What Colleges Require the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Live Updates on Campus Vaccine Requirements

By Staff Writers

Published on September 3, 2021

Editor's Note: This article is updated regularly as new information becomes available.

A still-expanding group of U.S. colleges and universities say students must receive a COVID-19 vaccine before arriving on campus this fall. The first institutions to announce the mandate were private, with Cornell University and Duke University leading the way. More and more universities, private and public, have followed suit. Over 700 colleges currently require COVID-19 vaccines.

Most colleges already require on-campus students to be vaccinated against viral diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella. Government agencies suggest that schools may similarly require the COVID-19 shots.

Some state lawmakers — and at least two lawsuits — argued that inoculation can't be made mandatory while the experimental vaccines retained their Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) status, but full FDA approval of the mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on August 23 has already triggered a surge of college COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Medical exemptions are guaranteed by law in all states, and religious exemptions, which may be relatively easy to receive, are permitted by most. To reinforce the mandate, however, colleges could push unvaccinated students to enroll online instead. The University of Virginia disenrolled 238 students for failing to report vaccination status or file for an exemption.

If permitted on campus, unvaccinated students will likely be required to continue asymptomatic testing and could be excluded from activities like studying abroad.

To find out about your school's COVID-19 vaccine requirements, check your school's website. You can also review our full list below, which includes colleges requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for on-campus, residential students.

A Full List of Colleges Requiring the COVID-19 Vaccine

Last Updated: September 3, 2021, at 7:58 a.m. PDT

true States A-G

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Gateway Community College
Prescott College

Arkansas

California

Allan Hancock College
American Jewish University
American River College
Berkeley City College
California College of the Arts
California Institute of Integral Studies
California Institute of Technology
California Jazz Conservatory
California Lutheran University
California State University system
- Bakersfield, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Channel Islands, Chico State, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Fresno State, Fullerton, Humboldt State, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Maritime Academy, Monterey Bay, Northridge, Sacramento State, San Bernardino, San Diego State, San Francisco State, San Jose State, San Marcos, Sonoma State, Stanislaus State
Chapman University
Claremont Graduate University
Claremont McKenna College
Coast Community College District
- Coastline College, Golden West College, Orange Coast College
College of Alameda
Consumnes River College
De Anza College
Dominican University of California
Folsom Lake College
Foothill College
Fresno Pacific University
Golden Gate University
Harvey Mudd College
Holy Names University
La Sierra University
Laney College
Loyola Marymount University
Marymount California University
Menlo College
Merritt College
Mills College
MiraCosta College
Moreno Valley College
Norco College
Occidental College
Otis College of Art and Design
Pepperdine University
Pitzer College
Pomona College
Riverside City College
Sacramento City College
Saint Mary's College of California
Samuel Merritt University
San Diego Community College District*
- City, College of Continuing Education, Mesa, Miramar
Santa Barbara City College
Santa Clara University
Scripps College
Southern California Institute of Architecture
Southwestern College
Stanford University
University of California system
- Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz
University of La Verne
University of Redlands
University of San Diego
University of San Francisco
University of Southern California
University of the Pacific
University of the West
Whittier College

Colorado

Colorado College
Colorado School of Mines
Colorado State University system*
- Fort Collins, Pueblo
Fort Lewis College
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Naropa University
Regis University
Rocky Vista University
University of Colorado system
- Anschutz Medical Campus, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver
University of Denver
University of Northern Colorado
Western Colorado University

Connecticut

Albertus Magnus College
Connecticut College
Connecticut State Colleges & Universities
- Asnuntuck Community College, Capital Community College, Central Connecticut State, Charter Oak State College, Eastern Connecticut State, Gateway Community College, Housatonic Community College, Manchester Community College, Middlesex Community College, Naugatuck Community College, Northwestern Connecticut Community College, Norwalk Community College, Quinebaug Valley Community College, Southern Connecticut State, Three Rivers Community College, Tunxis Community College, Western Connecticut State
Post University
Quinnipiac University
Sacred Heart University
Trinity College
University of Bridgeport
University of Connecticut system
- Avery Point, Hartford, Health (Farmington), School of Law (Hartford), Stamford, Storrs, Waterbury
University of Hartford
University of New Haven
University of Saint Joseph
Wesleyan University
Yale University

Delaware

Delaware State University
Goldey-Beacom College
University of Delaware

District of Columbia

American University
Gallaudet University
George Washington University
Georgetown University
Howard University
Trinity Washington University
University of the District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Agnes Scott College
Clark Atlanta University
Emory University
Morehouse College
Morris Brown College
Oglethorpe University
Spelman College

