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Medical Requirements and Exemptions

Vaccine Requirements

As of June 2021, student vaccination requirements for BYU–Hawaii include:

State of Hawaii

  • Two doses of MMR-Measles/Mumps/Rubella (at least four weeks apart).
  • Two doses of Varicella (Varivax) (at least 4 weeks apart).
  • One dose of MCV (Meningococcal Conjugate) taken at age 16 or later.
  • One dose of TDAP (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis) at age 10 or later.

You may have your physician complete the State of Hawaii Health Immunization Requirements form to document your MMR, Varicella, MCV, and Tdap vaccine information. These vaccines are usually available at your physician's office or your local health department. BYUH Health Services offers these vaccines for a fee.

A copy of your immunization record can be emailed to healthcenter@byuh.edu to determine if your previous immunizations can be accepted.

Once your completed immunization record has been received and approved, you will be able to proceed with your registration. Failure to complete your state health immunizations or provide the necessary information to the Health Center may delay your registration or approval to attend class.

Former students who are returning to school may call or email Health Services to check on your state health immunization status.

If your country does not provide the required vaccines, please have your physician complete the bottom section of the State Health Requirements form. The student should complete section F and circle those vaccines not available in their country and sign that portion of the form.

Tuberculosis Clearance

The DOH also requires tuberculosis (TB) clearance before class attendance. You may get a TB skin test upon arrival at BYU–Hawaii or at your physician's office, PROVIDED ALL CRITERIA on the Tuberculosis Clearance Form are met. The TB test must be done in the U.S. If you are planning to get your TB test at BYU–Hawaii, please do not get an MMR or Varicella vaccine less than 30 days prior to arriving on campus.

Medical or Religious Exemptions

Hawaii state health laws provide immunization exemptions for bonafide religious or medical reasons only. Exemptions can only be applied to the vaccine requirement and NOT tuberculosis clearance. If at any time there is, in the opinion of the State’s department of health, danger of an epidemic from any of the communicable diseases for which immunization is required by the State, students with exemptions, if not immunized, will be excluded from attending classes or other campus activities until the epidemic has cleared.

A medical exemption may be granted to SPECIFIC VACCINES.

  1. A U.S. licensed physician (MD or DO) must state in writing that receiving a specific vaccine would endanger the individual's life or health, and specify the reason based on valid medical contraindications.
  2. The physician must state the length of time during which the vaccine would endanger the individual's health or life.
  3. The exemption request must be signed by the physician on the physician's printed stationery.
  4. The physician's letter and a completed Medical Exemption Form must be turned in to BYUH Health Services. To update a submitted form, please contact Health Services.

A religious exemption may be granted provided the criteria on the Religious Exemption Form are met. A request for religious exemption based on objections to specific vaccines will not be granted.

Exemptions requests and related documentation should be sent to BYUH Health Services at healthcenter@byuh.edu and must be received at least 30 days prior to start of semester.