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, Rubella) vaccines administered on or after your 1st birthday, or positive titer (blood test) for each disease
  • 2 Varicella vaccines administered on or after your 1st birthday, or positive titer
  • 1 Adult TDAP (must contain pertussis) administered within the last 10 years or after the age of 7 years
  • 1 meningococcal vaccine (Menactra, Menomune, or Menveo), if 21 or younger 1 dose administered on or after your 16th birthday
  • 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
    • 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. 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
    • No exceptions for entrance immunizations are provided on the basis of personal or religious beliefs. Only medical exemptions are allowed.
  • Why the University of California Requires Immunizations
    • 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 Vaccine Program

The University of California COVID-19 Vaccine Policy requires all employees and students to remain up to date on all CDC recommended COVID-19 vaccines. It also offers the option for those who prefer to opt out of the COVID-19 vaccine to do so by submitting a declination statement. To comply with policy, employees and students will need to either upload their COVID-19 vaccine information or submit the declination form via Health-e-Messaging.

Please note that if you do not upload a copy of your vaccine information or complete the declination form, your record in Medical Clearances  will continue to appear “non-compliant”, but this designation will not prevent you from registering for classes or accessing university facilities or services at this time. Please continue to check Campus Ready for the most up to date information.

  • How do I upload proof of my COVID-19 vaccine?
  • Instructions on how to upload proof of your COVID-19 vaccine through the Health-e-Messaging system can be found here.
  • How do I decline the COVID-19 vaccine?
  • 1. Log into Health-e-Messaging.
    2. Click on “Messages” then “New Message.”
    3. Select the option for “COVID-19 Vaccine Declination,” complete the form and click “Send” to submit the form.

Influenza Vaccination Information

Influenza vaccination is a seasonal mandate announced by the university, usually in October, and is not associated with a registration hold. Please check Campus Ready for the latest updates about the flu vaccine requirements for the 2023-24 academic year.

  • Is the flu vaccine an Entrance Requirement?

  • No. At this time, the flu vaccine is not required to meet your Entrance Requirements, and it will not prevent your IZ hold from being cleared.

    However, according to the "Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Program" attachment within the UC Policy on Vaccination Programs, all covered students, faculty, other academic appointees, and staff are required to get vaccinated against influenza or opt out using a form supplied by their campus after receiving information about flu vaccine by December 1, 2023.

    While the requirement applies to those who will be living, learning, or working on campus, all members of the campus community - and their families - are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccination.

    Please check Campus Ready for the latest updates about the flu vaccine requirements for the 2023-24 academic year.

Welcome to UC Davis!

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.