States H-M

Hawaii

Brigham Young University-Hawaii
University of Hawai'i Community Colleges
- Hawai'i Community College, Honolulu Community College, Kapi'olani Community College, Kaua'i Community College, Leeward Community College, University of Hawai'i Maui College, Windward Community College
University of Hawai'i system
- Hawai'i, Hilo, Honolulu, Kapi'olani, Kaua'i, Leeward, Mānoa, Maui, West O'ahu, Windward

Idaho

Illinois

Aurora University
Chamberlain University
Chicago State University
College of DuPage
Columbia College Chicago
DePaul University
Dominican University
Elmhurst University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois State University
Knox College
Lake Forest College
Lewis University
Loyola University Chicago
North Central College
Northern Illinois University
Northwestern University
Roosevelt University
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
University of Chicago
University of Illinois system
- Chicago, Springfield, Urbana-Champaign

Indiana

Butler University
DePauw University
Earlham College
Goshen College
Holy Cross College
Indiana University system
- Bloomington, East, Fort Wayne, Kokomo, Northwest, Purdue University Columbus, Purdue University Indianapolis, South Bend, Southeast
Saint Mary's College
University of Notre Dame
Valparaiso University
Wabash College

Iowa

Grinnell College

Kansas

Kentucky

Bellarmine University
Berea College
Centre College
Simmons College of Kentucky
Transylvania University

Louisiana

Dillard University
Louisiana State University
Loyola University New Orleans
Tulane University
Xavier University of Louisiana

Maine

Bates College
Bowdoin College
Colby College
College of the Atlantic
Husson University
Maine Community College System
- Central Maine Community College, Eastern Maine Community College, Kennebec Valley Community College, Northern Maine Community College, Southern Maine Community College, Washington County Community College, York County Community College
Maine Maritime Academy
Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Thomas College
Unity College
University of Maine System
- Augusta, Farmington, Fort Kent, Machias, Orono, Presque Isle, University of Southern Maine, School of Law
University of New England

Maryland

Goucher College
Hood College
Johns Hopkins University
Loyola University Maryland
Maryland Institute College of Art
McDaniel College
Morgan State University
Mount St. Mary's University
Notre Dame of Maryland University
St. John's College
St. Mary's College of Maryland
Stevenson University
University System of Maryland
- Bowie State, Coppin State, Frostburg State, Salisbury, Towson, University of Baltimore, University of Maryland (Baltimore, Baltimore County, Center for Environmental Science, College Park, Eastern Shore, Global Campus)
- Washington Adventist University
- Washington College

Massachusetts

American International College
Amherst College
Anna Maria College
Assumption University
Babson College
Bay Path University
Bentley University
Berklee College of Music
Boston College
Boston University
Brandeis University
Cambridge College
Clark University
College of the Holy Cross
Curry College
Dean College
Eastern Nazarene College
Elms College
Emerson College
Emmanuel College
Endicott College
Hampshire College
Harvard University
Lasell University
Lesley University
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts State University system
- Bridgewater, College of Art and Design, College of Liberal Arts, Fitchburg, Framingham, Maritime Academy, Salem, Westfield, Worcester
Merrimack College
Mount Holyoke College
New England Conservatory of Music
New England Law | Boston
Northeastern University
Olin College of Engineering
Regis College
Simmons University
Smith College
Springfield College
Stonehill College
Suffolk University
Tufts University
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Boston
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Wellesley College
Western New England University
Wheaton College
William James College
Williams College
Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Michigan

Albion College
College for Creative Studies
Grand Valley State University
Kalamazoo College
Lawrence Technological University
Michigan School of Psychology
Michigan State University
Oakland University
University of Detroit Mercy
University of Michigan system
- Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Flint
Wayne State University

Minnesota

Augsburg University
Carleton College
College of Saint Benedict
Gustavus Adolphus College
Hamline University
Macalester College
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system**

Alexandria Technical and Community College, Anoka Technical College, Anoka-Ramsey Community College Cambridge, Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids, Bemidji State University, Central Lakes College Brainerd, Central Lakes College Staples, Century College White Bear Lakes campus, Century College Mahtomedi, Dakota County Technical College Rosemount campus, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Cloquet, Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park, Hennepin Technical College Eden Prairie, Inver Hills Community College Inver Grove Heights, Lake Superior College Duluth, Minnesota State Community and Technical College Detroit Lakes, Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls, Minnesota State Community and Technical College Moorhead, Minnesota State Community and Technical College Wadena, Minnesota State College Southeast Red Wing, Minnesota State College Southeast Winona, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Minnesota West Community and Technical College Canby, Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls, Minnesota West Community and Technical College Jackson, Minnesota West Community and Technical College Pipestone, Minnesota West Community and Technical College Worthington, Normandale Community College Bloomington, North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, Hibbing Community College, Itasca Community College Grand Rapids, Mesabi Range College Virginia, Mesabi Range College Eveleth, Rainy River Community College International Falls, Vermillion Community College Ely, Northland Community & Technical College East Grand Forks, Northland Community & Technical College Thief River Falls, Northwest Technical College Bemidji, Ridgewater College Hutchinson, Ridgewater College Willmar, Riverland Community College Austin, Riverland Community College Albert Lea, Riverland Community College Owatonna, Rochester Community & Technical College, St. Cloud Technical and Community College, Saint Paul College, South Central College North Mankato, South Central College Faribault

