COVID-19 Vaccine for international student?

[WomanOfLetters]

Hello all. For those who have been accepted by American universities and are starting their studies in this fall, have you heard from your universities about requirements for taking COVID-19 shots? Is the vaccine mandatory in your school, and do they accept COVID-19 vaccines administered by other countries? Although I can take the Pfizer-BioNTech shot in where I come from, I am just a little worried that I will be asked to take another shot when I eventually arrive. Given the reported myocarditis / pericarditis cases and other side effects, I certainly don't want to take more COVID-19 shots than necessary.

(P.S.: I am not admitted to any program yet. But because of a certain vaccine restriction in where I come from, I have to plan ahead.)

[emerald_hedgehog]

The school I will be attending on the West Coast has made COVID-19 shots required and list which vaccines they accept/recognize (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson-Johnson). I recently got my second shot and did not have any difficulties (yet, fingers crossed) of having them recognized by the institution.

 

So it will really depend on the school you apply/get into. I found this a while ago, I hope it's helpful as you think ahead: https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/list-of-colleges-that-require-covid-19-vaccine/

[WomanOfLetters]

On 6/22/2021 at 6:28 AM, emerald_hedgehog said:

The school I will be attending on the West Coast has made COVID-19 shots required and list which vaccines they accept/recognize (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson-Johnson). I recently got my second shot and did not have any difficulties (yet, fingers crossed) of having them recognized by the institution.

 

So it will really depend on the school you apply/get into. I found this a while ago, I hope it's helpful as you think ahead: https://www.bestcolleges.com/blog/list-of-colleges-that-require-covid-19-vaccine/

Thank you so much for the information! Now I think I'll take my Pfizer shot soon. Just one more question: as we don't know how long the vaccine immunity is going to last (I think there's no consensus/enough research on this yet?), do you have any specific requirement on the time you take the vaccine (e.g.: at most a year before the fall semester starts, or 6 months before the fall semester starts, etc.)? Thanks again!

[emerald_hedgehog]

30 minutes ago, EverBetter said:

Thank you so much for the information! Now I think I'll take my Pfizer shot soon. Just one more question: as we don't know how long the vaccine immunity is going to last (I think there's no consensus/enough research on this yet?), do you have any specific requirement on the time you take the vaccine (e.g.: at most a year before the fall semester starts, or 6 months before the fall semester starts, etc.)? Thanks again!

Glad I could help!

 

The only information I was told/found on my university's website was that two weeks must pass after my second shot before I am considered fully vaccinated and therefore allowed to enter. I think since the vaccination schedule here in North America is ramping up so that students can get it in time for the school year to start, they're not yet setting the kind of time limits you mention. It might be a good idea, when you are contacting departments, to ask graduate directors about this? Even if they respond by saying they don't know and directing you to someone else, it would probably be good to double-check just in case.

 

Good luck!

[WomanOfLetters]

23 hours ago, emerald_hedgehog said:

Glad I could help!

 

The only information I was told/found on my university's website was that two weeks must pass after my second shot before I am considered fully vaccinated and therefore allowed to enter. I think since the vaccination schedule here in North America is ramping up so that students can get it in time for the school year to start, they're not yet setting the kind of time limits you mention. It might be a good idea, when you are contacting departments, to ask graduate directors about this? Even if they respond by saying they don't know and directing you to someone else, it would probably be good to double-check just in case.

 

Good luck!

Thanks again for your help! All the best in your PhD studies! ?