vaccination policy

Additional details are outlined below regarding:

 

Vaccination dates and verification process

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Vaccine Exemption requests and forms

Employees and students working under the Federal requirements, are able to seek an exemption for medical reasons or a sincerely held religious belief. Generally, students will continue to be able to request an exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical reasons, a sincerely held religious belief or reasons of conscience.  Exemption requests for religious beliefs or reasons of conscience is available.

Forms for students

Forms for faculty, contact professionals and staff

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Fall registration and enrollment

Beginning with the fall semester 2022, COVID-19 vaccines, including all booster shots, are strongly recommended for our entire University of Akron community but are no longer required for (some or many) students. Students working directly on certain federally funded grants and those covered under the Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services emergency regulation are still required to be vaccinated or seek an appropriate exemption.  

Some majors, e.g., Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, require students to document their vaccination status prior to enrollment in the program.  These students may register for fall classes but are required to be compliant before the semester begins.

Additional guidance for students in the College of Health and Human Sciences:

  • UA students in external placements (co-ops/internships, clinicals, field, student teaching, etc.) must abide all policies and precautions related to COVID-19 in place at the placement site, including vaccination/booster vaccination requirements, testing, isolation/quarantine period requirements, and other infection control protocols.
  • Some programs utilize other third-party systems, e.g., CastleBranch, and Typhon, to track vaccines.  Resident students and others may need to upload vaccine info to these in addition to MedProctor.  
  • Any exemption to COVID-19 precautions including vaccination requirements granted through the University's process will not automatically apply to non-UA settings.
  • External placements may have more restrictive exemption policies that UA cannot influence or waive.
  • While UA will make reasonable attempts to find placements that meet a student’s vaccination status and other preferences, placements that do not require that students be vaccinated cannot be guaranteed and, for some fields, may be impossible to obtain.
  • UA is not responsible for delays in degree progression or graduation due to student requested exemptions from COVID-19 policies.
  • Please direct program specific questions to your program’s administrator. 

Students enrolled in an off-campus experience with an organization requiring COVID-19 vaccines that does not have its own exemption application process may utilize UA’s COVID-19 vaccine exemption application form. Click the links below to access the application. 
Students enrolled in off campus experiences with organizations that require their own exemption application process, should use that process. 

Resident students are strongly encouraged to be up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines but are not generally required to seek an exemption if not vaccinated.

International students who are not able to receive a vaccine prior to arrival and would like to be vaccinated should communicate with Health Services.   

Faculty, contract professionals and staff who are not vaccinated or do not have an exemption granted by the University will be subject to progressive discipline in keeping with University policy and collective bargaining agreements.

NOTE: The reporting requirement and recommendations excludes College Credit Plus, Early College High School and the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame STEM High School students. 

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Additional details

  • Vaccines are free and widely accessible. The University will continue to work with local partners to have vaccination opportunities on campus.

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