Immunization Compliance

Boston University policy and Massachusetts law require that students have certain immunizations to protect the health of individuals and our community.

Please submit your immunization documentation one month before the start of your first semester. Students who do not submit their documentation within 7 days of starting classes will have a compliance “hold” placed on their account that prevents them from registering for classes.

In the event of a campus disease outbreak, non-immunized students may be required to leave campus.

Required Student Populations

All full-time students and any international student studying on BU’s campuses have required immunizations. In addition, some student populations have requirements beyond those listed below, including clinical student health requirements and requirements for students participating in Varsity and Club Sports.

Required Immunizations

You must provide documentation of the following:

  1. Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap). One dose of vaccine on or after age 10.
  2. Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR). Two doses of vaccine or blood tests showing immunity. The first shot must be given after 12 months of age, with each vaccine given at least 4 weeks apart.
  3. Varicella (Chickenpox). Two doses of vaccine given at least 4 weeks apart or a blood test showing immunity or a date of disease certified by a healthcare provider. The first shot must be given after 12 months of age.
  4. Hepatitis B. Three doses of hepatitis B vaccine (or 2 doses of Heplisav) or a blood test showing immunity.
  5. Meningitis ACWY. One dose on or after your 16th birthday. Learn more about this requirement.

Recommended Immunizations

The following vaccines are not required, but recommended for your health:

  1. Flu vaccine for the current influenza season
  2. COVID-19 vaccine based on CDC recommendations
  3. Tdap booster is recommended every 10 years
  4. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) series
  5. Meningococcal-B (MenB) vaccine

How to Submit Your Documentation

First, gather your documents. Allow enough time to obtain your records and needed signatures. When locating your vaccine records, try the following:

  • Ask a parent or guardian
  • Contact your healthcare provider or search in your online medical portal
  • If you are a graduate student, submit a medical record request from your previous institution
  • Contact your local or state health department. Many states and outside countries have vaccine registries

Next, download the Immunization Requirements Form based on your program of study:

Complete the Form with help from your healthcare provider. To be approved, your Form must:

  • Be signed by a healthcare provider
  • Be completed in English (or officially translated into English)
  • Be legible
  • Be dated with the month, day, and year of the immunization.
    Statements such as “received as a child”, “records were lost”, or “up to date” will not be accepted.

Take a picture of your completed forms in a vertical orientation, or scan them to your computer. There should be one picture for each page.

Submit your completed forms using Patient Connect. (Note: We cannot accept medical information via email)

  • Log in to Patient Connect
  • On the left-hand side, select Medical Clearances
  • Select the Update button to the right or Immunization Record
  • Select Upload
  • Select the document from your device
  • Select Save
  • Enter the record dates for each immunization by selecting the Update buttons
  • Review and select Done when you are finished with each immunization record entry

You will receive an email when your documents have been reviewed, typically in 1 week. If approved, your Patient Connect status will change to “satisfied” and your compliance will update on the MyBU portal.

If you have not received all required vaccines, please submit your immunization documentation for the ones you have. You can receive the remaining vaccines once on-campus by scheduling an appointment or attending an immunization clinic.

Unable to submit online?

We encourage you to use Patient Connect because your compliance status will update much faster than standard mail. However, if you cannot complete the steps above because of technological restrictions, please send all completed paper forms to:

Boston University
Student Health Services
ATTN: Medical Records
881 Commonwealth Ave—West
Boston, MA 02215