COVID-19 vaccine information for students
Students enrolled in HSIP-participating programs must upload documentation of an initial COVID-19 vaccination series into their CastleBranch account. Students will be denied access to health care practicum sites and will not be able to register for courses until their COVID-19 vaccination is verified by CastleBranch/HSIP or their medical exemption request is approved by the University. Due dates are as follows:
MARCH 30: All summer quarter (June) entry students
JUNE 1: Autumn quarter (September) entry students in
- School of Pharmacy
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Prosthetics & Orthotics
- Genetic Counseling in the School of Medicine
- School of Nursing
- School of Public Health-Nutrition
- School of Social Work (Seattle & Tacoma)
JUNE 15: Autumn quarter (September) entry students in
- Medical Laboratory Sciences
- Laboratory Medicine
- School of Public Health (other than nutrition)
- School of Speech and Hearing Sciences
No information concerning COVID-19 vaccinations will be shared with practicum facilities other than to verify a student’s vaccination or exemption status. Students will have access to their COVID-19 vaccination records or exemption documents on their MyCB account on the CastleBranch website. The school or program will have access to COVID-19 vaccination records or exemption documents through administrative access to the CastleBranch website.
Students who submit false or inaccurate information during the verification process are subject to disciplinary procedures that can include dismissal from the University.
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR UNVACCINATED STUDENTS: Practicum facilities may deny unvaccinated students access to their site, which may result in an inability to fulfill academic requirements. If you have questions about academic requirements, please contact your school or program.
Acceptable COVID-19 vaccines include Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax, Johnson & Johnson, and vaccines approved for use by the World Health Organization.
Although COVID-19 booster vaccines are not currently required by HSIP, several practicum sites including UW Medicine facilities, are requiring the updated mRNA bivalent booster dose as a practicum site requirement. The mRNA bivalent booster vaccine became available in the fall of 2022. Any mRNA booster dose given after September 1, 2022, was a bivalent dose. In the likelihood that HSIP students will be required to meet practicum site COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine requirement to participate in most health care settings, it is recommended that you receive a COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccine dose and submit it along with your initial vaccine series. If you receive the COVID bivalent booster vaccine dose after you have submitted the initial COVID-19 vaccine series, please contact HSIP at myshots@uw.edu to have an additional action created for you to upload your booster vaccine dose in CastleBranch or send your documentation to myshots@uw.edu and HSIP will assist in getting the document uploaded into your CastleBranch account.
If COVID-19 booster vaccines become an HSIP requirement in the future, students in HSIP-participating schools/programs will be notified. At that time, anyone who has not already submitted the mRNA bivalent COVID-19 booster dose to their CastleBranch account would be required to do so.
BIVALENT COVID-19 BOOSTER ELIGIBILITY (Refer to the CDC COVID vaccine and booster website for additional information):
Initial COVID-19 Vaccine Series |
Recommended Up to Date Booster |
CDC Spacing Guidelines |
Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax or Johnson & Johnson |
Bivalent mRNA booster of either Pfizer or Moderna |
Booster dose 2 months after completion of an initial series or previous booster |
Below are the three options for acceptable vaccination documentation:
- Image of a CDC COVID-19 vaccination record card (if your vaccination is on the back side of the card, both the front and back of the card are required)
- Documentation of vaccination from a health care provider, including an electronic health record
- State immunization information system record
Records must include full name, type of vaccine/manufacturer, dates of administration, and name of entity administering the vaccine(s).
There are many places in Washington state and around the Seattle area where you can get vaccinated, including UW Medicine, doctor’s offices and pharmacies.
The Washington State Department of Health also has a COVID-19 vaccine appointment location site.
COVID-19 vaccines may be administered without regard to timing with other routine vaccines and TB screening required for HSIP students. For additional information, refer to the CDC guidance on co-administration of COVID-19 vaccines with other vaccines and CDC Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines regarding TB screening without regard to timing of COVID-19 vaccination.
The COVID-19 Vaccination Medical Exemption Form (Word) is available to all students. The form must be completed by a licensed healthcare provider (MD, DO, ND, ARNP, or PA). The provider completing the form must be licensed in the state of Washington if the HSIP student’s practicum sites are within Washington state.
Submission instructions are provided on the form.
Medical exemption forms are due no later than March 30 for incoming summer students and no later than June 1 for incoming fall students.