Health Policies & Information for Students

All new and incoming students must be in compliance with Widener University’s Student Immunization and Tuberculosis Testing Requirements

Widener University requires immunizations and tuberculosis blood test for the indicated groups of students below. Additionally, certain university programs may have additional requirements including but not limited to: additional testing, immunizations, and/or health clearances specific to various clinical, field, and/or education placements. Failure to comply with any health requirements will prohibit completion of the program.

DELAWARE LAW SCHOOL STUDENTS: State of Delaware regulations require evidence of immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella prior to your matriculation at Delaware Law. A memorandum regarding the evidence required for proof of immunity can be found on the Delaware Law School orientation page. Proof of immunity MUST be submitted electronically, by you or your physician, to the Admissions Office at delawarelaw@widener.edu by August 1st.

Checklist for Requirements: 

• Review Student Health Portal Information. Sign in and access the portal and opt in for text messages.
• Copy of Immunization Record must be uploaded to Immunization Record on the portal. Click HERE to see requirements in detail.
• IGRA blood test result must be uploaded to IGRA Blood Test on the portal. Click HERE to see the requirements in detail.
• If under 18 please fill out minor consent and upload to Minor Consent on the portal.
• Complete university Insurance Waiver/Enrollment if indicated

For questions about exemptions please call Student Health at 610-499-1183 or see the Student Immunization and Tuberculosis Testing Policy page for full policy information. 

Welcome International Students

All International Students are required to have the university sponsored health insurance unless sponsored by SACM and financial guarantee has been submitted to the Bursar’s Office. Students are automatically enrolled and billed for the university sponsored health insurance.

Learn more about the insurance plan

• All NEW International undergraduate students who have been here for one year or longer are required to have the following immunizations and IGRA blood test. Please click HERE to see the requirements.
• All NEW International Graduate Students, Domestic/International Exchange students here one year or less, and any other graduate residential students living in a Chester Campus residential hall are required to have the following immunizations and IGRA blood test. Please click HERE to see the requirements.

ALL NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS PLEASE VIEW BELOW CHECKLIST FOR COMPLETION: 

ACCESS THE STUDENT HEALTH PORTAL AND UPLOAD DOCUMENTS

• Review Student Health Portal Information. Sign in and access the portal and opt in for text messages.
• Copy of Immunization Record must be uploaded to Immunization Record on the portal.
• IGRA blood test result must be uploaded to IGRA Blood Test on the portal.
• If under 18 please fill out minor consent and upload to Minor Consent on the portal.

“For all eligibility, the student, defined as a ‘Named Insured’ under the policy terms, must actively attend classes for at least the first 31 days after the date for which coverage is purchased. Home study, correspondence, and online-only programs do not fulfill the student’s eligibility requirements of actively attending classes. The Company maintains its right to investigate eligibility or student status and attendance records to verify that the Policy eligibility requirements have been met. If and whenever the Company discovers that the Policy eligibility requirements have not been met, its only obligation is a refund of premium.”

Insurance is provided by a third-party provider and not the University and requires both eligibility and payment of premiums. Please review carefully the insurance company’s eligibility requirements above. Should you have any questions with eligibility or coverages, please utilize the link(s) below and/or contact UnitedHealthcare Student Resources.

Undergraduate student coverage is defined in the insurance policy as follows: “All full-time undergraduate students taking 12 or more credits and all nursing transfer students with 60 credits are automatically enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare Blanket Student Health Insurance Plan at registration, and the premium for coverage is added to their tuition billing unless proof of comparable coverage is furnished.”

All registered international students (unless sponsored by SACM) are automatically enrolled in this insurance plan at registration, and the premium for coverage is added to their tuition billing.

Graduate student coverage is defined in the insurance policy as follows: “All graduate students participating in the following clinical programs with 6 more credits: DOT, DPT, MS SLP, MSN, MSW (not MSW.OL), dual degree MSW, PsyD, dual degree PsyD and all Chester campus graduate students living in residential halls (regardless of credit hours) are automatically enrolled in the UnitedHealthcare Blanket Student Health Insurance Plan at registration, and the premium for coverage is added to their tuition billing unless proof of comparable coverage is furnished.”

*Some exceptions may apply*

All students must understand and acknowledge that the degree they are seeking may include clinical, field or educational placements for which there may be additional policies, rules and regulations specific to each placement. Each clinical, field or educational site may require additional immunization, testing, health assessments or other requirements. 

Given the large number of placement sites, complexity in scheduling, and changing partner requirements, students are not able to request a specific placement location. As a result, students with clinical, field, or educational placements must meet the strictest requirements of their assigned placement partner. A student’s failure or refusal to comply with the policies, rules and regulations of clinical, field and/or educational placements will prevent the completion of their chosen university educational program. 

Therefore, all students must understand and acknowledge that there can be no assurance, and the university cannot guarantee, that they will be able to complete their degree requirements if they have not received required vaccinations, testing or health assessments and/or complied with any other requirements mandated by such clinical, field or educational site.

