IMPORTANT: Vaccination Information and Upcoming Deadline (New International Graduate Students)

Dear Syracuse University International Graduate Students:

We know that many of you are finalizing your plans for the upcoming semester.  We look forward to your arrival in Syracuse!

That is why we are writing with important reminders about vaccination requirements for accessing the Syracuse University campus.

Health History and Immunization Record Forms

Your health history and immunization record forms are due to the Barnes Center at The Arch by Thursday, July 1.  Your records can be submitted using the Student Patient Portal. To log in, use your SU NetID and password.

New York state law requires that you submit the following vaccination records:

• Two measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations
• A meningococcal meningitis vaccination within the last five years and after the age of 16, or a waiver if you have a medical or religious exemption.  If you have an exemption, please visit the Student Patient Portal to complete the online waiver form.

If you are a recent graduate of Syracuse University, you do not need to re-submit the health history and immunization records unless there have been changes you wish to note.

COVID-19 Vaccination

As of June 1, all incoming and returning students are required to provide proof of a COVID-19 vaccination prior to the start of the Fall 2021 semester. Only those who have a medical or religious waiver are exempt from this requirement. The Barnes Center at The Arch is accepting any vaccination currently approved by the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO is continually reviewing vaccines. At this time, the following vaccinations are approved by the WHO:

• AstraZeneca
• Johnson & Johnson/Janssen
• Moderna
• Pfizer
• Serum Institute of India
• Sinopharm
• Sinovac

As a reminder, all incoming students must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to access campus. Proof of vaccination is due before access to campus is granted. We recognize that in some areas, vaccine availability is still limited. If you cannot access a WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccination prior to your arrival, please reach out to the COVID Project Management Office at 315.443.6180 or sucovid@syr.edu.

If you have not been fully vaccinated prior to arrival or your vaccine is not included on the WHO-approved list, you will be able to secure vaccination in Syracuse or elsewhere in the U.S. Search for a U.S. vaccination site and schedule an appointment using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s search tool. This site also allows you to search based on vaccine. The ZIP code for Syracuse is 13244.  The Barnes Center at the Arch will notify the campus community if vaccine becomes available on campus to support fall arrivals.

If you plan to receive your vaccine upon arrival in the U.S., please strive to arrive early enough to receive the one dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine or to complete both doses of the Moderna (28 days between doses) or Pfizer (21 days between doses) before accessing campus. As soon as you have received all recommended doses of an approved vaccine and uploaded documentation into the Student Patient Portal, you can access campus. Because vaccines are not fully effective until two weeks after your final dose, if you access campus during that period, you must wear a mask and participate in weekly COVID-19 screening.

Students with questions about their vaccination status may contact the Barnes Center for further guidance.

Submission Instructions

For those who have received their vaccination, please submit your records to the Student Patient Portal using the following instructions:

• Log in to the Patient Portal using your SU NetID and Password
• Select the “Immunizations” tab from the top menu and select “Enter Dates.”
• Under the “Required Immunizations” heading, enter the date(s) you received your vaccine in the appropriate COVID-19 vaccine section (e.g., Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer or ‘Not Listed’ for all others) and click Submit.
• Once the date(s) have been submitted, select the “Upload” tab from the top menu.
• Follow all upload instructions.
• In the drop-down menu labeled “Choose Document,” select “COVID Proof of Vaccination.”
• Click “Select a file,” choose the file containing your vaccination documents, and click “Upload.”

We look forward to seeing you on campus soon! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office. Please also refer to the Stay Safe Frequently Asked Questions page for further information.

Sincerely,

Peter Vanable
Dean, Graduate School

Juan Tavares
Director, Center for International Services