This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Between classes, work, roommates and a packed calendar, sexual health checkups can slip down the list. This guide is built around a student's week. It walks through std testing Boston students can fit between a lecture and a shift, with the practical details that matter on a campus schedule.

Getting tested is a routine health step. It is not a judgment about anyone. The steps below cover how to pick a place, what to bring, what happens during the visit, and what to do afterward.

What you need before you start

Your class and work schedule. Several Boston clinics have evening hours, and some have walk-in blocks. Knowing your free windows saves time.
Your insurance information, if you have it. That might be a parent's plan, a school plan or MassHealth. Some clinics bill insurance and some offer free testing. Ask each clinic which applies to you.
A phone. Most of the clinics below take calls for appointments or questions.
Transportation. Check the address and your route on the MBTA before you go. Several clinics are in Dorchester, Roxbury or the Longwood and Fenway areas.
A short list of questions. Examples: which infections are included, how results reach you, and what happens if a result is positive.
Your school's health services page. Many campuses have their own clinic. This guide has no verified details for any specific university health service, so check yours directly for what it offers.

Step 1: Decide what to ask for

Not every test is the same, and not every person needs the same ones. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women under 25. They also recommend at least yearly screening for sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. The CDC recommends that everyone ages 13 to 64 get tested for HIV at least once.

The CDC also says some people benefit from more frequent testing, depending on partners and circumstances. A clinician can help you sort out which tests fit your situation. You do not have to figure it out alone or explain your life story.

If you are not sure what to request, say so. Saying "I would like a routine STI checkup" is enough for most clinics to take it from there.

Step 2: Pick a clinic that fits your schedule

Boston has several options that work for students. Here is how they differ in the ways that matter most when your time is tight. For a fuller comparison, see our guide to where to get tested in Boston and what it costs, or jump to the local testing list.

If you want a walk-in

Fenway Health Sexual Health Clinic, 1340 Boylston Street, 4th floor. Walk-in hours are first come, first served: Tuesday 1 to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 3 to 7 p.m., and Friday 9 a.m. to noon. Monday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. is by appointment only. Check-in closes 30 minutes before the end time. Fenway's page says it bills insurance if you have it, and that uninsured patients can be seen free through grant funding. Its page is aimed at gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, transgender and gender diverse people, and their partners. Call 617-267-0159 to confirm whether it fits your situation.
X-Clinic at Codman Square Health Center, 637 Washington St., Dorchester. Codman says express visits for people without symptoms or a known exposure are walk-in during operating hours. It uses a sliding fee schedule, accepts all insurance, and offers testing and treatment regardless of citizenship status. Codman's own pages list different schedules, so call 617-822-8350 to confirm hours before you travel.
TrueCare@MAC testing (Multicultural AIDS Coalition), 9 Palmer Street, Roxbury. The coalition's page says testing is free and an appointment is optional. Testing runs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday from 12:30 to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 617-442-1622 with questions.

If you prefer to book ahead

Boston STD Clinic at Boston Medical Center, 725 Albany St., 9th Floor, Suite 9C. The clinic's page describes free routine testing for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis C, with cost assistance for people without insurance. Appointments are made by phone at 617-414-2803. The page does not say whether walk-ins are accepted, so call first.
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Greater Boston Health Center, 1055 Commonwealth Ave. The CDC's GetTested directory lists it as appointment required, with a sliding scale and insurance accepted. Call 617-295-7235.

The CDC GetTested directory also lists DotHouse Health in Dorchester (617-288-3230) and a Boston Public Health Commission testing listing at 774 Albany St. (617-534-3976). Neither listing publishes hours, so call ahead.

Step 3: Book or plan your walk-in

For an appointment, call the number above and ask for an STI testing visit. Ask three things: what the visit costs for you, how long it usually takes, and what to bring.

For a walk-in, aim for the start of a block rather than the end. At Fenway, for example, check-in closes 30 minutes before the clinic's end time, so arriving late in the window can mean being turned away.

If you cannot find a clear price, that is common. Several clinic pages do not list one. The Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050 is a free, confidential, multilingual line from the City of Boston that offers health information and referrals. You can call it to ask where to go.

Step 4: Know your privacy rights

Privacy is a top worry for students, especially those on a parent's insurance. Here is what the sources say.