** Students who live on campus or are on sports teams are required to either be vaccinated or tested regularly for COVID-19

Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Saint John's University
St. Catherine University
St. Olaf College
University of St. Thomas

Mississippi

Missouri

Culver-Stockton College
Rockhurst University
Saint Louis University
Washington University in St. Louis
Webster University
William Jewell College

Montana

States N-S

Nebraska

Creighton University
Doane University
Nebraska Wesleyan University
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Nevada

College of Southern Nevada
Great Basin College
Nevada State College
Truckee Meadows Community College
University of Nevada System

Las Vegas, Reno

Touro University Nevada

New Hampshire

Colby-Sawyer College
Dartmouth College
Franklin Pierce University
New England College
Rivier University
Saint Anselm College
Southern New Hampshire University

New Jersey

Caldwell University
Drew University
Essex County College
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Felician University
Georgian Court University
Kean University
Monmouth University
Montclair State University
New Jersey City University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Princeton University
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Rider University
Rowan University
Rutgers University
Saint Elizabeth University
Saint Peter's University
Seton Hall University
Stevens Institute of Technology
Stockton University
The College of New Jersey
William Paterson University

New Mexico

Central New Mexico Community College
New Mexico Highlands University
St. John's College
University of New Mexico system
- Albuquerque, Gallup, Los Alamos, Taos, Valencia

New York

Adelphi University
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Albany Law School
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Alfred University
Bank Street College of Education
Bard College
Barnard College
Cazenovia College
Clarkson University
City University of New York system*
- Baruch College, Borough of Manhattan Community College, Bronx Community College, Brooklyn College, College of Staten Island, Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, Graduate Center, Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, Guttman Community College, Hostos Community College, Hunter College, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Kingsborough Community College, LaGuardia Community College, Lehman College, Macaulay Honors College, Medgar Evers College, New York City College of Technology, Queens College, Queensborough Community College, School of Labor and Urban Studies, School of Law, School of Professional Studies, The City College of New York, York College
Colgate University
College of Mount Saint Vincent
College of Saint Rose
Columbia University
Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Cornell University
Culinary Institute of America
Five Towns College
Fordham University
Glasgow Caledonian New York College
Hamilton College
Hartwick College
Hilbert College
Hobart William Smith Colleges
Hofstra University
Ithaca College
Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Keuka College
Le Moyne College
Manhattan College
Manhattan School of Music
Manhattanville College
Maria College
Marist College
Marymount Manhattan College
Mercy College
Metropolitan College of New York
Molloy College
Mount Saint Mary College
Nazareth College
New York Film Academy
New York University
Pace University
Pratt Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rochester Institute of Technology
Russell Sage College
Sarah Lawrence College
School of Visual Arts
Siena College
Skidmore College
St. Bonaventure University
St. Francis College
St. John Fisher College
St. John's University
St. Lawrence University
State University of New York system*
- Adirondack Community College, Alfred State, Alfred, Binghamton, Brockport, Broome, Buffalo State, Canton, Cayuga Community College, Clinton Community College, Cobleskill, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, College of Optometry, Columbia Greene Community College, Cornell (College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, College of Human Ecology, School of Industrial & Labor Relations, College of Veterinary Medicine), Corning Community College, Cortland, Delhi, Downstate Health Sciences, Dutchess Community College, Empire State, Erie, Farmingdale State, Fashion Institute of Technology, Finger Lakes Community College, Fredonia, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Genesee Community College, Geneseo, Herkimer, Hudson Valley Community College, Jamestown Community College, Jefferson, Maritime College, Mohawk Valley Community College, Monroe Community College, Morrisville, Nassau Community College, New Paltz, Niagara County Community College, North Country Community College, Old Westbury, Oneonta, Onondaga Community College, Orange County Community College, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Polytechnic Institute, Potsdam, Purchase, Rockland Community College, Schenectady County Community College, Stony Brook, Suffolk County Community College, Sullivan, Tompkins Cortland Community College, Ulster County Community College, University at Albany, University at Buffalo, Upstate Medical, Westchester Community College
Syracuse University
The Juilliard School
The New School
Touro College & University System
- Bay Shore, Dental Medicine, Flatbush, Harlem, Kew Gardens Hills, Law Center, New York City, Osteopathic Medicine
Trocaire College
Union College
University of Rochester
Utica College
Vassar College
Wagner College
Wells College
Yeshiva University

