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Immunization Policy

Immunization Requirements

Macalester College has established immunization requirements for its students to maintain the health and safety of our community. These requirements must be met for the student to attend classes, per the Macalester student handbook.

  • the record must include the month/day/year of each immunization
  • the record must be in English or be accompanied by an English translation

Required Immunizations

Immunizations that are currently required are:

  • Tdap (Tetanus) booster in the last 10 years*
  • 2 MMR’s (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) first one given after age 1*
  • Meningitis Quadrivalent–after the age of 16**
  • Also required (but not a vaccination) for all new students is a TB (tuberculosis) screening and if indicated, TB test. If the student answers YES to any questions on the screening form, they must have a health care provider complete the assessment or be tested for TB.

*Minnesota law (M.S. 135A. 14) requires all students born after Dec. 31, 1956, who enroll in a Minnesota college to be immunized against tetanus, diphtheria, measles, mumps and rubella. Documentation is required within 45 days of matriculating. While students who graduated from a Minnesota high school since 1997 are technically exempt from these requirements (because they will already have met them), Macalester still requires documentation of all vaccinations.

Recommended Immunizations

The following immunizations are highly recommended by the college:

Providing Documentation

All students must provide documentation of vaccination for the first academic term that the student is enrolled in. The deadline for the Fall semester is approximately the third week of August and staff will communicate to students as a part of matriculation requirements in the Spring and Summer.  Students who are admitted for the Spring semester must provide documentation by the first day of classes and they will receive information about the requirement upon acceptance. Students who cannot meet the deadline should contact the Hamre Center to make arrangements for record transfer or to get vaccinated.

How to provide documentation:

Failure to Provide Documentation

For students who fail to provide documentation, a hold may be placed on the course validation process and they will not have card key access to non-residence hall buildings.

Exemptions

Please complete and submit this form for all Medical/Non-medical exemptions. A scanned copy of the the completed, signed document can be emailed to [email protected], however for the Non-medical Exemption, a hard copy of the notarized document must also be sent to the Hamre Center (Hamre Center; ATTN: Exemption Form; 1600 Grand Avenue; St. Paul, MN 55105)

Immunity: Students do not have to get a vaccine if they are already immune to the disease it prevents. For combination vaccines, like MMR vaccine, they would still need to get the vaccine even if you had measles, but not mumps or rubella. A statement from a medical professional is required as documentation and is subject to review by the Hamre Center Medical Director. As of June 25, 2021, we will not accept evidence of natural immunity to COVID (SARS-CoV-2) via an antibody test. We will only accept vaccination or exemptions to be in compliance with this requirement.

Medical: Documentation of the medical exemption must be provided by a medical provider. Documentation can be in the form of a letter, standard form used by the provider, or copy of a medical record with an explanation of the exemption. The exemption is subject to review by the Hamre Center Medical Director.

Non-Medical: A student can get a non-medical exemption if they object to an immunization. They will need to submit a notarized statement that their beliefs prevent them from getting the required vaccines.

Vaccination Resources:

These vaccinations can generally can be obtained from the student’s primary care provider or community health care organization. The Hamre Center for Health & Wellness can also provide all of the required vaccinations; students who are unable to get the required vaccinations should contact the Hamre Center for an appointment.*

Updated by Katie Gurujal April 2024