Immunization and Health Requirements

UB requires you to meet certain health-related requirements. 

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Upload your Immunization Documents to the Patient Portal

UB students must upload vaccine documentation to their medical record via Student Health Services' patient portal. Your records will be reviewed in the order they were received. Be sure to check your HUB account often, and contact our office if your holds haven’t been removed in 7-10 business days.

What Is Required?

All incoming students must provide an official record in English of their measles, mumps and rubella immunity and meet the meningitis information requirement. Course registration is blocked until the requirements are fulfilled.

In addition, new and continuing students in health-related professions must meet additional requirements, as noted below.

Continuing as a UB Student?

  • Once in compliance with the requirements (for example, as an undergraduate student) and you then return to UB (for example, as a graduate student), you should not need to submit the MMR or Meningitis documentation again. Subject to change based on future NYS DOH and/or SUNY requirements. 
  • Students returning to UB in a health-related profession program must fulfill additional immunization requirements as noted below.

UBITName and password required

Please Read

We encourage you to read the requirements and directions carefully to avoid errors that may lead to delays in class registration.

Missing a Vaccination?

If you are missing a vaccination, please contact Student Health Services to learn your options. You can also view the list of available vaccinations.

Are you a remote only learner?

Students who are taking fully remote courses can choose to submit a waiver form for MMR and Meningitis each semester that they remain a fully remote learner.  The waiver enables us to future-date your health holds through the last day of drop/add for that semester. To permanently remove the health holds, please submit proof of MMR immunity.

Meet the Requirements

All students must provide documentation of their MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) immunity and meet the meningitis information requirement. Health-related profession students (also known as Health Majors) must also fulfill the requirements listed in the Health Majors tab.

MMR (Everyone) Meningitis (Everyone) COVID-19 (Everyone) Health Majors

Measles, Mumps and Rubella

Measles

Proof of immunity must be demonstrated by meeting one of the following requirements:

  • Two doses of measles vaccine (or two doses of combined measles, mumps and rubella [MMR] vaccine) given on or after the first birthday, and at least 28 days apart. (If vaccine(s) were received prior to 1968, must be documented as live vaccine to meet requirement.)
  • Serologic evidence of immunity (positive IgG blood titers). Must provide copy of laboratory report with reference range.
  • Proof of attendance in a U.S. primary or secondary school after 1980, plus proof of a second dose of live measles virus vaccine administered within one year prior to attending UB
Missing a Vaccination?

If you are missing a vaccination, please contact Student Health Services to learn your options. You can also view the list of available vaccinations.

Mumps

Proof of immunity must be demonstrated by meeting one of the following requirements:

  • One dose of mumps vaccine (or combined measles, mumps and rubella [MMR] vaccine) on or after the first birthday. 
  • Serologic evidence of immunity (positive IgG blood titers). Must provide copy of laboratory report with reference range.

Rubella

Proof of immunity must be demonstrated by meeting one of the following requirements:

  • One dose of rubella vaccine (or combined measles, mumps and rubella [MMR] vaccine) on or after the first birthday. 
  • Serologic evidence of immunity (positive IgG blood titers). Must provide copy of laboratory report with reference range.

Documentation of immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella must be  in English and must include the student’s name and date of birth; copies are acceptable.

You can submit any one of the following as documentation of a student’s measles, mumps and rubella immunity:

  • The Health Background Form completed by the student’s health care provider
  • The student’s immunizations (including actual vaccination receipt dates) on an official government or school letterhead; the simplest place to obtain this may be from your most recently attended high school or college. Many college health centers have an online portal you can use to print a copy of your immunization history.
  • The student’s immunizations (including actual vaccination receipt dates) on physician’s letterhead, which includes the health care provider’s printed name, address and telephone number. Many doctor's offices have an online portal you can use to print a copy of your immunization history.
  • A lab report showing blood test results that confirm immunity (positive IgG blood titers). The lab report must include reference range.
  • A Vaccine Administration Record (VAR) from a pharmacy, which includes the pharmacy’s printed name, address and telephone number, showing that the student received the vaccine at that pharmacy.  A payment receipt or Personal Prescription Information sheet is not sufficient.
  • State immunization registries - For NY state residents, you can call 518-473-2839 or email NYSIIS at nysiis@health.ny.gov to request a copy of your immunization history. For students not from NY State, call the CDC Information Contact Center at 800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).

