Fall semester COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all enrolled students

April 30, 2021
Cynthia Barnhart, Chancellor, 2014–2021 | Cecilia Stuopis, MD, Medical Director, MIT Medical, 2016–2023 |

Dear students,

As we look forward to resuming academic, research, and residential activities on campus this fall, we write with a critical update on our approach to student health and wellbeing during a new phase of the pandemic.

Instituting a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all enrolled students

Following consultation with medical experts, consideration of best public health practices, a review of how other institutions of higher education are approaching student vaccine requirements, and guidance from the American College Health Association, MIT has decided that every enrolled student must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the fall semester begins.

Please share your current vaccine status using this form now. If you are authorized to access campus and have not confirmed your current status by May 23, you will be prompted for this information in Covid Pass to access campus.

The form allows students to record exemptions if they will not be vaccinated for medical or religious reasons. The form also includes a number of vaccines approved for use in other countries; while we are not yet sure if we will accept these vaccines to fulfill the requirement, please enter your information accordingly as it will help inform our decision. If your vaccine is not listed, or if you will encounter a barrier to meeting the requirement to be fully vaccinated by the start of the fall term, please email medical@mit.edu so that MIT Medical can assist you.

Renewing our campus community in the fall

COVID-19 vaccines are now widely available in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and across the United States. The science is well established that they effectively staunch the spread and impact of this deadly virus. And they offer us our best chance for returning to the normal rhythms and connections of campus life that we sorely miss.

Of course, COVID-19 will still be with us in some way this fall, given that the world will not yet have achieved broad immunity. But with students getting vaccinated, and as conditions allow, we will be well positioned to relax many of the restrictions – testing, masks, social distancing – we’ve grown accustomed to, and return to a more normal campus life experience.

Over the coming few months, we will consult with public health experts and partner with student leaders, faculty, and staff on developing and communicating policies for the upcoming semester. For now, however, please remember that MIT Now provides key COVID-19 updates and information relevant to you. In addition, MIT Medical has an array of resources that offer additional insights about our approach to public health and COVID-19 vaccines.

If you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines, or need assistance with satisfying the vaccine requirement, please email medical@mit.edu.

As the final month of the spring semester commences, and we look ahead to the promise and hope the future holds for all of us, we urge all students to get vaccinated as soon as possible – for your health, for those around you, and for the MIT community we will be renewing on campus in the fall.

Sincerely,

Cynthia Barnhart
Chancellor

Cecilia Stuopis, MD
Medical Director, MIT Medical