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Donating Blood - A Student Guide

Blood donation guide
Blood donation guide

If you'd like to donate blood and perhaps help save a life, it couldn't be simpler. This guide details how to find blood donation centres, what happens when you donate and the health requirements that must be met by blood donors.

You may find, as a student, that your university organizes blood donation days. It’s always worth took to any medical students at your university as they regularly organize such things.

If you would like to search for locations local to you please visit to following link:

What happens when you donate?

When you show up you’ll be aksed a few questions about your health and lifestyle (just to make sure you haven’t been exposed to anything infectious).

Blood will be taken from your finger to make sure you’re not anaemic and then you’ll donate just under a pint of blood. All in all it should take about 10 minutes.

Who can donate?

As long as you are between the ages of 17 and 65 you are able to donate blood. However, there are certain time scale rules that need to be considered, please see below:

  • Have you given blood within the last 16 weeks? You must wait a minimum of 12 weeks since your last donation before going to donate again.
  • Do you have a cough, sore throat or active cold sore? You must wait until you are feeling better.
  • Are you pregnant or are you a woman with a baby under 9 months old? You must wait until your baby is more than 9 months old.
  • Are you currently taking antibiotics or have you recently finished taking them? You must wait a week from finishing your antibiotics before giving blood.
  • Have you had hepatitis or jaundice in the last 12 months? You must wait 12 months from recovering from these conditions.
  • Have you had acupuncture, ear piercing, body piercing, tattooing or semi-permanent make-up in the last 6 months? You must wait 6 months from receiving any of these treatments unless your acupuncture was done by the NHS and you have a certificate.

If you feel that giving blood isn't your thing - and are a male - you may consider donating sperm.