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Vaccine Requirement

All UHart students must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the fall. Students should submit vaccine information by Aug. 15. Learn more about the vaccine requirement. 

UHart

Vaccine Information

Protect Yourself and Each Other

Vaccine Updates & Announcements

As part of our ongoing efforts to protect the community, all University of Hartford students must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to come to campus this fall.

Having a fully vaccinated student body will give us the best chance to return to a more typical college experience, with in-person services and activities, and fewer restrictions in the residential neighborhoods and in the classroom.

Why Vaccinate?

Science continues to show that the vaccine is safe, effective, and the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19:

Submit Your Vaccination Information

Vaccine Submission Troubleshooting

Please submit your vaccination record using the following instructions. The deadline is Aug. 15, 2021.

Once you are fully vaccinated (with either one dose of Johnson and Johnson or two doses of Pfizer or Moderna), please log on to the Student Health Portal using your UHart email credentials, and:

  • Click “My Forms”
  • Click on “COVID-19 Vaccine”
  • Enter the dates of any vaccinations you have received
  • Upload an image of your CDC Vaccination Card
Student Health Portal

Exemption Process

Following our policy for the vaccines we currently require, limited exemptions may be granted for medical and religious reasons. The deadline for applying for an exemption is July 15, 2021.

*Please note that we use a standard form provided by the State of Connecticut. This form is applicable to college students, in addition to the younger populations mentioned on the form.

To be considered for a medical exemption, you must first apply. Please visit ct.gov to complete the exemption form. As stated in the form's instructions, you will also need to attach a letter signed by a licensed physician. Submit the form and the physician letter to imrecords@hartford.edu by July 15, 2021.

Within 5–7 business days of submitting the form, you will be contacted by one of our partners at Hartford HealthCare to set up a one-on-one consultation.

 

*If you are granted an exemption, you may be required to be tested weekly for COVID-19 and may be charged a fee for the administration of this test. If you contract COVID-19 or are a close contact of a confirmed case, you may be asked to isolate or quarantined off campus at your expense.

Medical Exemption Form

To be considered for a religious exemption, you must first apply. Please visit ct.gov to complete the religious exemption form. Please follow the instructions on the form carefully. Submit the form to imrecords@hartford.edu by July 15, 2021. No physician form is required, but the exemption request must be signed by one of the people listed on the form.

Within 5–7 business days of submitting the form, you will be contacted by one of our partners at Hartford HealthCare to set up a one-on-one consultation.

*If you are granted an exemption, you may be required to be tested weekly for COVID-19 and may be charged a fee for the administration of this test. If you contract COVID-19 or are a close contact of a confirmed case, you may be asked to isolate or quarantined off campus at your expense.

Religious Exemption Form

Vaccine Workshops

Watch the pre-recorded town hall addressing vaccine myths.

UHart will host vaccine workshops for students and families to provide additional information and address concerns you may have. Some events require registration. See the information sessions below: 

A Conversation About Vaccine Hesitancy

This pre-recorded town hall, which you can access on YouTube, addresses myths and misconceptions about the vaccine.

Vaccine Access

June 30 8 p.m. via Zoom

This presentation is intended for anyone who is ready and willing to get the vaccine, but needs help getting started. The panel will review steps to get the vaccine, transportation or access issues, financial concerns, etc.

Register online

Heath Related Questions and Concerns

July 1, 8 p.m. via Zoom

This presentation will address some common health and safety concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine.

Register online

Vaccinations: Get the Facts

vaccine image

Read a few common myths and facts and learn more about the importance of getting vaccinated on the CDC website. 

Get the Facts
Myth or Fact: Myth

The COVID-19 vaccine will make me sick with COVID-19—None of the authorized and recommended vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. This means that a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

Myth or Fact: Myth

The COVID-19 vaccination will alter my DNA—False! COVID-19 vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.

Myth or Fact: Fact

You should still get vaccinated if you've already had COVID-19—True! You should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19. That’s because experts do not yet know how long you are protected from getting sick again after recovering from COVID-19.

COVID-19 Vaccine FAQs

We accept the vaccines that the FDA has authorized: Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.   

We will accept international vaccines authorized for emergency use by the WHO. If you have received a vaccine that is not on this list, it is possible that Health Services may ask you to re-vaccinate based on CDC guidance available in late summer. We will work with you through that process.

We recommend visiting vaccines.gov as a first step. Click on “Find COVID-19 Vaccines” to search by your zip code. You can also search on your state’s vaccine website. For example:

CT: Connecticut COVID-19 Vaccine Portal 
NJ: NJ Vaccine Appointment Finder 
NY: COVID-19 Vaccine
Mass: COVID-19 Vaccine Availability

Vaccines are free for everyone. Vaccines were paid for with taxpayer dollars and will be given to all people living in the United States, regardless of insurance or immigration status.

All three vaccines on the market went through extensive clinical trails to generate this safety data prior to their approval. The FDA carefully reviews all safety data from the clinical trials of the available vaccines and only authorizes emergency vaccine use when the expected benefits outweigh potential risks.

Educate and Encourage

Hear first-hand from UHart nursing students on why they choose to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Nevaeh McKinney

It was an extreme privilege to be in the first round of vaccinations. But there was a reason for me to be among the first group to receive the vaccine, and that was caring for patients. This spring I have been assigned to a nursing home for my first nursing clinical rotation. There is a lot of stigma behind this vaccine, but that honestly did not matter to me. I could not care for my clinical patients with the utmost focus, respect, and protection if I’m worrying about getting them sick. I believe that we all need to remember where we were a year ago—those were some of the hardest days of our lives. Many were prevented from seeing their loved ones and that is something I never want people to have to go through again. This year I knew what it felt like to lose someone in my family to COVID-19. I know there are hundreds of thousands of other people who have had to go through the same thing. That is why it was that much more important to me to get the vaccine and encourage others to do the same when it’s their turn.

Gema Grandados '23

The reason why I chose to get vaccinated was because I wanted to protect those who are most at risk of contracting the virus. As a future healthcare professional, I am entering a field where I must think of others. My actions and decisions will one day affect those I take care of and I took my first step in this lifelong journey by vaccinating myself! I encourage everyone to educate themselves about the vaccine and to make sure they are getting their information from trusted sources like Hartford Healthcare.

Josh Jaggon

The reason I decided to get the COVID-19 vaccine was because I was tired of all the stress that came with dealing with COVID. With so many important things going on in our lives with classes and work, knowing that I am protected from COVID-19 helps take a weight off my shoulders. It's such a relief to not have to worry about what I would do if I ended up getting sick. College is already stressful enough as it is but missing classes and having work pile up while you are forced to recover from COVID-19 is a nightmare I'm glad I never have to experience. I also decided to get vaccinated because I wanted to protect my family. As a nursing student, I travel back and forth from hospitals where there is a much higher risk of encountering people who are sick but being vaccinated gives me an extra layer of protection against COVID-19. This also protects my family. Overall, I'm glad I decided to get vaccinated and hope that everyone will do the same, so we can finally have life go back to normal.

Additional Resources