COVID-19 Vaccination Policy FAQs

Please note: A new vaccine policy went into effect in October 2022.

Review the complete vaccine policy

Rush University is committed to protecting the health and safety of our campus and neighboring communities.

All Rush University students who are returning to campus for any reason or anticipate needing to return to campus at any point. This includes students in onsite or hybrid programs.

Students who are enrolled in entirely remote programs and who do not come to campus are not required to submit proof of vaccination but are strongly encouraged to receive the vaccine.

Students must adhere to the vaccination policies of their host sites during clinical rotations or experiential learning. A Rush University exemption does not include clinical rotations taken at non-Rush organizations. Students who do not comply with vaccine requirements may be delayed or reassigned to alternative clinical rotations depending on availability.

The original policy was approved on July 15, 2021. Beginning August 2021 students were required to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a request for exemption.

A revised policy took effect in October 2022.

• Medical Exemption: An exemption from this requirement for medical contraindications may be requested by providing documentation from the student’s personal health care provider justifying the exemption. It is the student’s responsibility to submit this request.
• Religious Exemption: A student may request an exemption based on a sincerely held religious belief by completing a written and signed application detailing the objection to immunization. The statement must describe the specific religious beliefs that conflict with the immunization. The religious objection may be personal and need not be directed by the tenets of an established religious organization. It is the student’s responsibility to submit this request.
• Students interested in submitting a medical or religious exemption request should contact Student_Health@rush.edu for more information.

If an exemption is approved, the student will be required to adhere to RUSH, CDC and public health measures, including but not limited to wearing masks, social distancing, and adhering to symptom tracking and quarantine requirements.

Those with exemptions may be subject to reasonable changes in academic and/or campus experiences, but your academic success is a priority, and will remain so.

You can download proof of vaccination through MyChart or any other electronic medical record. If you do not have access to your records electronically, please call your medical provider and request proof of vaccination.

The first day of the academic term. However, there is a grace period. Please see the grace period information in the vaccination policy.

Vaccination data are protected. The data will be stored in a secure location and will only be accessible to administrators who are monitoring the dashboard to ensure compliance. Aggregate data will be utilized to create a dashboard for purposes of tracking and to make potential improvements to the policy.

Students are also required to receive the annual flu vaccine. Full vaccine requirements can be viewed here.

Unvaccinated students will be able to receive their vaccine through Rush University Medical Center; please monitor your inbox for more information.

Students can also receive a vaccine from an approved health care provider or pharmacy and upload documentation into your college’s approved screening tool. ZocDoc allows you to find available COVID-19 vaccine appointments by location.

Please email Student_Health@rush.edu if you have questions.

Vaccines approved by the FDA and WHO will be accepted.

Yes, all students need to be fully vaccinated or submit an exemption request by August 2021.

As soon as possible.

Individuals are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of a two-dose vaccine or the first dose of a single-dose vaccine.

Please find more information on the CDC website.

In the absence of full vaccination, students may attend all campus activities, but are required to follow RUMC, state and FDA guidelines, including masking and maintaining social distance. Students are expected to adhere to these requirements without university monitoring. Failure to abide by these requirements or misrepresentation of vaccine status may result in disciplinary action.

Yes, students who have had a previous COVID-19 diagnosis are still required to receive the vaccination. Follow CDC guidelines and/or contact your primary care provider regarding when to receive the vaccination after COVID-19 diagnosis.

International students who have not been vaccinated by an approved FDA- or WHO- approved vaccine are expected to get vaccinated as soon as possible after arrival to Chicago and completing their quarantine requirement. Until fully vaccinated, these students may participate in campus activities, but are required to follow RUMC, state and FDA guidelines including masking and maintaining social distance.

No. Students who are not planning to return to Rush University’s campus are not required to receive the vaccine.

Yes, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports that 572 universities and colleges require vaccination in the U.S.

Yes, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports the following universities and colleges in Chicago require students to be vaccinated for COVID-19:

• University of Illinois Chicago
• The University of Chicago
• Northwestern University
• DePaul University
• Loyola University
• Northern Illinois University
• Roosevelt University
• Columbia College
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago

As the pandemic evolves, and additional variants of the virus emerge, this policy may be altered, updated or changed to reflect these changes.

An updated vaccine policy was introduced in October 2022.

Please stay updated and follow university communications.

Please send all inquiries related to COVID-19, the vaccine or re-entry to Student_Health@rush.edu.