Home/My Rutgers Newark/Fall 2021: Return to Campus/COVID-19 Vaccinations

COVID 19 Vaccinations for Fall 2021

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Message from Chancellor Nancy Cantor on Tuesday, July 20, 2021
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Your Immediate Attention Required

Dear Incoming and Returning Students,

As President Holloway announced on March 25, all students taking classes in the 2021-2022 academic year must receive a COVID-19 vaccine and upload their COVID-19 vaccine records by Sunday, August 1, 2021. This requirement applies to students living both on- and off-campus.

Failure to comply with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate will prevent you from continuing your academic work at Rutgers in fall 2021. Students not compliant with the vaccine mandate will have their NetID access blocked. This means they will NOT be able to access any Rutgers application that requires a login such as my.rutgers.edu, Canvas, email, WebReg, and housing information. Students with on-campus housing assignments will not receive keys to their residence halls or apartments.

If you have not already done so, please upload your completed immunization documents as soon as possible to https://rutgers.medicatconnect.com. Once you have uploaded your COVID-19 vaccine documentation, your record will be reviewed, and you will be notified if any further action is needed. You can check the status of your vaccination uploads by logging into the immunization portal; detailed guidance on reviewing your status can be found at this FAQ on the vaccine webpage. Bear in mind that Rutgers staff is working hard to review an unprecedented number of vaccination records as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your patience while we work through the uploads.

Additionally, there has been some confusion over the exemption policy for students in online degree programs. That exemption applies only to fully online degree-granting programs. These are programs that only offer online courses and did so pre-pandemic. The vaccination requirement applies to all undergraduate students and to all graduate students in programs that traditionally offer in-person courses regardless of the mix of online and in-person courses for which they register for the fall semester.

We understand that you have a lot to do before starting the semester and want to make sure that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate is complete so you can enjoy a safe and healthy academic experience. Additional information is available by visiting the Rutgers University COVID vaccine information page. We look forward to seeing you on campus and in classrooms.

In health,

Nancy Cantor

Chancellor

Rutgers University – Newark

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Message from Senior Vice Chancellor Dr. Corlisse Thomas and Executive Director of Health & Wellness Dr. Anice Thomas on Friday, June 11, 2021
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Dear Rutgers University-Newark Students: 

If you are a student who will be taking classes in the fall, we are writing to remind you about the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for all Rutgers students and to provide some resources to help you get ready in time for the fall. 

Rutgers is offering COVID-19 vaccination to students, faculty, staff, and others who have a Rutgers NetID. The Rutgers community may register for an appointment on the Rutgers COVID-19 vaccine portal. Rutgers is also offering vaccines to the public; contact the Vaccine Scheduling Assistance Program by calling 848-445-3033, Monday–Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. for assistance in scheduling an appointment. Vaccinations are by appointment only; no walk-ins will be permitted. Appointments will be available at three campus locations:

Camden: Campus Center, Lower Level, South ABC, 326 Penn St., Camden
Newark: Stonsby Commons, 91 Bleeker Street, Newark
Piscataway: Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, 160 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway

Student vaccinations must be completed and documentation uploaded (for both doses, if you receive Moderna or Pfizer; for one dose if receiving Johnson & Johnson) by Sunday, August 1, 2021. You can upload your completed immunization documents here.

Please note:

  • For students who choose to receive the Moderna vaccine (two doses required), the LATEST that you can receive the FIRST dose is Saturday July 3, 2021.
  • For students who choose to receive the Pfizer vaccine (two doses required), the LATEST that you can receive the FIRST dose is Saturday, July 10, 2021.
  • For students who choose to receive the Johnson and Johnson vaccine (one dose required), the LATEST that you can receive the first and only dose is Saturday, July 31, 2021.
  • Vaccines are available FREE OF CHARGE throughout the state and the country. In addition to vaccine clinics on each Rutgers campus:
  • INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS:
    • International students not currently in the United States who plan to attend Rutgers in person in the fall will be provided the opportunity to get vaccinated upon entry into the United States. 
    • Rutgers will accept World Health Organization (WHO) approved vaccines for international students vaccinated abroad and will continue to monitor the effectiveness of WHO-approved vaccines and the safety/effectiveness of boosting with an FDA-approved vaccine as more vaccination data become available.
    • International students should communicate with International Student & Scholar Services regarding details.

Once vaccinated, all students must enter their vaccine information in the Rutgers Student Immunization portal.

  • CONTINUING STUDENTS: Follow the details regarding the COVID-19 vaccine information as your other immunizations would have been uploaded during your first semester.
  • NEW STUDENTS (starting in fall 2021): Select your school and enter all of your immunization information along with your COVID-19 vaccine information.
  • NetID and password are required to enter the site.
  • If you have issues gaining access to the site, please e-mail vaccine@echo.rutgers.edu.

