-funded CBT and counselling. Self-referral in most areas. | Self-refer online |
| Student Space | Charity-run student-specific support. Phone, text, webchat. | studentspace.org.uk |
| Papyrus HOPELINE247 | For anyone under 35 with thoughts of suicide. | 0800 068 41 41, 24/7 |
| Mind Infoline | Information about mental health conditions and getting support. | 0300 123 3393, weekdays |
If you are not sure where to start
A common reason people don't reach out is not knowing whether what they're going through is "serious enough". It doesn't need to be. The Royal Holloway Wellbeing team and the SU Advice Centre will both speak to you if you want to talk, even if you can't quite put it into words.
A rough decision tree:
- I need to talk to someone right now and it is the middle of the night. Samaritans 116 123, or Shout text SHOUT to 85258. Both 24/7, both free.
- I have something academic or admin-related on my plate that is making things worse. SU Advice Centre.
- I want to see someone in person on campus during the day. Royal Holloway Wellbeing drop-in in the Founder's Building (check the intranet for current times).
- I want to start CBT or counselling. Self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies, or speak to the campus GP about a referral.
- I am worried about a friend. Encourage them to use any of the above and offer to go with them. If they are in immediate danger, call 999.
A note from the app
RHUL Mobile is a student-built campus app, not a mental health service. This page exists because the official wellbeing pages live behind the Royal Holloway intranet login, and there is no good signposting between "I want help" and "here is exactly where to go" for someone outside campus or arriving as a fresher. If you find anything on this page out of date or missing, email rhulmobile@shack.solutions and I will fix it.