All students who are enrolled at San Diego State University are required to provide proof of the following immunizations:

• Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR): Two doses with first dose on or after first birthday; OR positive titer (laboratory evidence of immunity to disease; see FAQ #4).
• Varicella (chickenpox): Two doses with first dose on or after first birthday; OR positive titer. History of contracting the disease does not meet compliance.
• Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap): One dose after age 7.
• Meningococcal conjugate (serogroups A, C, Y, & W‐135): At least one dose at age 16 or older for students up to age 23.
• Meningococcal B (Meningitis B): Students ages 16 - 23 must complete the series, which may be two or three doses depending on the brand of the vaccine.
• Hepatitis B (Hep B): Students ages 18 and younger must complete the series. Based on type of vaccine, the series is either two or three doses. (CA Health & Safety Code, Sec. 120390.5)
• Tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment: All incoming students must complete a tuberculosis risk assessment questionnaire. Incoming students who are at higher risk for TB infection, as determined by the screening questions, should undergo testing for TB infection within one year of SDSU entry. The TB risk assessment is found under the Forms tab in HealtheConnect.
• COVID-19:  All students must show proof of a primary series plus a booster dose if they are eligible for one.

• Hepatitis A (Hep A): All students regardless of age.
• Hepatitis B (Hep B): Students ages 19 and older.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV): For women and men through age 45.
• Influenza (flu): Annually for all students, regardless of age.
• Pneumococcal: For all students 65 or older and for students with certain medical conditions (e.g., severe asthma, diabetes, chronic liver or kidney disease, sickle cell anemia).
• Poliovirus (polio): Regardless of age, if the series was not completed as a child. 

Some students may be further required to present documentation to other campus officials.

Students subject to this additional screening include students enrolled in dietetics, medical technology, nursing, physical therapy, student teaching, or fieldwork involving preschool-age children and/or school-age children or taking place in a hospital or health care setting.

Programs involving international travel may require or recommend further immunizations in accordance with CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines. Questions should be directed to the responsible faculty or staff member in charge of the activity. 

Students may fulfill immunization requirements by submitting medical documentation as proof of immunization online through the secure HealtheConnect at https://healtheconnect.sdsu.edu. Positive laboratory evidence of immunity may also be used to prove immunization status. The TB risk assessment can be found here.

For help in uploading your immunization records to HealtheConnect, please watch the tutorial.

Positive laboratory evidence is obtained by a blood test called a titer. This test shows whether a student has enough antibodies in their blood to be immune to a certain disease (i.e. chickenpox/varicella, hepatitis B, or measles, mumps, and rubella).

If the test is positive (with antibodies equal to or greater than a defined value), the student has immunity for that condition. Submit that documentation as positive laboratory evidence to meet the requirements.

If the test is negative (no immunity) or equivocal (not enough immunity), the student will need to be vaccinated.

ALL students who are enrolled at SDSU -- including freshmen, transfers, and graduate students -- must submit proof of immunizations. This includes students who are enrolled in online programs, as well as those who graduated from a public high school in California.

This must be done by the first day of your first semester.  

Students incoming students who have not completed this requirement will have holds placed in early in their first semester which will present registration for subsequent semesters.

Students may only request medical exemptions for non-COVID vaccines.

Medical exemptions are for students unable to receive vaccines due to health risks. This form must be filled out by their medical provider and uploaded to the student’s HealtheConnect account. The Immunization Medical Exemption form is available on the Student Health Services Website. 

Please be aware that if you request an exemption and are not vaccinated for a specific disease, you may be excluded from school for your own protection in the occurrence of an outbreak, potential epidemic or epidemic of a vaccine-preventable disease until the danger has passed.

If you believe an exemption is the best option for you, please reach out to Student Health Services to discuss further with a staff member.

For COVID-19 vaccines, medical and religious exemptions are permitted.

If you are unable to locate your immunization record, you may try accessing it by reaching out to your healthcare provider and/or the high school you attended. Other places you may be able to find vaccine records include the military, previous employers or other universities you may have attended. Additionally, some counties and state have immunization registries where you can look up your record.  More information is available here.

Ultimately, if you are unsuccessful in locating your record, you can obtain titers to show immunity (see FAQ #4).

Our preference is that you provide your immunization record in English. Depending on your situation, www.immunize.org may be helpful. If you are unable to secure a translated copy of your record, call our office and we can talk through additional options.

Students pay a student health fee as part of their tuition and fees which provides access to basic services, including the ability to be seen at Student Health Services and other departments located in the Calpulli Center. Student Health Services does not accept or bill insurance, so students must pay for the vaccines they receive at the time of service. The current costs of these vaccines is available here. Students will be provided with an itemized and appropriately coded receipt that they can submit to their insurance company in order to try to get reimbursed.

If you are struggling with the cost of immunizations or if you are uninsured, SDSU Well-being & Health Promotion has a resource specialist who may be able to assist you in enrolling in health insurance or exploring options that are available. You can connect with the resource specialist by completing this online form.

There are also a number of local immunization clinics hosted by the San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency. 

 

 

Please inform your healthcare provider that these immunizations are required as part of your enrollment at San Diego State University. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has identified colleges and universities as higher- risk environments because of the large number of individuals who live, study and work together in close proximity to each other. 

You may also provide your medical provider with this letter, which details this requirement.