Immunizations
University of California Immunization and Screening Requirements
As a condition of physical presence at a UC location or in a university program, all covered individuals must participate in any applicable vaccination program, submit a request for an exception in a mandate program, or properly decline vaccination in an opt-out program.
UC Immunization Policy details
The policy currently applies to all incoming students (undergraduates, graduates, transfers, and re-admits) who are living, studying, or coming to campus for any reason.
Deadline
The deadline for all required vaccines (except Flu & COVID-19) is before you come to campus. However, please consider the deadline to be as soon as possible so you don’t risk enrollment holds.
Penalty for non-compliance
If you are living, studying, or coming to campus for any reason and don’t meet these requirements, you cannot attend classes. Please make this process a high priority to avoid an enrollment hold being placed on your registration.
Requirements
All incoming students are required to obtain the following vaccines and undergo screening for Tuberculosis (TB):
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) 2 doses
The first dose must be given on or after the 1st birthday
OR provide positive titer (lab-confirmed immunity)
Varicella (Chicken Pox) 2 doses
The first dose must be given on or after the 1st birthday
OR provide positive titer. A history of the disease does not meet compliance.
Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) 1 dose
Must have been administered on or after the 11th birthday
Followed by a Tdap or Td booster every 10 years.
Meningococcal ACYW
1 dose
Must have been administered on or after age 16
Applies to all students age 21 or younger when starting school.
All incoming students must complete a Tuberculosis (TB) risk questionnaire:
Students who are assessed as potentially at higher risk for TB infection, based on their responses to the screening questionnaire, will be required to undergo further evaluation and testing by their medical provider.
We recommend starting the process right away to meet the requirements. Here’s what you need to do:
- Gather your vaccination records and compare them to the UC Immunization requirements (pdf).
- Using your UCSC Gold password, log in to Health e-Messenger.
- Go to medical clearances. View items marked not compliant under items required for clearance.
- See a healthcare provider to get any missing vaccinations.
- Upload your vaccine dates and vaccine card or record to Health e-Messenger’s medical clearances section.
Need help? View our short video!
Always use Health e-Messenger to communicate with us electronically. It’s secure! We can’t accept records through email, fax, or mail.
Exemption request process
The University of California allows exemptions to these immunization requirements only for medical conditions that contraindicate vaccination or for sincerely held religious beliefs. Please submit each form only once; pending exemptions may take up to two weeks to process. Once submitted, you will not be able to view a copy.
Medical exemption
Step 1: Go to Health e-Messenger → downloadable forms, and download the “Immunization Medical Exemption Form.”
Step 2: To request a medical exemption, fill out the form with your medical provider, sign, upload the completed form, and click save.
Religious exemption
Step 1: Go to Health e-Messenger → downloadable forms, and download the “Required Vaccination Religious Belief Exemption Form.”
Step 2: To request a religious belief exemption, fill out the form, upload the completed form and document date, and click save.
COVID-19 and Flu
The UC Policy on Vaccination Programs has been updated to align with current CDC recommendations. Staying up to date with COVID-19 and Flu vaccination remains a critically important way to keep ourselves, our loved ones, and our community safe.
COVID-19 required actions
Annually, all students are required to upload up-to-date COVID-19 records, or submit a declination form, stating the choice to opt out. To remain up-to-date, the CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.
Upload your COVID-19 record and date
1) Upload a copy of your immunization record on Health e-Messenger by clicking medical clearances.
2) Under COVID-19 vaccine history; click update to add the immunization and enter the date and type of immunization.
COVID-19 vaccination exemption
1) Go to Health e-Messenger → medical clearances → clearance exemptions → request an exemption and choose COVID-19.
2) Download and fill out the form called COVID-19 Declination.
3) Upload the form under exemption documentation; select COVID-19 Declination for the reason and hit submit.
Influenza required actions
The University of California uniform policy requires yearly flu vaccination or declination for all UC students, trainees, personnel and all others who work, live, and/or learn in any of the University’s locations or otherwise participate in person in University Programs. You must have received your shot on or after 8/1/2025 for it to qualify for this year’s Medical Clearance. Flu season occurs each year during the fall and winter.