North Carolina

Bennett College
Brevard College
Duke University
Elon University
Johnson & Wales University-Charlotte
Johnson C. Smith University
Lees-McRae College
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Livingstone College
Queens University of Charlotte
Salem College
Shaw University
Union Presbyterian Seminary at Charlotte
Wake Forest University
Warren Wilson College

North Dakota

Ohio

Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland Institute of Art
Cleveland State University
Denison University
Kent State University System

Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Kent, Salem, Stark, Trumbull, Tuscarawas

Kenyon College
Mount St. Joseph University
Oberlin College and Conservatory
Ohio State University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio University
Otterbein University
The College of Wooster
University of Cincinnati
Xavier University

Oklahoma

Mid-America Christian University

Oregon

Eastern Oregon University
Lane Community College
Lewis & Clark College
Linfield University
Oregon Health and Science University
Oregon Institute of Technology
Oregon State University
Pacific University
Portland State University
Reed College
Southern Oregon University
University of Oregon
University of Portland
Western Oregon University
Willamette University

Pennsylvania

Allegheny College
Alvernia University
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
Bryn Mawr College
Bucknell University
Cabrini University
Carnegie Mellon University
Chatham University
Chestnut Hill College
Dickinson College
Drexel University
Duquesne University
Franklin & Marshall College
Gettysburg College
Gwynedd Mercy University
Haverford College
Holy Family University
Immaculata University
Juniata College
La Salle University
Lafayette College
Lehigh University
Mercyhurst University
Muhlenberg College
Moore College of Art and Design
Neumann University
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Point Park University
Robert Morris University
Rosemont College
Saint Joseph's University
Salus University
Susquehanna University
Swarthmore College
The University of the Arts
Thomas Jefferson University
University of Pennsylvania
Temple University
University of Scranton
University of the Sciences
Ursinus College
Villanova University
Washington & Jefferson College
Widener University
Wilkes University
Williamson College of the Trades

Rhode Island

Brown University
Bryant University
Community College of Rhode Island
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
Providence College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University
Salve Regina University
University of Rhode Island

South Carolina

Furman University

South Dakota

States T-Z

Tennessee

American Baptist College
Christian Brothers University
Maryville College
Rhodes College
The University of the South
Vanderbilt University

Texas

Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
Paul Quinn College
Rice University
Seminary of the Southwest
Southwestern University
St. Edward's University

Utah

Westminster College

Vermont

Bennington College
Champlain College
Landmark College
Middlebury College
Norwich University
Saint Michael's College
University of Vermont*
Vermont Law School
Vermont State Colleges System
- Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, Vermont Technical College

Virginia

Bridgewater College
Christopher Newport University
Eastern Mennonite University
George Mason University
Hampton University
Hollins University
James Madison University
Longwood University
Mary Baldwin University
Marymount University
Norfolk State University
Old Dominion University
Radford University
Randolph College
Randolph-Macon College
Roanoke College
Sweet Briar College
Union Presbyterian Seminary
University of Lynchburg
University of Mary Washington
University of Richmond*
University of Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia State University
Virginia Union University
Virginia Wesleyan University
Washington and Lee University
William & Mary*

Washington

Central Washington University
DigiPen Institute of Technology
Eastern Washington University
Evergreen State College
Gonzaga University
Highline College
Northwest School of Wooden BoatBuilding
Pacific Lutheran University
Pacific Northwest University
Saint Martin's University
Seattle Film Institute
Seattle Pacific University
Seattle University
Tacoma Community College
University of Puget Sound
University of Washington system
- Bothell, Seattle, Tacoma
Washington State University system
- Everett, Pullman, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver
Wenatchee Valley College
Western Washington University
Whitman College
Whitworth University

West Virginia

Bethany College
University of Charleston

Wisconsin

Beloit College
Carthage College
Lawrence University
Marquette University

Wyoming

*Will only require the COVID-19 vaccine pending FDA approval.

Don't see your school on this list? Reach out to contact@support.bestcolleges.com if your college or university plans to require the COVID-19 vaccine this fall. Please include the relevant announcement link or email.

Note that this list covers COVID-19 vaccine requirements for fall 2021 on-campus or residential students and does not specify individual university policies such as vaccine exemptions. Some colleges may require all students, regardless of their residential status, to get vaccinated. Faculty and staff vaccine requirements may be different from the residential student requirements listed above.

Feature Image: Halfpoint Images / Moment / Getty Images

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