Have questions? Find additional information, including FAQs, on the Rutgers University COVID Vaccine information page, with links to the CDC and Department of Health. If you have questions not addressed here, email student-wellness@newark.rutgers.edu.

Thank you for your cooperation as we continue our commitment to the health and safety of our community. We look forward to a successful in-person return to Rutgers University–Newark this fall.

Corlisse Thomas, EdD

Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Anice Thomas, PhD

Executive Director of Health & Wellness

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Deadlines, Details and Uploading Vaccination Documentation:

  • Completed vaccination documentation must be uploaded to the Rutgers Student Immunization portal (NetID and password are required) by August 1, 2021 or two weeks prior to classes beginning (whichever comes first).
  • Please consult with your academic advisor or program coordinator to confirm your on-campus start date.
  • Additional information regarding the vaccination requirement can be found on the university’s COVID-19 Vaccine webpage
  • Vaccinations are required for students to live in university housing. Students will not be permitted to move into university  housing if they do not upload their COVID 19 vaccination card.
  • Students who have chosen to register and/or create a Fall 2021 class schedule that is comprised of a collection of online classes must provide proof of the COVID-19 vaccination per the university policy.  If have you have not applied to and enrolled in a fully online degree-granting program you will need to upload the COVID-19 vaccination card to the Immunization Portal.
  • For students who are not vaccinated, a fully-remote virtual option will only be available for those who have applied to and are enrolled in a degree-granting online program.  At Rutgers University-Newark for Fall 2021, a small number of online degree granting programs exist and are ONLY offered at the graduate level.

Important Dates:

  • August 1, 2021 or two weeks prior to classes beginning (whichever comes first): update vaccination card to the Rutgers Student Immunization Portal
  • July 31, 2021: last day to get the Johnson & Johnson vaccination.
  • July 4th Week 2021: latest to get the 1st dose of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccination

Exemptions:

  • You may request an exemption from having to submit proof of vaccination for medical or religious reasons only.
  • Exemption requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis. They are NOT automatically granted.
  • The exemption request form is available to you by accessing the Rutgers Student Immunization Portal (NetID and password are required).
  • Those granted exemptions from COVID-19 immunizations will be directed to the appropriate university department to develop an implementation plan which may include applying for feasible and applicable accommodations.
  • Students granted exemptions will not be able to live in on-campus housing during the COVID-19 health emergency.

How to Upload your COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption Request Form

Rutgers University Vaccination Clinic:

NJ Vaccination Sites:

Vaccination sites across the U.S.:

  • If you live outside of New Jersey, you can check your state’s information or using this national site to find a vaccine location near you.

International Students:

  • For international students outside of the US who cannot receive a US FDA EUA-authorized vaccine (currently Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Janssen-J&J), and who have been vaccinated in their home country, Rutgers will now accept proof of vaccination by a World Health Organization (WHO) authorized.  The relevant vaccination records must be uploaded to the Rutgers Student Immunization Portal. 
  • Rutgers will also continue to offer US FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines to international students upon arrival at no cost, as previously noted, for those that have not yet been vaccinated with an US FDA-authorized vaccine. International students (in F-1 and J-1 visa status) may enter the country no more than 30 days prior to the start of the fall term. To ensure that students who need to be vaccinated upon arrival are able to do so and to allow for necessary vaccination wait times and quarantine, the university is in the process of developing interim housing space in August.
  • International students can keep updated by visiting COVID Related International Student FAQ page and through the Rutgers Global Alerts.

How to upload COVID 19 Vaccination Card (Continuing Students):

  • Click on the Rutgers Student Immunization portal
  • NetID and password are required to enter the site. 
  • Select the “upload file” at the top right of the page and upload the scanned image of your COVID 19 card.
  • At the bottom of the page, choose from the drop-down “Immunization Record (Additional Uploads)
  • If you have issues gaining access to this site, please e-mail vaccine@echo.rutgers.edu. 

How to Upload COVID-19 Vaccination Documentation

How to upload COVID 19 Vaccination Card and other immunization documents (New Students):

  • Click on the Rutgers Student Immunization portal
  • NetID and password are required to enter the site. 
  • Follow steps 1 through 4
  • Select your school and enter all of your immunization information along with your COVID-19 vaccine information. 
  • If you have issues gaining access to this site, please e-mail vaccine@echo.rutgers.edu. 

Rutgers COVID-19 immunization policy:

Policy 10.3.14 Interim COVID-19 Immunization Record Requirement for Students.

Questions for Rutgers University-Newark students:

Students can email student-wellness@newark.rutgers.edu