New Students

All New UC Davis Students Must Fulfill the Following Health Requirements

Immunization Entrance Requirements for New Students

All incoming new, transfer and graduate students, including students in the Veterinary Medicine and School of Nursing programs, are required to meet the UC Immunization and TB Risk Screening requirement.

This includes:

  • 2 MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccines administered on or after your 1st birthday, or positive titer (blood test) for each disease
  • 2 Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccines administered on or after your 1st birthday, or positive titer
  • Adult TDAP (must contain pertussis) one (1) dose on or after the 11th birthday, then Tdap or Td every 10 years
  • 1 meningococcal vaccine (Serogroups A, C, Y, & W-135) such as Menactra, Menomune, or Menveo, if 21 or younger, 1 dose administered on or after your 16th birthday.  Requirement can also be met by completing two (2) doses of Penbraya, six months apart.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Screening

Students become compliant with these requirements by entering their vaccination dates, uploading a copy of their immunization records, and completing the TB Risk Screening Questionnaire via Health-e-Messaging.

Any additional program specific requirements can be found in the program's student handbook/syllabus.

Need help becoming compliant in Health-e-Messaging?

If you are found to be at higher risk for TB, your medical provider must complete the TB Health Assessment form. Once completed, it must be uploaded via Health-e-Messaging. 

Have a question for our Immunization Nurse? Contact us via Health-e-Messaging using these step-by-step instructions.

View the official University of California Immunization policy.

Students who have not provided evidence of the required vaccinations will not be able to complete their registration for their 2nd term without a Medical Exemption Request

 

  • Medical Exemptions for Vaccinations
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    • It is very important that the doctor/nurse practitioner/physician assistant who cared for you at that time, document what happened to you when you had the problem with vaccination. If you had a true “allergic reaction,” then we will need to know which vaccination caused the problem, and whether you were able to become immune to that illness. You will need to complete a Medical Exemption Request, and submit to your campus health center following these directions. If they deny your request for an exemption, you have a right to appeal their decision by a UC wide panel. Read more about the Medical Exemption Policy.
  • Personal/Religious Belief Exceptions
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    • In accordance with University Policy on Vaccination Programs, all UCs must begin accepting religious based exceptions to the entrance vaccination by January 1, 2025. Students with sincerely held religious belief, practice, or observance who would like to request an exception to one or more of the required entrance immunizations may submit a request through Health-e-Messaging. For step-by-step instructions, see How to Submit a Religious Exception Request.
  • Why the University of California Requires Immunizations
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    • There has been an increase in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses over the past five to ten years, and now many illnesses which we thought were disappearing are returning. Although many of these diseases are considered “mild," they can cause serious illness and death. Pertussis was responsible for hospital stays for hundreds of people in California during the past two years, including intensive care admissions and in a few cases, death. Recent outbreaks of measles also resulted in hospitalizations, and new cases of mumps across the country threaten the health and fertility of non-immune students.
    •  
    • The University of California is following the recommendations of the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Immunization Branch for Colleges and Universities. The current requirements reflect those in place on February 24, 2016. However, UC reserves the right to modify these requirements pending revisions to the recommendations by CDPH. Changes in CDPH's recommendations will be incorporated into the requirements affecting the incoming fall class each year. In general, these requirements pertain to those vaccine-preventable illnesses that can be spread by respiratory secretions (saliva, coughing, sneezing), and pose a risk to others who might become ill due to classroom or residential contact. These include: measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), pertussis (whooping cough), varicella (Chickenpox), and meningitis, as well as screening for tuberculosis.

COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccinations

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy

The University of California requires all students, faculty, and staff who live, learn, or work on campus to stay up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. If you prefer not to receive the vaccine, you can opt out by submitting a declination form. To comply with the policy, students must either upload your COVID-19 vaccination information or submit the declination form through Health-e-Messaging by November 1 annually. Please note that the COVID-19 vaccination requirement does not affect your ability to register for classes.
 

Influenza Vaccination Policy

Each year, the University announces a seasonal flu vaccine mandate, typically in October. This mandate also does not affect your registration status. The deadline to upload proof of your flu vaccination or submit a declination form via Health-e-Messaging is generally around November 1. For the most current information on flu vaccine requirements, please visit Campus Ready.
 
  • Is the COVID-19 Vaccine an Entrance Requirement?
  • No, the COVID-19 vaccine is not currently required for university entrance, and it will not affect your ability to clear your IZ hold. However, under the UC Policy on Vaccination Programs, everyone who lives, learns, or works on campus is required to stay up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations or submit a declination form. While this primarily applies to those on campus, all community members and their families are strongly encouraged to stay current on their COVID-19 vaccinations. For the latest updates, please visit Campus Ready.
  • Is the Influenza Vaccine an Entrance Requirement?
  • No, the flu vaccine is not required for university entrance, and it won’t impact your ability to clear your IZ hold. However, according to the UC Policy on Vaccination Programs, all students, faculty, and staff who live, learn, or work on campus are required to either get vaccinated against influenza or submit a declination form by December 1st. Although this requirement primarily applies to those on campus, everyone in the campus community, including families, is strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine. For the latest updates, please visit Campus Ready.

Welcome to UC Davis!

In addition to the medical requirements outlined above, we wanted to highlight some important tips and resources for helping you get off to a healthy start as an Aggie!

Health Insurance

All UC Davis students are required to have health insurance. In order to satisfy this requirement, all students are automatically enrolled in the University of California Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP).

If you already have comparable insurance coverage, and do not wish to be enrolled in UC SHIP, you must apply for a UC SHIP waiver by the posted waiver deadline date.

Approved waiver applications are only valid for the academic year in which they are submitted. A new waiver application is required to be submitted prior to the start of the new academic year.

The services at SHCS are available to all students, even if you waive enrollment in UC SHIP.

New School of Veterinary Medicine Student Requirements

Incoming students to the Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) professional program should be aware of additional medical requirements required for participation in the DVM curriculum and veterinary teaching hospital activities.  More information about the rabies vaccination, health information release, and N95 mask fittings required throughout the program can be found at:

https://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/incoming-dvm-students

Students with questions about additional entrance requirements for the DVM program should contact the DVM Office of Admissions and Student Programs at admissions@vetmed.ucdavis.edu.

 

 

 

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