Check to See If Your College Is Requiring the COVID-19 Vaccine for Spring 2022
As the vaccine rollout gained momentum last spring, colleges and universities nationwide put a number of safety measures in place for students returning in the fall. After over a year of Zoom lectures, staying inside, and contact tracing, some sense of normalcy was paramount. In order to ensure that fate, a number of administrations enforced a vaccine mandate, which required their students be fully immunized before stepping back on campus. In turn, the Fall 2021 semester was a promising one for most schools.
But the surge of the latest, highly-transmissible COVID variant, Omicron, has once again threatened to disrupt the return of in-person classes and events. Some schools, such as the University of California system, Harvard University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, have already made the decision to start the spring semester online. Others have implemented strict restrictions; at Princeton University, students are prohibited from leaving the school's county until mid-February. But in most cases, administrations are continuing to require that students receive the COVID vaccine — and at some schools, the booster too — for the spring semester.
Want to know more about this mandate and how it will affect you? Read on to find out everything you need to know about colleges requiring the COVID-19 vaccines.
Which colleges/universities are requiring students be vaccinated in the spring?
Here is the current list of schools requiring vaccinations for Spring 2022:
Arkansas
Arizona
Gateway Community College in Phoenix
Prescott College
California
Allen Hancock College
American Jewish University in Los Angeles
American River College
Berkeley City College
Cabrillo College
California College of Arts in Oakland
California Institute of Integral Studies
California Institute of Technology in Pasadena
California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley
California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks
Cerritos College
Cerro Coso College
Chabot College
Chapman University in Orange
Claremont Graduate University in Claremont
Claremont McKenna College in Claremont
Coast Community College District
Coastline College
College of Alameda
College of Marin
College of the Redwoods
Cosumnes River College
Cypress College
De Anza College
Delta College
Dominican University of California in San Rafael
Folsom Lake College
Foothill College
Fresno Pacific University
Fullerton College
Golden Gate University in San Francisco
Golden West College
Harvey Mudd College in Claremont
Holy Names University in Oakland
Humboldt State University in Arcata
Laney College
La Sierra University
Los Angeles Community College District
Los Rios Community College District
Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles
Menlo College in Atherton
Merritt College
MiraCosta College
Moreno Valley College
Mills College in Oakland
Norco College
Occidental College in Los Angeles
Orange Coast College
Otis College of Art and Design
Pacific University
Pepperdine University in Malibu
Pitzer College in Claremont
Pomona College in Claremont
Porterville College
Riverside City College
St. Mary's College of California in Moraga
Sacramento City College
Samuel Merritt University in Oakland
San Diego Community College in San Diego
San Diego State University
Santa Clara University in Santa Clara
Scripps College in Claremont
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Southwestern University in Chula Vista
Stanford University in Stanford
University of La Verne in La Verne
University of Redlands in Redlands
University of San Diego in San Diego
University of San Francisco in San Francisco
University of Southern California in Los Angeles
University of the Pacific in Stockton
Whittier College in Whittier
Colorado
Colorado College in Colorado Springs
Colorado School of Mines in Golden
Fort Lewis College in Durango
Metropolitan State University of Denver in Denver
Naropa University in Boulder
Regis University in Denver
Rocky Vista University in Parker
University of Denver in Denver
University of Northern Colorado in Greeley
Western Colorado University in Gunnison
Connecticut
Albertus Magnus College in New Haven
Connecticut College in New London
Mitchell College in New London
Post University in Waterbury
Quinnipiac University in Hamden
Sacred Heart University in Fairfield
Trinity College in Hartford
University of Hartford in West Hartford
University of New Haven in New Haven
University of St. Joseph in West Hartford
Wesleyan University in Middletown
Yale University in New Haven
Delaware
Delaware State University in Dover
Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington
University of Delaware in Newark
Florida
Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale (faculty only)
University of Miami in Miami (faculty only)
Georgia
Agnes Scott University in Decatur
Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta
Emory University in Atlanta
Morehouse College in Atlanta
Morris Brown College in Atlanta
Oglethorpe University in Atlanta
Oxford College
Spelman College in Atlanta
Hawaii
Brigham Young University, Hawai'i in Laie
Illinois
Adler University
American Academy of Art
Augustana College
Aurora University
Benedictine University
Black Hawk College
Blackburn College
Bradley University
Chicago State University