Under Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 112, s. 12F), a minor who reasonably believes they may have been exposed through sexual activity can consent to care to diagnose or treat an infection without a parent's consent. The law also covers HIV prevention care for minors who are sexually active. The City of Boston tells people 13 and older that they can get a confidential STI test without parental permission.

Many college students are adults, so this applies mainly to younger students. For everyone, M.G.L. c. 111, s. 119 makes venereal disease reports and records non-public, with disclosure only on a judicial order or to officials whose duties entitle them.

Billing is a separate question. If you use a parent's plan, ask the clinic how statements and insurance notices are handled. Free testing options avoid the question entirely.

Step 5: Go to the visit

Expect a short intake conversation, then sample collection. Depending on what you and the clinician decide, that can include a urine sample, a swab, or a blood draw. The CDC guidelines note that testing sites on the body, such as the throat or rectum, depend on the kind of sexual contact a person has. Tell the clinician what applies to you so the right samples are taken.

You can ask any question at the visit. Useful ones include:

Which infections are included in today's tests?
When and how will I get results?
Is there anything I should be vaccinated for, such as HPV?
Do you offer HIV prevention such as PrEP, or emergency PEP?

Fenway lists doxy-PEP among its services. The CDC issued guidance on doxy-PEP in 2024 for certain groups of people. A clinician can tell you whether it is something to discuss for your situation, and any medication is prescribed by a clinician.

Step 6: Plan for results

Timing depends on the clinic and the test. Fenway's page says results take 3 to 5 business days. Other clinics may differ, so ask at check-out and ask how you will be contacted: phone, portal or in person.

Make sure the clinic has a number you will actually answer. If you share a dorm room, ask whether they can leave a message and what it will say.

The CDC explains that how soon an infection can show up on a test depends on the infection and the test used. If you were exposed very recently, ask the clinician whether a repeat test later makes sense.

What to expect afterward

Results may come back negative for the infections tested. A negative result reflects the tests that were run at that time. It may not capture a very recent exposure, so a clinician may suggest retesting.

A result may also come back positive. That is information, not a verdict. The CDC says chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with care from a clinician. If a result is positive, the clinic can explain next steps and treatment.

For chlamydia, Massachusetts has a rule that allows clinicians to prescribe treatment for a patient's partners without seeing them first. This is called expedited partner therapy. The CDC's page on the legal status of EPT in Massachusetts describes it under 105 CMR 700.003(J). Ask your clinician whether it applies in your case.

Public health agencies also receive reports of certain infections. Under M.G.L. c. 111, s. 111, venereal diseases are reported to local boards of health under state department rules. Those reports are confidential under s. 119.

Tips for students

Test between terms, not just during finals. Clinics are often less crowded and you have more flexibility.
Go with a friend or partner if you like. You can test the same day and compare notes about where to go.
Save the clinic's number in your phone under a name that makes sense to you.
Ask about HPV vaccination. The CDC GetTested directory lists it at Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts and DotHouse Health.
Keep a note of the date and which tests you had, so the next visit is easier.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming a walk-in clinic is open when you arrive. Hours vary, and two of Codman's pages list different schedules. A quick call can save a trip.
Showing up at the end of a walk-in window. Check-in can close before the clinic does.
Assuming one test covers everything. Different infections need different tests. Ask what is included.
Skipping the results follow-up. Ask how results arrive, and call if you have not heard back.
Letting cost stop you. Several Boston clinics offer free or sliding-scale testing. Ask about options before ruling anything out.
Waiting for symptoms. The CDC notes that many STIs cause no symptoms, which is why routine screening exists.

A note on local context

A 2024 Boston 25 News report, which republished CDC county data for 2021, listed Suffolk County (which includes Boston) at 807.8 chlamydia cases per 100,000 people, the highest in Massachusetts. Its gonorrhea figure was 298.0 per 100,000. Suffolk County is larger than the city, so these are not city-only numbers. They are a reminder that testing is a common and ordinary part of health care here.

Where to go next

Pick one clinic from the list, check its hours by phone, and put the visit in your calendar. If you want a broader comparison of places and costs, read our Boston testing guide. The Boston Public Health Commission also keeps a page for getting tested at boston.gov.

STD Testing in Boston for College Students