UC COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Requirements

UC COVID-19 Vaccination Policy Requirement

Updated 12/12/22: University of California Vaccine Program Policy has been updated to reflect the following:

• The primary vaccine series of the COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for all incoming faculty, staff, and students except for those who have approved religious, medical, and disability exceptions and temporary deferral due to pregnancy or recent COVID-19 diagnosis or treatment. 
• Faculty, staff, and students may also be required to have an annual COVID-19 vaccine booster starting in Fall 2023. More details to come including a process for those who prefer to opt out of COVID-19 boosters will be permitted to do so by submitting a declination statement.
  • NOTE: Healthcare workers must still submit a request for religious, medical, and disability exceptions or recent COVID-19 diagnosis or treatment, and are ineligible for simple declination.  

Please review the instructions for how to update your vaccination record in eTang with your booster information. Once you enter your vaccine information, your Cal Central will update overnight.

If you tested positive for COVID in the last 90 days:

• For those who have recently tested positive for COVID-19, you may receive the booster sooner if you wish, any time after you are released from isolation and are fully recovered, as long as you did not receive monoclonal antibodies to treat your COVID-19. 
• We would recommend you consider doing so sooner than 90 days if you are immunocompromised, are about to start immunosuppressive medications, or are about to travel to an area with a different circulating strain or limited healthcare access. 
• However, if you tested positive and want to defer your booster for 90 days from the date you were positive, make sure that you have sent a message to the COVID Response Team via eTang and uploaded your positive test results. Once the submission is reviewed, you will automatically be given a 90 day deferral from getting your booster from the date of the positive test.  

Booster Guidelines 

As of 12/1/2022 (subject to change)

Exemption Forms and Process

The policy allows for exceptions to COVID-19 vaccination based on a Medical Exemption, Disability Accommodation, or Religious Objection; pregnant individuals may also request a deferral if they wish for the duration of the pregnancy. Those that receive a vaccine mandate exception (for medical or religious reasons) will need to wear a face-covering inside campus buildings and it is strongly recommended that you get tested at least once per week.

Medical Exemption/Disability/Deferral Request Forms 

• To request a Medical Exemption/Disability/Deferral use those forms (found in eTang Downloadable Forms):
  • For Students:  Medical Exemption/Disability/Deferral Request Form - Students 
  • For Faculty and Staff: Medical Exemption/Disability/Deferral Request Form - Faculty and Staff   
• Once your medical provider has completed and signed the document, you need to upload it to eTang in the Downloadable Forms section.
• Medical exemption requests will be evaluated individually by the UHS Medical Director and approved exemptions will be processed to update compliance with the COVID-19 vaccine policy.
• A list of established medical contraindications to vaccination can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for Guide to Contraindications.

Religious Belief Objection

• To request a Religious Belief Objection, use this UC Berkeley Religious Belief Objection Form.
  • To complete the form, you must be logged in using your berkeley.edu email address.  

• Requests will be reviewed and it may take a few days for your compliance status to be updated. You will be contacted if additional information is needed.

Remote Study Students - COVID-19 Exception Request Form

For students who are studying remotely for the semester and will not be coming to campus for any reason, at any time, you can complete an attestation form in eTang, under Downloadable Forms.  You may also be asked to provide documentation from your academic department confirming that you are studying remotely and will not be on campus. 

Temporary enrollment hold lift for COVID-19 vaccine requirement 

Students may request a temporary enrollment hold lift if you meet either of the following;

1. You are an international student living in a country with limited or no access to WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines, and will not have time to complete a WHO-approved vaccine series before the start of the semester once I arrive in the United States.

2. You received the first dose of a multi-dose COVID-19 vaccine series, and need to wait the requisite amount of time in between doses.

Please complete and submit this form by uploading on eTang under messages.