Immunization Requirements

Who is required to be immunized?

Tennessee requires new full-time enrollees in higher education institutions with enrollments larger than 200 students to be up to date on immunizations. Full-time means for undergraduates enrolling in at least 12 semester hours, or equivalent and graduate students enrolling in at least 9 semester hours, or equivalent.

New Meningitis Immunization Requirement (students living on-campus ONLY)

• Documentation of one dose of meningococcal vaccine given on or after the sixteenth birthday
• Beginning with the Fall 2013 term, all students under age 22 who are enrolling in a TBR institution for the first time regardless of the level at which the student is matriculating AND who will be living in on-campus housing, must show proof of adequate immunization against meningitis prior to moving into on-campus housing. “Adequate Immunization” means students must have been vaccinated on or after their 16th birthday. On move-in day, those students who have not previously provided such proof must provide it before they can be allowed to move in.
  
  

Varicella (chickenpox) Immunity:

Proof of immunity to Varicella is required by meeting one of the following four criteria:

• Date of birth before January 1, 1980, or
• History of chickenpox illness diagnosed by a healthcare provider or verified by a physician, advanced practice nurse or physician assistant to whom the illness is described, or
• Documentation of two doses of varicella vaccine given at least 28 days apart, excluding doses given earlier than four days before the first birthday, or
• Documentation of blood test (serology) showing immunity to varicella.
• If you are a full-time online only student, click here to be taken to the exemption form.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella Immunity:

Proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella may be provided by meeting one of the following five criteria:

• Date of birth before January 1, 1957, or
• Documentation of two doses of vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella given at least 28 days apart, excluding doses given earlier than four days before the first birthday, or
• Documentation of blood test (serology) showing immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. If any one of the three is negative, two doses of vaccine must be documented
• A military immunization form or DD214 form will be accepted
• If you were previously enrolled at a Tennessee public or private college or university as a full-time student for at least one semester after August 1, 2007, you may provide an official transcript as documentation.
• If you are a full-time online only student, click here to be taken to the exemption form.
  

Hepatitis B/Meningitis Immunity:

The State of Tennessee mandates that MTSU provide information concerning Hepatitis B infection and Meningococcal disease to all students entering MTSU for the first time. All new undergraduates and graduate students will need to electronically sign a waiver form before they can register. This form is located within PipelineMT. If under 18 years of age, a parent or guardian will have to sign and submit this form.

Instructions for locating/completing the form:

1. Sign in PipelineMT.
2. Click on the RaiderNet tab.
3. Click on the Student tab.
4. Select Registration.
5. Select Add or Drop Classes.
6. Select 2012 Summer/Fall Term.
7. The form will display if the student is 18 years of age or older and the student will need to answer both questions and click on the Submit button. Once completed, the student will get a confirmation page with a link "Return to Registration" which takes them to the "Add Class" box to enter call numbers.
8. The message informing a student to print a form from the web will display if the student is under the age of 18. A parent or legal guardian is required to sign the form and return to Health Services. This form can be mailed or faxed to 615-898-5004.

Note: A hold is automatically set to prevent a student's registration until the process is completed. Once completed, the hold automatically removes and the student is clear to register. There is no need to contact Health Services to remove the hold since everything is automatic.

Location of immunization records: Adults can have difficulty locating childhood immunization records. You should check with family members who may have copies of childhood records. You should try to contact the original immunization provider: if a local health department, contact them directly; if a private medical office, contact that office. Schools may have copies of immunization certificates in student files. Children born after the mid-1990's may have records entered in a state-managed immunization registry; such registries now exist in many states, but are unlikely to contain information on adults. If records cannot be located, vaccination is recommended - additional doses of vaccine are not harmful.

For more information: visit http://twis.tn.gov or http://health.state.tn.us/CEDS/required.htm.