Upload Your flu shot record and date – students
1) Upload a copy of your immunization record on Health e-Messenger by clicking Medical Clearances.
2) Under Influenza Vaccine History; click add immunization and enter the date and type of immunization.
Flu Vaccination Exemption
1) Go to Health e-Messenger → medical clearances → clearance exemptions → request an exemption and choose influenza.
2) Download and fill out the form called Influenza Declination.
3) Upload the form under exemption documentation → select flu declination for the reason and hit submit.
Do you have an enrollment hold from Student Health Services? Here’s what to do.
How to remove an enrollment hold: If you received an enrollment hold on MyUCSC from Student Health Services, it means your required vaccine or tuberculosis (TB) screening records are missing. Here’s how to resolve it:
- Log directly into Health e-Messenger using your CruzID and Gold password → go to medical clearances; complete any items marked with a red X. You may need to get a vaccine, blood test, or upload a copy of your immunization record.
- Once you have your records, return to medical clearances → select update to enter your vaccine dates → upload a copy of your immunization card under immunization record.
- If Student Health Services notifies you that your provider must complete a TB form: Go to medical clearances → TB medical clearance → download the form and follow the instructions.
Check your UCSC email for Secure Message notifications in case there are any problems.
Optional and travel immunizations
The Health Center offers several non-required vaccinations:
- Immunizations for students who are traveling internationally. View our Travel page for more details.
- Human Papillomavirus or “HPV” (Gardasil)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Japanese Encephalitis (Ixiaro)
- Typhoid (Typhim Vi)
- Mpox (JYNNEOS)
- Meningococcal vaccines, including Meningococcal Group B (Bexsero). We strongly recommend Meningococcal Group B vaccinations for all students due to the severity of the disease.
- Pneumococcal vaccines
- Polio
- Rabies (RabAvert)
- Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap)
FAQ
Where can I get the immunizations?
You can get the required immunizations at:
- On campus at the Student Health Center or a special vaccine clinic.
To schedule:- Log into Health e-Messenger with your CruzID and Gold password;
- Select “Appointments” in the left menu;
- Follow the prompts and choose “Immunizations” for the type of visit.
- A private healthcare provider.
- An off-campus pharmacy.
UC SHIP students can go to any pharmacy that takes Optum pharmacy benefits, such as Safeway, Walgreens, and Rite Aid. If you’re referred to a CVS Minute Clinic, you need to schedule an appointment to get a referral from the Student Health Center before you seek services.
COVID-19 and flu vaccines are seasonal and generally offered in the fall of each year. When they are available, we will list them here.
How much do the vaccines cost?
- Most insurance plans, including UC SHIP, pay 100% for vaccination costs.
- If you choose to do a blood test (titer) to prove your immunity, you might have to pay part of the cost.
- The Student Health Center does not bill other insurance providers.
- All students (including those with UC SHIP) can get mandatory and non-mandatory vaccines at Safeway, Walgreens, or Rite Aid.
Be sure to upload your documentation after you get vaccinated.
What if I don’t have access to my immunization records?
- If you think you’ve been vaccinated but don’t have records, you can get titers to determine your immunity. The test results will show if you are immune to specific diseases.
- Ask your healthcare provider about titers before you come to campus.
- The Student Health Center can do titers for students who can’t access them before school starts.
What if required vaccines aren’t available in my country?
- If you will remain outside the United States for the quarter and can’t get your required vaccinations, you will not get an enrollment hold.
- There will be a process in place when you arrive on campus.
To get assistance:
- Log into Health e-Messenger with your Gold password; select Messages; then New Message; choose “Immunization – Required Immunizations and TB Risk Screening Questions”.
How can I get a TB screening for an internship, volunteer position, or work-study job?
Visit the Laboratory webpage to get information on how to order your own TB screening blood test. These instructions differ from the process for new student TB screening.
SHS student checklists: what you need to know
These FAQs are for students who want to know what the various Immunization and Tuberculosis (TB) Student Health checklists mean and how to complete them. Parents and staff may also find this document useful.
Who is this document for?
