Continuing Education & Summer Sessions Students

New student health requirements

New students enrolled through the School of Continuing Education and Summer Sessions must complete Cornell's New Student Health Requirements process, through which students provide the university with health information and documentation of required immunizations. 

Exceptions: 

  • Continuing students who have met Cornell’s health requirements within the past 5 years are exempt from these requirements.
  • Students enrolled solely in online classes are exempt from these requirements.

Please see details below: 

Instructions for students taking fewer than 6 credits

Before you begin your program, you must complete several online forms. 

(1) Log in to myCornellHealth:

  • Requires activated Cornell NetID and Two-Step Login; please allow two working days after you activate your NetID for Cornell Health to receive your information from the Registrar.
  • Go to "Clearances & Requirements."

(2) Submit the first three forms listed under “Items required for clearance”:

  • Complete and submit "Health History" and the two "Privacy and Consents" forms. 
  • You do NOT need to complete or submit any of the forms related to immunizations.

(2) Once you submit your information …

  • Cornell Health will review your information. If we discover any problems, we will send an email to your Cornell address, directing you to read a secure message in myCornellHealth.

Instructions for students taking 6 or more credits 

Before you begin your program, you must complete several online forms and provide official documentation demonstrating that you have received immunizations required by New York State and Cornell University. 

(1) Identify your requirements:

Required immunizations for students taking > 6 credits

You must provide information and official documentation demonstrating that you have met the following New York State and Cornell requirements. 

Measles/Mumps/Rubella

You must have either:

1. Combination vaccine: two doses of live vaccine administered on or after the first birthday
      - OR -
2. Individual immunizations:

  • MEASLES: two doses of live vaccine administered on or after the first birthday; or protective-antibody titer positive result; or physician-diagnosed history of disease
  • MUMPS: two doses of live vaccine administered on or after the first birthday; or protective-antibody titer positive result; or physician-diagnosed history of disease
  • RUBELLA: one dose of live vaccine; or protective-antibody titer positive result (NOTE: previous clinical diagnosis of Rubella is not acceptable proof)

Meningococcal vaccination / waiver

You must have one of the following:

  1. Meningococcal conjugate (ACWY) vaccination (within 5 years) 
  2. Meningococcal B vaccine, and complete the series
  3. Meningococcal Vaccination Waiver form (pdf) submitted through myCornellHealth

Tetanus, diphteria, and pertussis

You must have had one Tdap vaccine (age 10 or later). If Tdap was more than 10 years ago, tetanus booster within past 10 years is also required.

Varicella (Chicken Pox)

You must have one of the following:

  1. Vaccine (2 doses of live vaccine administered on or after the 1st birthday, at least 28 days apart)
  2. Physician-diagnosed illness
  3. Positive protective antibody titer 
  4. If you were born in the U.S. before 1980, the Varicella requirement does not apply  

COVID-19 vaccination update: Cornell will NOT require new students entering in summer or fall 2023 to submit proof of COVID vaccination. See the university statement here.

Tuberculosis (TB) screening

*NOT required for students taking summer classes only.* 

Cornell requires all new students to complete the American College Health Association’s online screening to determine tuberculosis risk. Students complete this risk screening in their Clearances & Requirements list in their myCornellHealth.

Students who are identified as meeting criteria for being at an increased risk of TB must provide documentation of results from a recent TB screening blood test: 

  • ONLY a Quantiferon-TB Gold or T-SPOT blood test will be accepted. Skin tests do not meet this requirement.
  • If your TB test result is positive, you also must submit a chest x-ray report (no films, please).
  • Date of test(s):
    - Students entering in the summer or fall of 2024: your test must be dated September 1, 2023 or later
    - Students entering in spring 2025: your test must be dated February 1, 2024 or later  

(2) Obtain your official immunization records for submission to Cornell Health: 

  • Medical, school, and military records in English are accepted. 
  • You can have your health care provider complete an Immunization Documentation form (pdf) that you can submit as official documentation.

(3) Receive any additional required immunizations you may need: 

  • If you have not received or do not have documentation for any required immunizations, schedule an appointment to receive them from your health care provider.
  • Be sure to get official documentation of any new immunizations so you can submit it to Cornell Health. Medical, school, and military records in English are accepted. You can have your health care provider complete an Immunization Documentation form (pdf) that you can submit as official documentation.

(4) Submit your remaining information through myCornellHealth: 

  • Log in to myCornellHealth. (Requires activated Cornell NetID; please allow two working days after you activate your NetID for Cornell Health to receive your information from the Registrar.)
  • Go to “Clearances & Requirements.” 
  • Complete / submit any forms listed, and enter immunization information. (Exception: If "TB Screening" appears on your list, you may ignore it.)
  • Upload official documentation (in English, from a health care provider, school, or military) for each immunization you enter. 
  • If you are unable to upload records, you may fax them to 607-255-0269, or mail them to: Cornell Health / ATTN: Requirements Office / 110 Ho Plaza / Ithaca, NY 14853-3101.

Once you submit your information …

Due to high volume, Cornell Health may take 3-4 weeks to review your information. If we discover any problems, we will send an email to your Cornell address, directing you to read a secure message at myCornellHealth.

What to do if you can't meet your requirements

Students who are unable to meet their requirements because they lack access to required immunizations, TB screening, and/or a health care provider, must contact Cornell Health's Requirements office as soon as possible to consult with staff and make a plan for coming into compliance as soon as they get to campus. (Requirements may be met at Cornell Health; please see below.)

What to do if you wish to apply for a medical or religious exemption

Students seeking a medication or religious exemptions to Cornell’s immunization requirements should refer to this information about how to apply for an exemption.

Consequences of noncompliance with Cornell's health requirements

Any student who fails to meet their health requirements, or otherwise contact Cornell Health’s Requirements staff or apply for an immunization exemption, will be disenrolled from their class(es) and withdrawn from their program.

Meeting your requirements at Cornell Health

Students who are unable to receive required immunizations (and TB testing, if applicable) may do so at Cornell Health when they arrive on campus. Be sure to contact Cornell Health's Requirements office to make a plan for coming into compliance or otherwise risk being disenrolled from your program.

Costs for immunizations / TB testing at Cornell Health:

Charges to receive all required immunizations and TB testing can cost up to $1,000.

  • Charges for required immunizations and TB screening tests are covered by Cornell’s Student Health Plan (nearly all international students are on SHP) with no out-of-pocket costs for plan members.  
  • If you have other insurance, Cornell Health will bill your insurance plan, and your out-of-pocket costs will depend on your insurance coverage. (Learn how to get an estimate of your costs in advance.)

Contact Health’s Requirements Office

If you wish to contact our Requirements Office, you may do so in one of the following ways:

  • Send a secure message through our patient portal: Log in to myCornellHealth using your Cornell NetID and password, and go to Messages > New Message > Send a message or attachment to Immunization Requirements.
  • Call us during business hours: 607-255-4364 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Eastern Standard Time).
  • Schedule an online (Zoom) consultation appointment: Log into myCornellHealth and select Appointments > Schedule an appointment > New Student Health Requirements consultation.

Please do NOT email us. Note that per HIPAA privacy law, we are unable to communicate about private health information by email (read about our confidentiality practices).