Social prescribing and students: A scoping review

Background: Social prescribing has expanded internationally as a mechanism to address social determinants of health and unmet social needs. Students are increasingly engaged in social prescribing initiatives as learners, advocates, service providers and service users across health and community settings. However, the extent, nature, and quality of empirical evidence examining social prescribing in relation to students has not been systematically reviewed.Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and reported using the PRISMA-ScR framework. Electronic databases and grey literature were searched from inception to June 2, 2025. Studies were eligible if they examined social prescribing in relation to students in any context. Data were synthesised using descriptive numerical summaries and thematic grouping by student role.Results: Eighteen studies met inclusion criteria. Most were conducted in the United States (61%), followed by the United Kingdom (22%), Iran (11%), and Canada (6%). Studies clustered into educational exposure (n = 8; 44%), structured training (n =1; 6%), and active service delivery (n=9; 50%). Educational studies identified low baseline awareness and reported short-term increases in self-reported knowledge and perceived relevance following teaching interventions. The single structured training study reported improved preparedness among 24 trainees. Service delivery studies demonstrated the feasibility of supervised student involvement in screening and referral activities, with screening positivity rates ranging from 44% to 93% and linkage rates from 48% to 82%. Outcomes were predominantly short-term and process oriented. No studies reported longitudinal follow-up, validated patient-reported outcome measures, economic evaluations, or system-level impacts. No studies examined students exclusively as recipients of social prescribing interventions.Conclusions: The evidence base is limited, geographically concentrated, and focused on education and early-stage service delivery. While feasibility is established, robust evaluation is lacking. Future research should prioritise competency frameworks, longer-term and system-level outcomes, and social prescribing interventions targeting students themselves