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UCIForward (COVID-19 Information)

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New Student Information

Welcome to UC Irvine!

PDF icon Welcome Letter from Student Health Center for AY 2022-23
File AY 2022-23 New Student Orientation Presentation (Graduate and Undergraduate Students)
File AY 2022-23 New Student Orientation Presentation - Traditional Chinese Version (Graduate and Undergraduate Students)
File AY 2022-23 New Student Orientation Presentation - Spanish Version (Graduate and Undergraduate Students)
File International Student-Parent Orientation Program (ISPOP) Presentation 2022-23

The Student Health Center (SHC) at UC Irvine is a department of the Wellness, Health and Counseling Services (WH&CS) division of Student Affairs. SHC provides students with diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness and injury as well as wellness resources and education. SHC also provides assistance to students regarding the benefits and costs associated with the Student Health Insurance Plan (UC SHIP) and in navigating the often complex and challenging environment related to health insurance.

University of California TB Screening and Immunization Requirements Including COVID-19 and Flu

UPDATE AS OF 11-2-2022:

The Student Health Center will offer COVID "walk-in" vaccination clinics on selected dates starting Thursday, November 10th. No appointment needed. For details, visit UCIForward.

Also, SHC, in partnership with the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the Program in Public Health, will hold "pop-up" flu vaccination clinics for your convenience on Ring Road starting October 3, 2022. These clinics are available to students only. (Faculty and staff are encouraged to obtain their flu shots at the Ralph's or Albertson's clinics referenced below.) Details including dates/times/location are included on the UCIForward  website.  Effective 9-19-2022, there will be a fee of $21.00 charged for flu vaccine administered by SHC to students who are not covered by UC SHIP. SHC can provide you with a receipt if you wish to seek reimbursement from your insurance plan. There is no cost to students who are covered by UC SHIP as SHC will bill the plan directly. 

In addition, SHC has partnered with Kroger-Ralph's and Albertson's retail pharmacies to hold on-campus vaccination clinics starting September 15, 2022. These vendor partners will be able to administer the flu, "4 Vax", COVID-19 primary and booster vaccinations that are required by the University as well as other vaccines to students, faculty and staff. Details including dates/times/location and how to register/schedule an appointment for these clinics can be found on the UCIForward website. The retail pharmacies will bill most insurance plans directly.

  • All faculty, staff and students must receive their COVID primary and booster vaccines in order to be compliant with the University's COVID policy. The booster shot must be received within fifteen (15) days of becoming eligible.
  • COVID vaccines and boosters are available at Student Health Center (for students only). Call 949-824-5304 to schedule an appointment. 
  • Visit UCIForward for additional information, continuous updates and/or for assistance in locating vaccination sites, obtaining vaccination records in California, uploading your vaccination records to the Student Health Patient Portal, etc... You may also contact UCI's Contact Tracing and Vaccine Navigation Services department at 949-824-2300 or by email at contacttracing@uci.edu.   
  • Weekly COVID-19 testing is no longer mandatory for non-vaccinated students living, learning and/or working on campus including students who received an approved exemption, exception or deferral. However, students and employees are encouraged to continue to test before and after travel and attending large events and social gatherings. For detailed information, please visit the Student Testing webpage on the UCIForward website. 
  • The University of California COVID-19 vaccination policy can be found at UCIForward as well as the latest updates regarding COVID-19 including potential disciplinary actions for non-compliance, required mitigating controls for unvaccinated students, vaccination availability, weekly asymptomatic testing, etc....
  • To request a medical exemption, disability exception, religious belief exception or deferral during pregnancy, visit here.
  • The flu vaccination is mandated for all students for AY 2022-23. Your flu vaccination must be received on or after August 1st in order to be compliant. Flu vaccinations received prior to August 1st (e.g., during the prior flu season) will not be in compliance with this mandate. The compliance deadline date for flu vaccination is December 1, 2022. For detailed information regarding UC's flu vaccination mandate, please visit here. 
  • Compliance with the COVID-19, flu or any other immunization mandate is not fulfilled unless and until the student enters their vaccination dates and uploads their records to the Student Health Patient Portal and the records have been verified. For step-by-step instructions on how to upload your COVID-19 and other immunization records; enter your vaccine dates; and complete the TB Risk Screening Form on the portal, click here >>> Student Vaccination Upload Instructions. 

The health of the individual can affect the health of the entire campus community. The University of California (UC) is committed to protecting the health and well-being of our students, the campus community and beyond. In order to protect the campus from outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, ALL new, incoming UC students (including medical students and nursing students) are REQUIRED to obtain and upload proof of: 1) COVID vaccination and booster shot; 2) Four (4) other specific vaccines (referred to as "4+Vax"); 3) Complete online risk screening for Tuberculosis. Visit the UC TB Screening and Immunization Requirements page for detailed information, instructions and compliance deadlines.  

Note to Incoming Medical Students: In addition to the UC mandated requirements, you have additional immunization requirements specific to the School of Medicine. For additional information, please refer to SHC's Immunization Requirements for Medical Students page and/or the School of Medicine webpage for incoming medical students.

Health Insurance Requirement

All registered undergraduate and graduate students at UC Irvine are required to have health insurance.

  • Enroll in UC SHIP: If you want to be enrolled in UC SHIP, you are automatically enrolled – no action is required.
  • Waive UC SHIP: If you have comparable insurance and do not want to be enrolled in UC SHIP, you must apply online for a UC SHIP waiver within the posted waiver periods and by the deadline date. (Note that "early start" 1st year/returning medical students and 1st year/returning/transfer law students have separate waiver periods and deadline dates.)
  • Fees for UC SHIP insurance coverage are charged to your student ZOT account each term and are included with your registration fees.
  • The services at SHC are available to all students even if you waive UC SHIP. Students with insurance coverage other than SHIP typically pay lower fees for most services as compared with community rates (see Fees for Common Services).

Important SHC Policies for New Students to Read, Understand and Acknowledge

In addition to the above referenced admission health and health insurance requirements, new students, prior to their initial appointment at the Student Health Center (SHC), must acknowledge that they have read and understand other SHC policies: Notice of Privacy Practices, Patient Consent for Treatment and Acknowledgement of Rights and Responsibilities and the Statement of Financial Responsibility. You may acknowledge these policies at the time of appointment self check-in at SHC or on the Wellness, Health & Counseling Services secure Student Health Patient Portal. 

Other useful information regarding the Student Health Center