Students who want to know what the various Immunization and Tuberculosis (TB) Student Health Checklists mean and how to complete them.
Parents and staff may also find this document useful.
Why am I seeing a checklist when I log into MyUCSC.edu?
- When the Student Health Center notices you haven’t yet met the requirements, we send you a checklist showing what you need to do.
- If you follow the steps on the checklist, you will meet the requirements and you won’t get a hold on your registration.
What do the checklists cover?
There are four Student Health checklists. Which checklists you see depends on which requirements you haven’t completed. Not every student will get every checklist, but if you see a checklist, it means you have to take action to complete a requirement.
Vaccination compliance
- You’ll see this checklist if you still have immunization requirements to meet the UC Immunization and Screening Requirements.
- You can review your compliance details under the Medical Clearances section of Health e-Messenger.
- Frequently, students are non-compliant due to missing the second vaccination in a series, or missing the specific interval and age for a vaccination series.
Example:
- A student only had one vaccination, but the policy requires two.
- A student was vaccinated when they were 10 months old instead of 12 months.
What to do:
- Go to your Primary Care Physician and get a blood test (titer) to prove immunity, or get a vaccine to start or complete the requirement.
- If you are in a country that doesn’t provide the vaccine, please contact us (see “Help” below to learn how).
TB Compliance Part 1
- This is the initial checklist for submitting the Tuberculosis Risk Screening Form for the UC’s TB Risk Screening.
- To complete this checklist:
- Log on to Health e-Messenger;
- Go to Medical Clearances;
- Select TB Risk Screening Form;
- Complete the form with your relevant personal history.
- This satisfies the TB Compliance Part 1 checklist.
TB Compliance Part 2
- You’ll see this checklist if your submission to the TB Risk Screening places you in a higher risk category that requires more screening.
- You can review your compliance details under the Medical Clearances section of Health e-Messenger.
If you see “TB Secondary Testing”, then you need a current TB skin or blood test.
To complete it:
- Go to Medical Clearances;
- Select TB Medical Clearance for instructions;
- Download the form, take it to your medical provider to complete;
- Upload the completed form back into the TB Medical Clearance section of Health e-Messenger.
Resources
Health Clearance Form for students with TB High Risk conditions (pdf)
Where to get required & recommended vaccines
Students with UC SHIP – For all vaccines and tuberculosis (TB) screening: Get them at the Student Health Center.
Students without UC SHIP –
For required vaccines and mandatory TB screening: Get them at the Student Health Center or an off-campus pharmacy. Charges will apply.
For non-required vaccines and/or TB test (for a job, volunteer work, etc.): Get them at your off-campus provider’s office or pharmacy.
Getting vaccinated at an off-campus pharmacy:
Before receiving the vaccine
- Call ahead to confirm the vaccine is available and to ask about any possible charges.
- Bring your phone with the Sydney app or your insurance card.
- UC SHIP students: If using a pharmacy not listed here, make sure they accept Optum PBM for vaccine claims.
- Use an in-network provider to reduce your costs. To find one, call the toll-free number on the back of your insurance card or visit your insurer’s website.
After Receiving the Vaccine
- Log into Health e-Messenger with your Gold password.
- From the left menu, select Immunization/TB Upload.
- Upload your immunization dates and record.
Off-Campus Pharmacy Options
The following off-campus pharmacies usually offer all required and non-required vaccines, unless marked otherwise:
- CVS – Mission St.
(831) 457-2481 - SAFEWAY – Mission St.
(831) 420-0785 - CVS/TARGET – 41st Ave.
(831) 476-0400
Does not offer Meningitis vaccine - WALGREENS – Soquel Ave.
(831) 425-3911
Vaccine Information Statements
Vaccine Information Statements are information sheets produced by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that explain both the benefits and risks of a vaccine to vaccine recipients. All VISs on this site are in PDF format. You will need Adobe Reader to view them.
Questions?
If you have questions, contact us through Health e-Messenger. This is a secure system where you can ask questions and send protected health information. Log in at studenthealth.ucsc.edu
- Select Messages
- Then choose New Message
- Select Immunization – Required Immunizations and TB Risk Screening Questions