Health Clearance Requirements
State of Hawaiʻi law mandates that certain health requirements be cleared before students can enter into postsecondary institutions. The following information is provided to assist students with fulfilling these requirements prior to beginning classes at UH.
What does Hawaiʻi State Law require for Post-Secondary School attendance?
The Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules, Chapter 11-157, requires all students to meet immunization requirements before they attend any post-secondary school in the state.
Please note that these requirements apply to all UH students (including faculty and staff who are students) and are separate from the additional records that may be required for students in certain health science or other programs with special requirements. These programs may have additional vaccination requirements due to third party requirements for practicum, clinical, or internship placements, and students should consult with their programs for specific requirements.
What are the health requirements for Post-Secondary School attendance in Hawaiʻi?
- Immunizations
A record of immunizations, signed or stamped by a U.S. licensed practitioner (Physician, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, or Physician Assistant) or the Hawaiʻi Department of Health, must be presented for school attendance. - Tuberculosis (TB) Clearance
For information regarding TB clearance requirements, contact the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Tuberculosis Control Branch: call: 808-832-5731 web: health.hawaii.gov/tb
*SPECIAL NOTE: If you attended any UH Campus prior to July 2020, you are only required to have Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) and Tuberculosis (TB) Clearance. Please log on to your STAR account to see if you’ve met this requirement.
What immunizations are required by the 1st day of school?
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap)
- Varicella
- Meningococcal Conjugate (MCV)*
*Required for students (age 21 or younger) who will be living in on-campus housing for the first time.
If you do not have the required immunizations by the first day of school, you will only be able to register for online only courses. Once all Health Clearance requirements are submitted and verified via Med+Proctor, you will then be able to register for in-person classes.
Where can I get immunizations?
- Talk to your doctor. If you don’t have a doctor and need one, call Aloha United Way 2-1-1.
- If you are attending the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa, University of Hawaiʻi Hilo, University of Maui College or Leeward Community College, you may check with their health centers for assistance with vaccinations.
- If you received immunizations in another state, you may check with the state Department of Health to see if they have a record of your immunization. Most states have health databases that may have this information.
Print the UH Health Clearance Form and bring it to your medical provider. The medical practitioner will review the requirements, enter the required information, and sign each form. Note that forms must be completed by a US licensed practitioner. A US licensed practitioner signed record of immunizations (and any supporting documentation – with dates) may be submitted in lieu of the UH Health Clearance Form.
POST-SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS
TB (TUBERCULOSIS)
- A completed TB Risk Assessment Form (such as the State of Hawaiʻi Department TB Risk Assessment Form)
- This form must be completed within 12 months of starting at UH or must have been completed on or after the age of 16.
- IF the Risk Assessment Form presents risks, one of the following is required:
- A negative Tuberculin skin test (PPD-Mantoux). The skin test must be read 48-72 hours after administration and documented in millimeters (mm). Test results without the induration in millimeters will be rejected.
- A negative QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube or T-Spot Blood Test.
- A negative chest x-ray (taken within the last 12 months) with laboratory report/results attached.
NOTES:
- TB clearance should be completed before receiving any live vaccines or before getting any vaccines.
- Quantiferon Gold Test/Blood Test Results done outside of the U.S. are accepted
- All TB risk assessments/skin tests/chest x-rays MUST be completed and signed by a U.S.-Licensed Healthcare Professional (M.D., D.O., N.P., P.A., or clinic stamp). (Chapter 164.2 of Title 11. Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules (HAR) for Tuberculosis)
TB EXEMPTIONS:
- Not required if the planned course of study is less than 120 days.
- If the student is never physically on campus for instruction or training.
- If the student is enrolled in the Early College Dual Enrollment program
- If the student is taking on-line only courses
A TB CLEARANCE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM ANY OF THE FOLLOWING:
- Free testing is available at the State of Hawaiʻi Tuberculosis Control Program clinics.
- Kalihi-Palama Health Center (KPHC) – Downtown Location
- Kaiser Permanente Honolulu Clinic
- TB Clinic at Lanakila Health Center
MMR (MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA)
- 2 doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) are required
- 1st dose must have been given on or after 12 months of age.
- 2nd dose must have been given at least 4 weeks after the first dose.
MMR EXEMPTIONS:
- Student was born before 1957 (must provide proof of birth date).