City Colleges
College of DuPage
College of Lake County
Concordia University at Chicago
Columbia College Chicago in Chicago
DePaul University in Chicago
Dominican University in River Forest
Elmhurst University in Elmhurst
Eureka College
Governors State University
Greenville University
Illinois Central College
Illinois College
Illinois State University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Knox College in Galesburg
Lake Forest College in Lake Forest
Lewis University in Romeoville
Lincoln College
Loyola University Chicago in Chicago
Methodist College
Monmouth College
Northern Illinois University in DeKalb
Northwestern University in Evanston
Quincy University
Rockford University
Roosevelt University in Chicago
Saint Augustine College
Saint Xavier University
School of the Art Institute of Chicago in Chicago
Southeastern Illinois College
Southern Illinois University Schools
Triton College
University of Chicago in Chicago
Western Illinois University
Wheaton College
William Rainey Harper College
Indiana
Butler University in Indianapolis
DePauw University in Greencastle
Earlham College in Richmond
Goshen College in Goshen
Holy Cross College in Notre Dame
St Mary's University in Notre Dame
University of Notre Damn in South Bend
Valparaiso University in Valparaiso
Iowa
Grinnell College in Grinnell
Kentucky
Bellarmine College
Berea College in Berea
Centre College in Danville
Simmons College of Kentucky in Louisville
Transylvania University
Louisiana
Dillard University in New Orleans
Louisiana State University Schools
Louisiana Tech University
Loyola University, New Orleans in New Orleans
Nicholls State University
Northwestern State University
Tulane University in New Orleans
University of Louisiana Schools
Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans
Maine
Bates College in Lewiston
Bowdoin College in Brunswick
Colby College
College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor
Husson University in Bangor
Maine Community College Schools
Maine Maritime Academy
St. Joseph's College of Main in Standish
Thomas College
Unity College
University of New England in Biddeford
University of Southern Maine
Maryland
Bowie State University in Bowie
Coppin State University in Baltimore
Frostburg University in Frostburg
Goucher College in Baltimore
Hood College in Frederick
Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore
Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore
Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore
McDaniel College in Westminster
Morgan State University in Baltimore
Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg
Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore
Salisbury University in Salisbury
St. John's College at Annapolis
St. Mary's College of Maryland in St. Mary's City
Stevenson University in Owing Mills
Towson University in Towson
University of Baltimore in Baltimore
Washington Adventist University
Washington College
Massachusetts
Alvernia University
American International College
Amherst College in Amherst
Anna Maria College in Paxton
Assumption University in Worcester
Babson College in Wellesley
Bay Path University in Longmeadow
Bentley University in Waltham
Berklee College of Music in Boston
Boston College in Boston
Boston University in Boston
Brandeis University in Waltham
Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater
Clark University in Worcester
College of the Holy Cross in Worcester
Curry College in Milton
Dean College in Franklin
Elms College in Chicopee
Emerson College in Boston
Emmanuel College in Boston
Endicott College in Beverly
Evergreen State College
Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg
Framingham State University in Framingham
Hampshire College in Amherst
Harvard University in Cambridge
Lasell University in Newton
Lesley University in Cambridge
Massachusetts College of Art & Design
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Boston
Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Merrimack College in North Andover
Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley
New England Conservatory of Music in Boston
Northeastern University in Boston
Olin College of Engineering
Regis College in Weston
Salem State University in Salem
Simmons University in Boston
Smith College in Northampton
Springfield College in Springfield
Stonehill College in Easton
Suffolk University in Boston
Tufts University in Medford
Wellesley College in Wellesley
Western New England University in Springfield
Westfield State University in Westfield
Wheaton College in Norton
William James College in Boston
Williams College in Williamstown
Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester
Worcester State University in Worcester
Michigan
Albion College in Albion
Central Michigan University
College for Creative Studies
Grand Valley State University
Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo
Lawrence Technological University in Southfield
Michigan State University
Oakland University in Rochester
University of Detroit Mercy in Detroit
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor
Wayne State University
Western Michigan State
Minnesota
Carleton College in Northfield
College of St. Benedict
Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter
Hamline University
Macalester College in Saint Paul
Minnesota College of Art and Design
Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Saint Paul
