Mental Health Support for International Students: Crisis Lines
Mental health support for international students is available free, 24 hours a day, in every major study destination. If you are in crisis: in the USA call or text 988; in Canada call or text 988; in the UK call 111 and choose the mental health option, or call Samaritans on 116 123; in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14. If your life or someone else’s is in immediate danger, call 911 (USA, Canada), 999 (UK) or 000 (Australia).
Last checked: 20 October 2026. Every number on this page was checked against the official service’s own website today.
Moving abroad is hard, even when everything goes well. Homesickness, money worries, pressure from family, a new academic style, loneliness in a small room far from home: many students feel low at some point, and there is no shame in that. In Nepal we often keep these feelings inside (“k garne, sahanu paryo”). Abroad, asking for help is normal, it is usually free for students, and it is confidential. This page tells you where to go. It is not medical advice.
Mental health support for international students: crisis numbers
| Country | Immediate danger | 24/7 crisis support | How to reach it |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 911 | 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988, or chat at chat.988lifeline.org |
| Canada | 911 | 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline | Call or text 988 |
| UK | 999 or go to A&E | NHS 111 mental health option; Samaritans | Call 111 and select the mental health option; call Samaritans on 116 123 |
| Australia | 000 | Lifeline | Call 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14, or chat at lifeline.org.au |
Save the number for your country in your phone today, before you need it. If you are worried about a friend, these services also help people who are supporting someone else.
USA: the 988 Lifeline and campus counselling
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline says it “is available 24/7/365”, is free, and “is for everyone”. You do not need to be suicidal to call: it covers emotional distress, mental health struggles, alcohol or drug concerns, or simply wanting someone to talk to. You can call or text 988 or use online chat.
Almost every US university has a counselling centre for enrolled students. Your student health insurance may also cover therapy; check your plan’s mental health benefits. Our health insurance guide explains what to look for. Counselling is confidential health care; ask about confidentiality at your first session if you are worried.
Canada: 9-8-8 and university wellbeing services
Canada’s 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is a “safe space to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year”. You can call or text 988, and the site says to call 911 right away if your safety is at risk. The Public Health Agency of Canada is named on the site as part of the service.
At university, start with student wellbeing services. As one example, the University of British Columbia says its Student Health and Wellbeing is “your first point of contact at UBC for all mental health concerns”, with appointments by phone or in person. UBC also notes that international students are automatically enrolled in health insurance for their first six months and that its student plan includes some coverage for psychotherapy. Other universities have similar services; search your university’s site for “counselling” or “wellbeing”. Health coverage for students differs by province, so check what your plan includes.
UK: NHS 111, your GP and Samaritans
The NHS’s page on where to get urgent help for mental health says to “call 111 and select the mental health option” for urgent help, and to call 999 or go to A&E if someone’s life is at risk, for example after serious self-harm or an overdose, or if you feel unable to keep yourself or someone else safe. It also lists Samaritans on 116 123 for confidential support from trained volunteers.
Your immigration health surcharge gives you NHS access, so register with a GP soon after arrival. A GP can talk through how you are feeling and refer you to NHS talking therapies or other services. Our first weeks in the UK guide shows how to register. Universities also run their own counselling and wellbeing teams.
Australia: Lifeline and your OSHC
Lifeline offers 24/7 crisis support by phone on 13 11 14, by text on 0477 13 11 14, and by online chat. Its site says: “If life is in danger, call Triple Zero (000).”
Your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) helps pay for hospital and medical treatment, according to the Australian Government’s private health website. It does not spell out mental health benefits, and limits vary by policy, so ask your OSHC insurer what your policy covers for psychologist visits and hospital mental health care before you need it. Universities also usually provide free counselling for enrolled students. See our OSHC guide.
How to get help, step by step
- If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call the emergency number for your country now.
- If you are struggling but safe, call or text the crisis line in the table above. You can just talk.
- Book your university’s counselling service. It is usually free and confidential for enrolled students.
- See a doctor (GP in the UK and Australia, campus health centre in the US and Canada) if low mood, anxiety or poor sleep lasts more than a couple of weeks.
- Tell your academic adviser or international student office if your studies are affected. Many universities have processes for extensions or reduced study, but on a student visa you should get advice before dropping courses, because enrolment rules can affect your visa.
- Talk to someone you trust, in your new city or at home.
For Nepali students and families
- Pressure about money and loans is one of the heaviest loads many Nepali students carry. If work hours, rent or loan repayments are overwhelming you, talk to your university’s student finance or hardship team; some have emergency funds.
- Parents: a regular, relaxed phone call helps more than questions about marks and jobs. If your son or daughter sounds very different, ask gently and encourage them to use the services above.
- Language and culture: crisis services and counsellors work with international students all the time. You can say you are new to the country and not sure how things work.
- Confidentiality: counselling services keep what you say private, with narrow exceptions for serious safety risks. Ask the counsellor to explain at the start.
- Practical stress: money, work and status worries feed anxiety. Our guides on part-time work rules and avoiding student scams may take some weight off.
Common mistakes
- Waiting until things are very bad. Early support is easier and often quicker.
- Avoiding counselling out of fear about your visa. Counselling is confidential health care; ask the service to explain its confidentiality rules if you are unsure.
- Not knowing your local emergency number. It is different in each country.
- Not checking what your health insurance covers until you need it.
- Dropping courses without advice, which can create a visa problem on top of everything else.
What to do next
Today: save your country’s crisis number, find your university’s counselling page and note how to book. If you have not left Nepal yet, add these to your departure preparation with our TIA departure checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Can international students call 988 in the USA?
Yes. The 988 Lifeline says it is for everyone, free, and available 24/7. You can call or text 988 or chat online.
What is the mental health crisis number in Canada?
Call or text 9-8-8 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline, any time. If your safety is at immediate risk, call 911.
Who do I call for urgent mental health help in the UK?
Call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. For confidential support you can call Samaritans on 116 123. If a life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E.
Does OSHC cover counselling in Australia?
OSHC helps pay for hospital and medical treatment, but cover for psychologists and mental health care depends on your policy. Ask your insurer, and use your university’s free counselling service.
Will seeing a counsellor affect my student visa?
Counselling is confidential health care, and the counsellor can explain the narrow limits of that confidentiality. What can affect a visa is dropping below required enrolment, so get advice from your international office before changing your study load.
Related guides
- Part-Time Job Rules by Country for Students: 2026 Comparison
- Student Scams Abroad: Rental, Job and Visa Fraud Guide
Sources
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (USA)
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (Canada)
- NHS: Where to get urgent help for mental health
- Lifeline Australia
- Australian Government: Overseas Student Health Cover
- University of British Columbia: Counselling services
Last checked 20 October 2026. This page gives general information about where to find support. It is not medical advice. If you are in danger, call your local emergency number.
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