Students entering any North Carolina college or university must have certain vaccines (immunizations). This is true for all kinds of schools, including public, private and religious schools. It is required for undergraduate (like a bachelor's or associate's) and graduate (like a master's) degrees.
Your college or university will ask you to submit:
- a certificate of immunization filled out by your doctor or provider; or
- an immunization record from a high school in North Carolina; or
- an exemption for medical or religious reasons.
For immunization reporting, visit Reporting for Colleges and Universities.
In certain situations, college/university students may not be required to show proof that they have had all of the required vaccines. You may not need to show proof of immunization if you live off campus and if you are only taking:
- classes that are also held off-campus; or
- evening classes (starting after 5 p.m.); or
- weekend classes; or
- no more than four credit hours of classes that are on-campus during the day.
However, if your situation changes — like if you move into a dorm, or you take more than four credit hours of on-campus daytime classes — you will need to provide a certificate or record of immunization.
Check with your school health center or registrar if you think this situation might apply to you.
Immunizations for College/University Entry
| Immunization | Protects Against | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Polio/IPV | Polio | Required if younger than 18 years old (3 doses) |
| MMR | Measles, mumps and rubella | Required (2 doses) |
| Td/Tdap | Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (“whooping cough”) | Required (3 doses) |
| Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) | Meningitis (brain infections) | Required (1 dose) |
| Hepatitis B | Hepatitis B virus (liver infection) | Required (3 doses) |
| Varicella | Chickenpox | Required (1 dose) |
| HPV | Human papillomavirus (linked to cervical, back of the throat and other cancers) | Recommended |
| Influenza | Seasonal flu | Recommended |
Missing vaccine doses?
Talk with a health care provider about catching up.
If you don't have a doctor and are 18 years old or younger, Vaccines for Children program locations have free vaccines for those who qualify.
This page was last modified on 07/09/2025