Exemptions and/or accommodations, with proper paperwork and documentation, are considered for medical and/or religious beliefs. Please call (610-499-1183) or email Student Health Services to request specific immunization exemption form(s).

The university will engage in a process to determine if an exemption/accommodation can be provided as long as it does not create an undue hardship for the university and/or does not pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others on campus and/or to the student.

The university is committed to an academic environment free from unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation. As such, the university is committed to complying with all laws protecting students with disabilities or medical conditions.  When requested, the university will provide an exemption/reasonable accommodation for any known medical condition or disability of a qualified individual which prevents the student from receiving a vaccine required by this policy, provided the requested accommodation is reasonable and does not create an undue hardship for the university and/or pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others on campus and/or to the requesting student.

Medical exemptions/accommodations will be considered if the student provides a completed Meningococcal, Tdap, M.M.R., Varicella and/or Hepatitis B Waiver Form along with written documentation from a licensed treating medical provider [a physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner (NP), or physician assistant (PA)] stating that the student may not receive the vaccination. The statement must include the physical condition of the student or medical circumstances relating to the student such that immunization is not considered safe, indicating the specific nature of the medical condition or circumstances that contraindicate immunization with the vaccine at issue.

The university is committed to an academic environment free of unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.  As such, the university is committed to complying with all laws protecting students’ religious beliefs and practices.  When requested, the university will provide an exemption/accommodation for a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs, practices,  observances, or a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief that prohibits the student from receiving the Meningitis, Tdap, M.M.R., Varicella, and/or Hepatitis B vaccine(s) provided the requested accommodation or exemption is reasonable and does not create an undue hardship for the university and/or pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others on campus and/or to the requesting student.

A religious exemption/accommodation will be considered if the student has notified the university of a sincerely held religious belief, practice, observance, or a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief that prevents the student from getting the Meningitis, Tdap, M.M.R., Varicella, and/or Hepatitis B vaccine(s). However, if the student requests a religious accommodation, and the university is aware of facts that provide an objective basis for questioning either the religious nature or the sincerity of a particular belief, practice or observance, the university may request additional supporting information in support of the student’s request.

To obtain a religious exemption for the Meningitis, Tdap, M.M.R., Varicella, and/or Hepatitis B vaccine(s), a student must submit a completed Meningitis, Tdap, M.M.R., Varicella, and/or Hepatitis B vaccine(s), waiver form describing the student’s sincerely held religious beliefs, practice, observances, or a strong moral or ethical conviction similar to a religious belief and why those beliefs, practices or observances prohibit the Meningitis, Tdap, M.M.R., Varicella, and/or Hepatitis B vaccine(s).

Exemption/Accommodation Request is Approved:

Students with an exemption/accommodation from a vaccine required by this policy may be subject to reasonable measures to promote the health and safety of the Widener community.

Exemption/Accommodation Request is Not Approved:

If a student’s exemption/accommodation request is not approved, the student must be fully vaccinated and vaccination documentation must be submitted to the university.

Non-Compliance with Policy:

Students who fail to submit an exemption/accommodation request(s) and/or who are not eligible for an exemption/accommodation and who do not plan to become fully vaccinated will not be permitted on campus. If you do not comply with Widener’s immunization requirements, a registration hold will be applied to your account, restricting you from all future enrollment activities.

Protected Health Information (PHI), as defined by HIPAA and its accompanying regulations (the Privacy Standards), is individually identifiable health information, including demographic information, that is created, received, transmitted or maintained by Health Services, regardless of form (oral, written, or electronic), that relates to:

• the past, present or future physical or mental health or condition of an individual;
• the provision of health care services to an individual
• or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to an individual.

PHI may include, but is not necessarily limited to, medical records, billing records, medical images, consultant reports, laboratory or other diagnostic testing results, and any other individually identifiable information.

All PHI created, received, transmitted, or maintained by Health Services is confidential and remains the property of Health Services. Confidentiality extends to PHI in any medium, including information that is on paper, in the computer systems of Widener University, or communicated verbally.

Employees may not divulge, copy, transfer, alter, or destroy any PHI, or remove any PHI from Health Services, except as authorized by Health Services. Employees must hold in strictest confidence any and all access codes, passwords, and/or authorizations provided by Health Services as an Employee of Health Services.

Health Services has implemented appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the privacy of PHI and to safeguard PHI from any intentional or unintentional uses or disclosures that are in violation of the Privacy Standards and/or the policies and procedures of Health Services. Employees must strictly comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and all policies and procedures established by Health Services relating to the confidentiality and protection of PHI.

Medical records are released only with the completion of a Widener University Health Services Release of Records Form.

Dowload the Records Release Form-4

Requests for copies of medical records require a 48-hour waiting period.

As a college student, it is your responsibility to contact your professor when you are ill and cannot attend classes. Contact information is provided in each class syllabus. Student Health Services will not provide excuse notes.