St. Catherine University in Saint Paul
St. Cloud State University
St. John's University
St. Olaf College in Northfield
University of Minnesota
University of St. Thomas
Missouri
Culver-Stockton College in Canton
Rockhurst University in Kansas City
St. Louis University in St. Louis
Washington University, St. Louis in St. Louis
William Jewell College in Liberty
Nebraska
Creighton University in Omaha
Doane University
Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln
Nevada
Touro University Nevada in Henderson
New Hampshire
Colby-Sawyer College in New London
Dartmouth College in Hanover
Franklin Pierce University in Rindge
New England College in Henniker
Rivier University in Nashua
St. Anselm College in Manchester
Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester
New Jersey
Caldwell University in Caldwell
Drew University in Madison
Essex County College
Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck
Georgian Court University in Lakewood
Kean University in Union
Monmouth University in West Long Branch
Montclair State University in Montclair
Mount St. Mary's University in Newburgh
New Jersey City University in Jersey City
New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark
Princeton University in Princeton
Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah
Rider University in Lawrenceville
Rowan University in Glassboro
Rutgers University in New Brunswick
St. Elizabeth University in Morristown
St. Peter's University in Jersey City
Seton Hall University in South Orange
Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken
Stockton University in Galloway
The College of New Jersey in Ewing
William Paterson University in Wayne
New Mexico
Central New Mexico Community College
New Mexico Highlands University
St. John's College at Santa Fe
New York
Adelphi University
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Alfred University in Alfred
Bank Street College of Education in New York City
Bard College in Annandale-On-Hudson,
Barnard College in New York City
Canisius University
Cazenovia College in Cazenovia
Clarkson University in Potsdam
Colgate University in Hamilton
College of Mount Saint Vincent
College of Saint Rose
Columbia University in New York City
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in New York City
Cornell University in Ithaca
Culinary Institute of America
Dominican College of Blauvelt
Elmira College
Five Towns College in Dix Hills
Fordham University in the Bronx
Hamilton College in Clinton
Hartwick College in Oneonta
Hilbert College in Hamburg
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hofstra University in Hempstead
Ithaca College in Ithaca
Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City
Keuka College in Keuka Park
Le Moyne College in Syracuse
Manhattan College in Bronx
Manhattan School of Music in New York City
Manhattanville College in Harrison
Maria College of Albany
Marist College in Poughkeepsie
Marymount Manhattan College
Molloy College
Mount St. Mary College
Nazareth College in Rochester
New York University in New York City
Niagara University
Pace University in New York City
Pratt Institute in Brooklyn
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy
Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester
Russell Sage College in Troy
Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville
School of Visual Arts in New York City
Siena College in Loundonville
Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs
St. Bonaventure in Allegany
St. Francis College in Brooklyn
St. John Fisher College in Rochester
St. John's University in Queens
St. Joseph's College
St. Lawrence University in Canton
Syracuse University in Syracuse
The Juilliard School in New York City
The New School in New York City
Touro College Schools
Union College in Schenectedy
University of Rochester in Rochester
Utica College in Utica
Vassar College in Poughkeepsie
Wagner College in Staten Island
Wells College in Aurora
Yeshiva University in New York City
North Carolina
Bennett College in Greensboro
Brevard University in Brevard
Davison College
Duke University in Durham
Elon University in Elon
Guilford College
Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte in Charlotte
Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte
Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk
Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory
Livingstone College in Salisbury
Meredith College
Methodist University
Queens University of Charlotte in Charlotte
Salem College in Winston-Salem
Shaw University in Raleigh
Union Presbyterian Seminary at Charlotte in Charlotte
Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem
Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa
Ohio
Anitoch College
Bowling Green State University
Capital University
Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland
Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland State University in Cleveland
Columbus College of Art and Design
John Carroll University
Kent State University Schools
Kenyon College in Gambier
Miami University
Mt. St. Joseph University in Cincinatti
Ohio University
Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware
The Ohio State University
The College of Wooster in Wooster
University of Akron
University of Cincinnati
University of Toldeo
Xavier University
Oklahoma