Exemptions to Measles, Mumps and Rubella Immunization Requirements

Exemptions are granted in some cases, as explained here. If you have further questions, please contact Student Health Services.

Students born prior to 1/1/1957 are automatically exempt from providing proof of immunity.

New students registering for Winter Session will not have to provide proof of MMR immunity or  meningitis education information prior to or during Winter term attendance.

New, non-degree students registering for fewer than six credit hours will need to comply with the meningitis education requirement. However, they can request an exemption from the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) requirement. Students who plan to enroll for a subsequent semester will need to comply with immunization requirements prior to their next registration window.

Students in academic programs certified as online-only degree programs are automatically exempt from the immunization and health requirements.

Students who are taking fully remote courses can choose to submit a waiver form for MMR and Meningitis each semester that they remain a fully remote learner.  The waivers enable us to future-date the health holds through the last day of drop/add for that semester. To permanently remove the health holds, please submit proof of MMR immunity.

For a temporary or permanent medical exemption, the student must submit a signed statement from a licensed health care provider that includes:

  • The clinical contraindication preventing vaccination
  • Specific MMR or the particular portion that is contraindicated
  • An end date for the exemption

For students who are pregnant or breastfeeding, a signed statement from a licensed health care provider is required in order to apply for a medical exemption.

The student must submit documentation of a sincerely held religious belief. Statements from parents/guardians will only be accepted if the student is less than 18 years of age.

The student with active military status must provide a copy of their military ID.

Active military students must demonstrate a good faith effort to obtain their immunization records. They will be considered “in process” for one year or until proof of immunity is received. Students will be able to register for courses during this time. To request immunization records from the military, active duty personnel should request records from their assigned medical treatment facility or visit MyHealtheVet portal online.

The student must provide a copy of their DD 214 showing their honorable discharge.

Honorably discharged veterans must demonstrate a good faith effort to obtain their immunization records. They will be considered “in process” for one year or until proof of immunity is received. Students will be able to register for courses during this time. To request immunization records from the military, veterans should visit MyHealtheVet portal online or use the Standard Form 180.

 

Students with medical or religious exemptions will be allowed to register for and attend classes. However, these students may be excluded from campus in the event of a measles, mumps or rubella outbreak, per New York State Department of Health policies.

Submit Your Forms

Please use one of the following methods to submit your records:

Submitting Your Records
Upload  By Mail (USPS) By Fax
Upload your own
immunization records
to the Patient Portal.
Need help?
Student Health Services
4350 Maple Rd
Amherst, NY 14226
716-829-2564
International Student Recommendations

• Send your forms as soon as possible to facilitate class registration

• Do not return the forms to International Admissions

Did UB Receive My Health Records?

New/Incoming Students

Once your immunization records have been received, processed, reviewed and deemed compliant with requirements, your health holds will be removed; this will be reflected in your HUB Student Center in real time. This usually occurs 5-10 business days after we receive your compliant records (although it can take a few extra business days during the 3 months prior to the start of a semester).

Students will not be individually contacted to confirm receipt of records. Please check the HUB system (NOT your Patient Portal) for the current status of your holds.

If your paperwork is not in compliance, you will receive an electronic message  from Student Health Services. This message is sent to the student’s @buffalo.edu email address.

Please contact us only if you have a hold on your account for a prolonged period of time after submitting your records/forms:

  • More than 10 business days (15 business days during high volume months of June, July & August) after faxing or emailing
  • More than 3 weeks after mailing

Returning Students in a Health-Related Program

Please allow 10-15 business days for Student Health Services to process your records and update UB Learns.

Need a copy of your immunization records?

Current students can print out their immunization history by using the patient portal.

Former students must complete the Authorization to Release or Obtain Medical Records form and return it to Student Health Services via fax or mail.

Please note: It takes several weeks for our staff to manually enter student immunization data into this system.  For this reason, the patient portal immunization history may not be up to date for all students, especially first year students.

Health and immunization records submitted to or generated by Student Health Services are held on file for 7 years from the date of submission.

Information About Students Over the Age of 18

Consent is required from students 18 years old and over, before Student Health Services can release any medical information to another person.

Only for Health Care Provided by Student Health Services

If other individuals or agencies have provided confidential information to Student Health Services, you cannot use the authorization form to re-release this information. For copies of medical records that came from another individual or agency, please contact that original individual or agency directly.

Need Help?

University at Buffalo
4350 Maple Rd
Amherst, NY 14226

Phone: 716-829-3316; Fax: 716-829-2564