If you already have proof of immunity, upload now! Otherwise, you can wait until it’s safe to get your vaccines and/or blood tests.
Keeping our campus community safe
First-time UW Bothell, Tacoma and Seattle students must meet the UW Immunization Requirement. The requirement protects the UW community from outbreaks of diseases like measles and mumps. When the majority of UW students are vaccinated against measles and mumps, they shield other students who are unable to be vaccinated due to pregnancy, allergies or compromised immune systems. This is called herd immunity.
Important coronavirus-related update
We ask that you upload proof immunity by the first day of your first quarter at UW. The sooner the upload, the more quickly we will process your documents. However, we are granting automatic extensions to students who are unable to get immunization requirement-related care due to the pandemic.
Regardless of your immunization requirement status, you will be able to register for classes for your first quarter as well as participate in advising & orientation. Registration for your second quarter at UW may be affected if you have not met the requirement by that time.
We strongly urge incoming students who already have or can easily obtain documentation of immunity to upload now following the instructions on this website.
Find your requirement
If you are matriculating at Bothell, Seattle or Tacoma for the first time, you must prove that you are immune to certain diseases. Your requirement depends on your program of study and your age. Find the requirement below that pertains to you.
I'm of any age and in a Graduate Health Sciences program
See list of Health Sciences programsI'm under 22 as of the first day of my first quarter
I'm 22 or older as of the first day of my first quarter
Immunization requirement FAQ
Who is a Health Sciences Immunization Program (HSIP) participant?
Students who are entering certain health sciences programs follow the Health Sciences Immunization Program requirement (HSIP) which is administered by UW Environmental Health & Safety. Pre-health students (undergraduate public health majors, pre-med, etc.) should satisfy the general requirement only.
If you are in one of the programs listed below, you only need to satisfy the HSIP requirements. You do not need to satisfy the general requirement unless you are under the age of 22.
Seattle HSIP programs
- Dentistry (DDS and most post-doctoral students)
- Medical Laboratory Science/Laboratory Medicine
- MD (Seattle and WWAMI)
- MEDEX (Seattle, Tacoma, Anchorage and Spokane)
- Nursing (ABSN/BSN/DNP/Certificate)
- Pharmacy Doctorate (PharmD)
- Public Health (MPH/GH/HIHIM/Nutrition)
- Rehab Medicine (DPT, MOT, P&O)
- Social Work (BASW/MSW)
- SPHSC (CoreSLP/MedSLP/AuD/AuD-PhD)
Tacoma HSIP programs
- MEDEX
- Social Work (BASW/MSW)
Bothell HSIP programs
None. All Bothell students must follow the UW General Immunization Requirement and/or any additional requirements set by their program.
Students who are under 22 and in an HSIP program
If you are under the age of 22 as of the first day of your first quarter and entering one of the programs listed above, you will need to meet two separate requirements:
- Follow the instructions to meet the requirement for students under the age of 22 here but only provide proof of meningitis ACWY immunization after the age of 16 (no need to complete the MMR section of the UW form)
- Meet the full HSIP requirement
Which students don’t need to meet the general immunization requirement?
The following students are excused from meeting the general requirement.
- Students born before January 1, 1957
- Students who previously matriculated at UW (i.e., previously enrolled in any program not on this list) and met the requirement then
- UW Summer Youth Programs
- Students admitted for a single quarter, including summer only
- OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute
- UW in the High School
- PCE Certificate Programs
- UW Online (100% online courses only – see below)
- Non-matriculated non-graduate students
Online students
If you are an online-only student and believe that you should be excused from meeting the requirement, contact your program or department staff. They may email immunity@uw.edu confirming that your program doesn’t have an in-person component and request that you be excepted from the requirement for the duration of your program of study. Because most online students come to campus at some point, such as for graduation, you may be asked to satisfy the requirement.
How do I submit my documents?
- Complete the General Immunization Requirement Form on your computer or by hand (legibly). Download the file first if you plan on filling it out on your computer; do not fill it out in your browser as it will not save. The best way to meet the requirement is to take the form to your health care provider to complete together.
- Review your documents to make sure they are complete. Make sure they meet the requirements listed on your My Requirement page. You may scan or take a photo of them with your phone.
- Convert your documents to PDF files. Here’s how to do this for PC and Mac.
- Merge all of your documents into a single file. Here’s how to merge PDFs into one file in Adobe Acrobat, in Preview, and through your browser.
- Visit the Upload Portal. Enter your information in the required fields and upload your single file. This is the only way to submit documentation. We do not accept faxed or emailed documentation.
- Click Upload. If your document is too large, which most often happens with scanned files, you may get an error message. Here are three ways to reduce your file size.
- You will receive an automated email at your UW email account within a few minutes of submission confirming that your documents were uploaded. This does not mean you have been cleared but rather that your documents have been successfully submitted for our review.
- If there is a problem with your submission, we will contact you by email or text message. Processing times may be longer depending on the volume of submissions. We are not able to contact all students who have been cleared; please assume you are cleared unless you hear from us. Make sure you check your UW email (@uw.edu) regularly. You can register for classes and attend advising & orientation sessions even if you haven’t yet met the requirement.
I have questions. How do I get help?
You can reach us online or in person.
Online
Click on the chat button in the top right corner of this webpage for the fastest response.
Send us a message using this online form. Keep in mind that you can find the answer to most questions on this website.
In-person
Seattle campus
Health Promotion Office (to your right as you enter through the main doors)
Bothell campus
Activities & Recreation Center
Tacoma campus
Mattress Factory, Suite 106
Am I eligible for an exemption from all or part of the requirement?
UW does allow students to pursue permanent or temporary exemptions to all or part of the UW General Immunization Requirement. Exemptions must be related to a documented medical issue or a philosophical or religious objection, and require review by a health care professional.
To obtain an exemption form and to begin the process, contact us using this online form or email immunity@uw.edu. Let us know what type of exemption you are pursuing (medical or philosophical/religious). Parents and family members may assist if the student is under 18.
UW has a separate exemption process than Washington State primary and secondary schools. If you previously had an exemption in K-12, you will still need to complete the UW process.
What if I can’t afford the cost of immunizations/titers?
Some students are concerned about the cost of immunizations or titers needed to meet the requirement. Below are some strategies you can use to get immunizations affordably.
- If you have health insurance: All US health insurance plans are required to cover the full cost of routine immunizations as long as you visit an in-network provider. Find a contracted provider by visiting your insurer’s website and using the “find a doctor” tool. You can also get MMR and meningitis ACWY immunizations at many pharmacies. Out-of-state students may need to plan ahead by getting their immunizations in their home state if their insurance doesn’t cover the cost of services in WA.
- If you don’t have health insurance, apply for health insurance. You can find detailed instructions on how to apply on our website. As long as you remain without health insurance, you will be stuck paying the full cost of your health care. Note: Undocumented students and DACA recipients may not be able to get health insurance.
- If you can’t get health insurance, your first stop should be a community health clinic. These are clinics that receive funds from the government to offer low-cost health care, often on a sliding scale. They usually offer immunizations and lab tests. You will need to schedule an appointment with a provider to establish care, and in some cases talk to a patient navigator to determine your eligibility for financial assistance.
- If you don’t have health insurance and cannot visit a community clinic, your best option is to call local pharmacies in your area and ask for their immunization pricing. Then, get your immunizations at the pharmacy with the best price.
