How to Submit Immunizations

Last updated: 3/14/2023

Deadline: submit documentation upon admission or 30 days before registration 


1. Obtain documentation by completing the Pre-Registration Immunization form and collecting vaccine records.

  • Please include your name and date of birth in vaccine records.
  • If submitting not in English, accompany each with a certified translation. 
  • See accepted forms of documentation.

2. Upload documentation to and enter dates for each required vaccine in the Patient Portal, Medical Clearances section.

3. Certify your meningitis decision on the Patient Portal, Medical Clearances section.


 

Accepted documentation/proof of immunization

Make sure all documentation contains your name and date of birth

All documentation must be submitted in English or accompanied by a certified translation (at the student’s expense). Verification of documentation is at the sole discretion of Columbia Health. 

Additional information or documentation may be requested; these must be provided in order to verify a submission. Students who do not submit additional materials will be considered non-compliant with the immunization requirements and will be unable to register for classes or de-registered from current classes.

Provide a certificate of immunization verifying the date of the disease or the administered measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines. All immunizations must have been received on or after your first birthday. This includes documents such as:

  • Certificate from a licensed physician
  • Migrant health record
  • Union health record
  • Community health plan record
  • Military dependent “shot” record
  • Immunization record card signed by a physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner

It is important for you to maintain a copy, as often the forms are illegible or lack identifying information required to process the documentation. Be sure the document contains your name, date of birth, and include your UNI on all uploads.

Live Measles: 2 doses required. Vaccines must have been administered at least 28 days apart. Measles vaccine doses administered prior to 1968 are not valid unless documentation specifically states it was a LIVE vaccine.

Live Mumps: 1 injection required. Vaccine was not available in the United States until January 1, 1969; therefore, no statement of immunization administered before that date is acceptable.

Live Rubella: 1 injection required. Vaccine was not available in the U.S. until January 1, 1969; therefore, no statement of immunization administered before that date is acceptable.

Note: The MMR combined vaccination fulfills the requirement for 1 measles, 1 mumps, and 1 rubella immunization. A second measles shot is required. The MMR combined vaccine was not available in the U.S. before January 1, 1972; therefore, no immunizations administered before that date are acceptable for U.S. students.

Documented History of Illness

If diagnosed by a physician, a history of having had measles or mumps is acceptable proof of immunity for the respective disease. Provide documentation verifying the date of the disease. A diagnosis of previous rubella disease is not acceptable proof of immunity under the New York State Health Code.

Immunity Proven by Serologic Testing

Immunity to all three diseases may be proven by a single blood test for antibodies. You must submit a copy of the actual laboratory report containing your name, your date of birth, the date of test, antibody level, and reference range along with the completed Pre-Registration Immunization Form.

Documentation from Another School

College or university: Submit a copy of your immunization record. Since requirements vary by state and country, your record is reviewed for compliance with New York State requirements.

High School: Submit a copy high school immunization certificate for review. The New York State Department of Health is encouraging high schools to provide a copy of the certificate to students when they graduate.

If you are unable to locate your immunization documentation

If you are unable to locate your immunization documentation, we encourage you to reach out to your primary care provider or local pharmacy to receive the MMR vaccine or titer (blood) test. The vaccine and blood test must be completed at least 30 days prior to registering for classes.

You may also receive the MMR vaccine and titer (blood) test at Medical Services at cost. This option only applies if you will be in New York City at least a month before your schedule registration date, move in date, or other first engagement on campus. 

All fees must be paid before the titer or vaccine will be conducted. Please note that the results of the blood test may take 3-5 business days or longer during peak periods.

Costs for meeting the pre-registration requirements at Medical Services:

  • $150 for the MMR Titer
  • $180 for each MMR Dose

If you complete the MMR vaccine series or titers at Columbia Health, your record will automatically be updated.

Columbia students are required to certify their informed decision about the Meningitis ACWY conjugate vaccine online

The process only takes one minute.

Note: If a student indicated they have received the Meningitis ACWY conjugate vaccine they must also upload documentation of receiving the vaccine within the past 10 years. Calculation of the 10-year period is to the date based on the date of document upload. If your record does not specify the ACWY conjugate vaccine it will not be accepted to meet this requirement.

Best practices

To ensure the best experience with completing your immunization compliance please note and utilize these tips:

  • Use the Columbia University Pre-Registration Immunization Form.

  • Upload your items as one, complete, set.  If you submit items in parts you will experience significant delays in achieving compliance.

  • Ensure all documents contain your name and date of birth as part of the original document.  Handwritten names added to documents are not acceptable.

  • Ensure any non-English/fully bilingual documents are accompanied by a certified translation (at the student's expense).  Self-translations are never permitted and the acceptance of any non-English document is at the sole discretion of Columbia Health.

  • Check your uploads before confirming/submitting for review to ensure they are complete and readable.   

  • Do not redact documents.  We do not accept any documents containing any redactions.

  • Do not password protect documents.  We do not accept password-protected items.

  • Do not submit links to online documents.  We do not open links.

  • Check your Columbia email for outreach from our team.  You are responsible for any action items stated in the email and any delays in responding to outreach from the University may result in significant processing delays and will not be expedited.

  • Late submissions are never expedited.  Submit early!

Alternate Methods

Documents submitted via alternate methods will experience longer processing times.  Please plan accordingly.

Fax: 212-854-5078

Be sure to keep a copy of your fax or delivery confirmation as we cannot verify receipt of individual documents. 

Email: [email protected] with the subject line Immunization Compliance Records - [Your UNI and Academic School/College]

Please note that communications sent via email over the Internet are not necessarily secure.  Columbia University cannot guarantee that the information and records submitted via unencrypted email will not be intercepted and read by other parties besides the University.

There is no in person option to submit documentation.  Please use only the methods described above.