- Laboratory evidence of immunity (positive antibodies) to Measles and/or Rubella. Please note that the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Health does not accept serologic test results for Mumps immunity.
VARICELLA (CHICKENPOX)
- 2 doses of varicella vaccine are required.
- 1st dose must be given after the age of 12 months.
- 2nd dose must have been given 4 weeks after 1st dose (for students who received 1st dose at age 13 years or older)
CHICKENPOX EXEMPTIONS:
- Students born in the United States prior to 1980 (Must provide proof of date of birth)
- A signed, documented diagnosis or verification of a history of varicella disease or herpes zoster by a practitioner may be substituted for a record of varicella vaccination. Practitioners may complete this form to confirm the documented diagnosis.
TDAP (TETANUS-DIPHTHERIA-ACCEULAR PERTUSSIS)
- 1 dose required – most recent Tdap.
NOTE: Valid Tdap dose must be administered on or after 10 years of age. Do not confuse with DTaP (administered to children 0-6 years of age). Tdap was licensed for use in the U.S. in 2005. Doses recorded as “Tdap” with an administration date in the U.S. prior to 2005 should not be counted.
MCV (MENINGOCOCCAL CONJUGATE)
- 1 dose required – most recent dose must have been given on or after the age of 16 years.
NOTE: Only required for new students planning to live on-campus who are 21 years of age or younger.
EXEMPTIONS FOR IMMUNIZATIONS
- Valid exemptions for MMR, Varicella, MCV and TDAP immunizations include medical and/or religious reasons. NO OTHER EXEMPTIONS ARE ALLOWED BY THE STATE
- Persons claiming a religious exemption to immunization requirements must sign the following form Religious Exemption Form for Immunizations (PDF) *. There are NO religious exemptions to Tuberculosis clearance requirements.
- Persons claiming a medical exemption to immunization requirements must have their physician sign the Medical Exemption Form (PDF) *.
- There is NO medical and/or religious exemption for TB. TB clearance is required to participate in any on-campus activity (eg. in-person classes, etc.)
- Those enrolled in Fully Online Programs are exempt from submitting Health Clearances. *Please note, if you wish to participate in on-campus employment and or activities, you must submit Health Clearances to be cleared to do so.
MED+PROCTOR
The University of Hawaiʻi has partnered with Med+Proctor, a free service that will handle all of the Immunization Verification processes for the University. Starting Summer 2023, all incoming students will need to submit Health Clearances through Med+Proctor.
To submit your records for clearance, use the following instructions to create your Med+Proctor account:
Step One: Register
- Ensure you have been admitted and have a HAWAII.EDU Username before completing this process. Click here if you need assistance with finding your username.
- Then go to Med+Proctor to register for an account.
Step Two: Gather your documents
- If you have your health clearance records, you may upload that to Med+Proctor. Or if documentation is not available, you may download the UH Health Clearance Form and have a licensed medical provider complete the form. (A licensed provider can sign the form; it does not have to be the provider who originally vaccinated you.)
Step Three: Upload
- Once you’ve collected all the necessary documents and or your form has been completed and signed by a healthcare provider, log back into your account and upload it to Med+Proctor. (If you have proof of immunization from a pharmacy, you may upload those and Med+Proctor will be able to verify this information.)
Questions and Support
- If you have difficulty using MedProctor, you may contact MedProctor between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday. You may also reach a representative by email at: help@medproctor.com. MedProctor also offers LiveChat services Monday-Friday 8am-5pm CST.
- Please note that it may take Med+Proctor between 1-3 business days to verify your records. If your verification is taking longer than expected, please contact Med+Proctor via their LiveChat services or at help@medproctor.com.
Med+Proctor is HIPAA and FERPA compliant. Review their privacy policy. For assistance with Med+Proctor, please visitsupport.medproctor.com to live chat or email at help@medproctor.com and they will speak directly with you. Due to federal FERPA and HIPAA regulations Med+Proctor does not offer telephone customer support to discuss student medical records or class hold status.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the health requirements for post-secondary school attendance in Hawaiʻi?
The Hawaiʻi Administrative Rules, Chapter 11-157 require all students to meet immunization and tuberculosis clearance requirements before they attend post-secondary school in the state. For information about these requirements, see the Post-Secondary Schools: Important Notice to Students and Immunization Requirements Summary.
When are the health clearance requirements due?