Mid-America Christian University in Oklahoma City
Oregon
Eastern Oregon University La Grande
Lewis & Clark University in Portland
Linfield University in McMinnville
Oregon Health and Science University in Portland
Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls
Oregon State University in Corvallis
Pacific University in Forest Grove
Portland State University in Portland
Reed College in Portland
Southern Oregon University in Ashland
University of Oregon in Eugene
University of Portland in Portland
Western Oregon University in Monmouth
Willamette University in Salem
Pennsylvania
Alleghany College in Meadville
Bryn Mawr College in Bryn Mawr
Bucknell University in Lewisburg
Cabrini University in Radnor
Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh
Chatham University in Pittsburgh
Chestnut Hill College
Dickinson College in Carlisle
Drexel University in Philadelphia
Duquesne University in Pittsburgh
Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster
Gettysburg University in Gettysurg
Gwynedd Mercy University in Gwynedd Valley
Haverford College in Haeverford
Immaculata University in Immaculata
Lafayette College in Easton
La Salle University
Lehigh University in Bethlehem
Mercyhurst University in Erie
Muhlenberg College in Allentown
Neumann University in Aston
Point Park University in Pittsburgh
Rosemont College in Rosemont
St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia
Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove
Swarthmore College in Swarthmore
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster
Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia
University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
University of Pittsburgh
University of Scranton in Scranton
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Ursinus College in Collegeville
Villanova University in Villanova
Washington & Jefferson College in Washington
Widener University in Chester
Williamson College of the Trades in Media
Rhode Island
Brown University in Providence
Bryant University in Smithfield
Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick
Johnson & Wales University in Providence
New England Institute of Technology
Providence College in Providence
Rhode Island College in Providence
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University in Bristol
Salve Regina University in Newport
University of Rhode Island in South Kingstown
South Carolina
Claflin University
Furman University in Greenville
Wofford College in Spartanburg
Tennessee
Christian Brothers University in Memphis
Maryville College in Maryville
Rhodes College
University of the South
Vanderbilt University in Nashville
Texas
Huston-Tillotson University
Paul Quinn College in Dallas
Rice University in Houston
Seminary of the Southwest in Austin
Southwestern University
St. Edward's University in Austin
Utah
Davis Technical College
University of Utah
Utah Valley University
Utah State University
Weber State University
Westminster College in Salt Lake City
Vermont
Bennington College in Bennington
Castleton University
Champlain College in Burlington
Landmark College in Putney
Middlebury College in Middlebury
Northern Vermont University
Norwich University
St. Michael's College in Colchester
University of Vermont in Burlington
Virginia
Bridgewater College in Bridgewater
Christopher Newport University in Newport News
Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg
George Mason University in Fairfax
Hampton University in Hampton
Hollins University in Roanoke
James Madison University in Harrisonburg
Longwood University in Farmville
Mary Baldwin University in Staunton
Marymount University in Arlington
Norfolk State University
Old Dominion University in Norfolk
Radford University in Radford
Randolph College in Lynchburg
Randolph-Macon College in Ashland
Roanoke College in Salem
Sweet Briar College in Sweet Briar
The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg
Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond
University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg
University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg
University of Richmond in Richmond
University of Virginia in Charlottesville
Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond
Virginia Military Institute in Lexington City
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg
Virginia Wesleyan University in Norfolk
Washington and Lee University in Lexington City
Washington
Central Washington University in Ellensburg
Columbia Basin College
Cornish College of the Arts
DigiPen Institute of Technology in Redmond
Eastern Washington University in Cheney
Evergreen State College in Olympia
Gonzaga University in Spokane
Highline College
Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma
Peninsula College
St. Martin's University
Seattle Colleges (Central, North, and South)
Seattle Film Institute in Seattle
Seattle Pacific University in Seattle
Seattle University in Seattle
Skagit Valley College
University of Puget Sound in Tacoma
Wenatchee Valley College in Wenatchee
Western Washington University in Bellingham
Whitman College in Walla Walla
Whitworth University in Spokane
West Virginia
Bethany College in Bethany
University of Charleston in Charleston
Wisconsin
Alverno College
Beloit College in Beloit
Carthage College in Kenosha
Lawrence University in Appleton
Marquette University in Milwaukee
Washington, D.C.
