Student Vaccination Requirement

COVID-19 vaccinations are required for all students prior to their arrival on campus unless a student qualifies for an exemption as described below. Southwestern considers you fully vaccinated two weeks after you get a second dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna) or two weeks after you get a single dose of the Janssen/Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. While not required, we do also strongly encourage all students to get booster shots as needed, per CDC guidelines. 

To provide proof of vaccination, students may email photos or scans of their vaccination cards to covidtesting@southwestern.edu or upload them to the patient portal at swu.medicatconnect.com.

 

Student Exemption from Vaccination Requirement

The University will offer exemptions from the vaccination and proof of vaccination requirement based on underlying medical concerns, concerns related to the vaccine’s emergency use authorization, or reasons of conscience. Our process for reviewing conscientious exemption requests is modeled after the process the state of Texas uses for students attending public schools.

To receive an exemption, a student (or their parent or legal guardian if the student is under the age of 18) must submit a notarized exemption form to the Health Center prior to their return to the SU campus.

Students who have not provided proof of vaccination or submitted a valid exemption form will not be allowed to move into the residence halls or attend classes.

 

Mask Policy

Masking is optional in most areas on campus, including classrooms. Individuals who have been exposed to COVID-19 or who are recovering from COVID-19 will need to follow CDC guidance on masking. 

Please note that CDC guidance changes frequently, and University policies may change as a result, especially if conditions change on campus or in the Williamson County area.