Vaccines and Boosters

UC COVID-19 Vaccine Policy

The UC Office of the President has issued its final policy regarding required COVID-19 vaccinations.

This policy requires all UCI students, staff and faculty, with few exceptions, to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 before physically accessing the university’s locations and programs. Compliance is required no later than two weeks before faculty, staff and students are expected to be on campus.

Boosters

COVID-19 boosters are required all eligible students, faculty and staff. For information on commonly asked questions, view the FAQ on boosters.

Those who become eligible must be boosted and upload their documentation no more than 15 days to be policy compliant.

Everyone age 16 and older is eligible for a booster shot. Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website on booster recommendations. To be eligible for the booster, recipients must be five months past the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or two months past the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

UC COVID-19 Vaccine Policy Employee FAQs Student FAQs

UC COVID-19 Prevention Strategies

Questions about the policy may be sent to UCOP-COVID19-Vaccine@UCOP.edu.

Flu Vaccination

For information on the flu vaccination requirement, visit the Student Health Center's website.

How to Get Vaccinated

We encourage students and employees to take advantage of the most immediate vaccination opportunity that arrives through county vaccination clinics, your healthcare provider, local pharmacies or, if you are a member, UCI Health. All people ages 5 and above are now eligible to receive a vaccine. You may seek a vaccination appointment at myturn.ca.gov or by calling 1-833-422-4255 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Transportation Assistance

The FRESH Basic Needs Hub is providing transportation support for students who face financial barriers accessing a vaccine site.

The vaccine is free. No fees required for those covered by UCSHIP

Students who are covered by UCSHIP are not charged any fees, copays or out-of-pocket expenses for vaccinations. Organizations administering the vaccine, such as UCI Health, may bill insurance companies for administrative costs. For this reason, UCSHIP requests that students receive a referral before or after the vaccination by contacting shc-insurance@uci.edu or 949-824-2388.

California

Register at the state’s MyTurn web page to record your eligibility and be notified when appointments are available near you.

Outside California

Register for VaccineFinder to help you find the latest COVID-19 vaccine availability in your area.

International

For individuals who have received a COVID-19 vaccination outside of the United States, UCI will accept vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Several airports offer COVID-19 vaccines, including Los Angeles International (LAX), Orange County (SNA) and San Francisco International (SFO).

Exemptions and Deferrals

The UC COVID-19 vaccination policy allows for medical exceptions consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance and manufacturer labeling on contraindications and precautions. Faculty, staff and students are also eligible to request accommodations based on disability or religious belief, and deferrals are available for those who are pregnant.

Students

To request a medical exemption, religious exception, disability exception or deferral during pregnancy, students may visit the Student Health Center's website.

All request forms must be uploaded to the UCI Student Health Center Patient Portal. Note that the review of your request may take up to seven (7) business days. Students will receive notification of approval or denial of the request via secure message on the portal.

For questions regarding the exemption process, send a secure message on the portal to: “Immunization Exemption/Deferral Request Inquiry” and a SHC nurse will respond within three to five (3-5) business days.

Students who are not vaccinated because of receiving an exemption, exception or deferral must, at a minimum, wear masks and participate in regular COVID-19 testing. Students who arrive partially vaccinated or whose exemption, exception, or deferral request is pending must also mask and participate in regular testing. Students who are not vaccinated and not approved for an exemption, exception or deferral will be subject to enforcement protocols.

Employees

To request a medical exemption, religious exception, disability exception or deferral during pregnancy, employees may visit UCI’s Future of Work COVID policy page or click on the appropriate form below:

Medical Exemption  Religious Exception  Disability Exception  Pregnancy Deferral

You will receive a confirmation email when your documentation has been received. While your exception request is pending, you must wear a face covering that light cannot pass through when indoors, participate in weekly COVID-19 testing and complete the Daily Symptom Check.

Student and Employee Booster Exceptions

There are four scenarios for booster exceptions:

• If you have an existing medical, disability or religious exception.
• If you have an existing pregnancy deferral or other time-limited exception.
• If you were previously denied an exception.
• If you want an exception to this booster.

See details on each scenario.

Assistance

UCI’s Contact Tracing & Vaccine Navigation Services is available to help individuals find vaccine appointments. Call 949-824-2300 or email contacttracing@uci.edu. The team is also able to assist with uploading vaccine records and exception requests.

Verify Your Vaccination Status

The UC policy requires individuals to show proof of vaccination.

Student Verification

Students who have already received their COVID-19 vaccine (including booster) should upload their vaccination record on the UCI Student Health Center Patient Portal.

Instructions on how to upload COVID-19 vaccine record

Employee Verification

Employees who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 (including booster) and have not yet submitted verification should upload proof of vaccination at the Occupational Health upload portal.

Please consider these tips to ensure successful verification:

• If the name on your vaccination record does not match your name as it appears in UCPath (the payroll system), please upload another piece of documentation, e.g., a copy of your driver’s license, with your vaccination documentation so that the team can verify your records.
• Do not cross out your name or birthdate on your vaccination card. This information is important for verification of your records. The upload portal is a UCI health record system and all reasonable precautions are taken to protect your information.