All students entering post-secondary school in Hawaiʻi for the first time must have met immunization requirements by the first day of the semester. Please allow 1-2 weeks after submission for processing. Please note that students will not be allowed to attend classes face to face or hybrid classes until they meet the health clearance requirements. *If you wish to register for face to face or hybrid classes, make sure to submit your health clearances before your registration date so you can register for these classes in STAR.
What health records are required?
- Tuberculosis (TB) Clearance
- 2 doses of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
- Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap)
- 2 doses of the Varicella
Evidence of immunization for Meningococcal Conjugate (MCV) is also required for students who are 21 years or younger and who will be living in on-campus housing for the first time.
Where do I obtain a copy of my health records?
Students should obtain the record from their healthcare provider. In some cases students may be able to access this information from their electronic health records. Recent high school graduates may also submit their high school record of health clearances which will suffice if it reports all the necessary information for all of the required vaccinations.
What if I am transferring from another state or territory of the U.S.?
The university will accept out-of-state records that meet the State of Hawaiʻi requirements for immunizations, and tuberculosis clearance. Health clearance requirements vary from state to state. You will need to show proof that the health requirements have been met prior to attendance. Please submit documentation of immunizations signed by a US provider to show compliance with the State of Hawaiʻi requirements.
What document(s) can I submit?
- Immunization records from your healthcare provider, public health department, or state immunization registry, or
- Copy of your childhood immunization records, or
- Copy of your military immunization record
For military records, if I have a record that says “indefinite” for MMR, etc., would this be acceptable?
Yes. As long as it notes complete dates (month/day/year). Per 11-157-3.05 Documentation of immunizations (b) Documentation of immunizations shall include the complete date (recorded as month/day/year) the vaccine was administered. An immunization record without complete dates may be accepted…if it can be determined that each vaccination complied with the minimum interval and age requirements.
However, please note, that if military records includes a titer for MMR, this is not acceptable per the Department of Health’s Immunization Requirements.
Is DTap the same as Tdap?
No, it is not the same. DTaP is administered to children less than 7 years of age (i.e., usually administered to infants with series completion prior to Kindergarten entry). Tdap is a different vaccine that is administered to persons >7 years of age (usually administered to adolescents 11-12 years of age along with HPV and MCV).
Are titers allowed for MMR and/or VC?
No. See: https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/files/2019/10/Immunization-Requirements-Summary.pdf, Table 6 (excerpted below). Serologic evidence of immunity is permitted for measles and rubella but NOT for mumps. Note, there is no single antigen mumps vaccine available so persons would need to receive MMR vaccine anyway. Serologic evidence of immunity is not permitted for Varicella.
Excerpt from Table 6:
Documentation of serologic evidence of immunity
• Serologic evidence of immunity may be substituted for a record of immunizations for diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis A, measles, or rubella (ACIP’s General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization: https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/files/2019/08/HAR11-157_EXHIBIT_B.pdf
• Documentation must include a laboratory report, signed by a practitioner, certifying that the student is immune to the named disease(s).
Varicella
• Students born in the United States prior to 1980: varicella vaccination not required
• A signed, documented diagnosis or verification of a history of varicella disease or herpes zoster by a practitioner may be substituted for a record of varicella vaccination
Can the health form be signed by a Pharmacist?
If immunization is received at a Pharmacy, the Department of Health recommends that you take the immunization card to your physician to verify the information and certify (sign) the UH Health Clearance Form OR if you do not have a physician, you can upload your documentation to Med+Proctor and one of their APRNʻs can review and verify the information for you.
How do I contact support for Med+Proctor?
You may contact MedProctor between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday. You may also reach a representative by email at: help@medproctor.com. MedProctor also offers LiveChat services Monday-Friday 8am-5pm CST.
I am having difficulty uploading my documents. What tips do you have?
You may simply take a picture of the immunization form and upload it through your mobile device. OR you may save a scanned image of the form to your computer and upload.
Med+Proctor will not accept a word document.
What if I donʻt have a phone or computer to upload a photo of my health clearance? What should I do?
If you donʻt have access to a phone with a camera or a computer where you can scan the documents, please contact the Admissions & Records Office at winccar@hawaii.edu or 808-235-7432.
For more information on Frequently Asked Questions, you may visit Med+Proctorʻs FAQ site: https://support.medproctor.com/
Admissions & Records
45-720 Kea‘ahala Rd.
Kaneohe, HI 96744
winccar@hawaii.edu
808-235-7432