STI Testing for College Students
Getting tested for STI's is critical to protecting you and your partners. Here's what you need to know about getting tested.
Getting tested for STI's is critical to protecting you and your partners. Here's what you need to know about getting tested.
You can usually go on campus to get tested for STIs. These tests are often free or low cost for students.
Off campus, you can get tested for STIs at clinics, such as Planned Parenthood, or at local health departments, but these tests usually require payment or billing to insurance.
You can get tested at home, but these tests are often less accurate than ones conducted by medical providers if done incorrectly.
The tests you get depend on the type of sex you have:
To test for gonorrhea and chlamydia, each body site used for sex should be tested. For example:
These tests are typically blood tests.
If you have multiple sexual partners, you should usually get tested once every three months. In general though, testing frequency varies by person.
Being honest ensures your doctor knows what STI tests to perform and when you should get tested.
If you have questions or concerns, especially on what tests to get or how frequently to get tested, ask your provider. Testing frequency and type differs by person.
healthguide.lgbt also offers school by school sexual health information on testing. Learn more about school based sexual health information
If you're a school interested in partnering with us, reach out. We work with college health centers and student health organizations to compile STI testing and sexual health information for students.