American University
Gallaudet University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Howard University
Trinity Washington University
University of District of Colombia
Here is the current list of schools requiring vaccinations only for students who want to live on campus as of Spring 2022:
Which colleges/universities are requiring vaccine boosters in the spring?
Here is the current list of schools requiring vaccinations for Spring 2022:
California:
Stanford University
University of Southern California
Connecticut:
Wesleyan University
Delaware
Georgia:
Illinois:
Northwestern University
Maine:
Maryland:
Massachusetts:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
University of Massachusetts schools
Michigan
University of Michigan schools
Minnesota:
St. Olaf College
New Hampshire:
Lenoir-Rhyne University
New Jersey:
New Mexico:
New York:
Columbia University
Ithaca College
State University of New York schools
North Carolina
Duke University
Wake Forest University
Oregon:
University of Oregon
Pennsylvania:
University of Pennsylvania
Rhode Island:
University of Rhode Island
South Carolina:
Texas:
Vermont
Virginia:
Norfolk State University
University of Virginia schools
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Tech University
Washington
Washington, D.C.
Howard University
Can colleges/universities require the vaccine?
The short answer is yes, colleges can require students receive the vaccine before attending school. In fact, you may not have even noticed, but colleges and universities have been requiring vaccines for years. Almost all schools in the country already require you get the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, as well as a vaccine to protect against bacterial meningitis.
Just like with any of those vaccines, there are exemptions for medical and non-medical reasons, and those exemptions will also apply for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Why are colleges/universities requiring their students be vaccinated?
Since Fall 2020, schools have been working to create a safe environment for their students. They've been holding classes outside and over Zoom, requiring face masks be worn around campus, and have adjusted dorm living to allow for social distancing. Now, vaccinating students is an extension of those safety procedures.
"Our decisions around adding one of the [Emergency Use Authorization]-approved COVID vaccines to our existing list of required vaccines really was a continuation of our efforts this year to be in-person," said Tom Stritikus, President of Fort Lewis College. "We did everything we could do to be in-person this year and a broadly vaccinated student body in really the next step in that."
For many, the hope is that requiring vaccines will allow for campus to take a step forward in returning "back to normal." While students will still have to wear face masks and abide by the basic safety rules, a vaccinated student body will allow for more in-person classes, student activities, and large gatherings like commencement.
What if I don't want to/can't get vaccinated?
As mentioned above, there are both medical and non-medical exemptions for students who cannot or do not want to get vaccinated. Justin Sloan, the VP of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning at St. Edward's University said it is very rare for a student to not meet the exemption process if that is their decision, whether it be for medical, religious, or personal reasons.
Every school will have different protocol for the exempt students, but for the most part, they will still be able to attend classes and live on campus normally. However, Justin warns that, at least in the case of St. Edward's, while a non-vaccinated students will be allowed on campus, there may be some external programs they cannot participate in, like study abroad.
"We're not telling the student they can't learn with us," he said. "We're not telling them they can't live on campus, but we are being transparent that there are some activities that are provided by third parties that may not be available to them."
What will this mean for the spring semester?
The hope is that schools will be able to prevent a massive spread of COVID infections on campus. While the past fall semester looked a little bit more like Fall 2019 and less like Fall 2020, the Omicron variant now poses a renewed threat. Again, safety precautions will still be in place, but the vaccine allows students to return to their campus with less fear and more excitement about classes, activities, and all of the things that make college...well, college.
"For us, it will mean we'll have at least 80% of our classes face to face, it means that we will be back to the exciting and wonderful things that make campus life so wonderful and that includes, not just lectures and labs, but performances and athletics," said Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, President of Oakland University, before the start of the Fall 2021 semester.
According to a survey conducted in March 2021 by Arts-Bridge, 62% of high schools students and parents are concerned they won't have the "ideal college experience" because of the effects of the pandemic. Plus, 64% of high school juniors and seniors feel the price of college isn't worth it when you're learning from behind a screen instead of in a classroom.
The hope is that a vaccinated campus will help to solve these problems, to allow for that "ideal college experience" and for students to fully be back in the classroom.
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