Compliance and immunization requirements for Australian universities
Your to-do list during the predeparture phase of studying in Australia can be overwhelming at times, especially when it comes to compliance. These are certain requirements that you must meet to be eligible to start your studies at your Australian or New Zealand university. This covers a range of items, from first aid & CPR certifications, police checks, Working with Children checks and immunization requirements.
If you’ve got questions about who needs to provide immunization records, how to obtain them, and when you need to submit them, this blog is for you!
Who needs to provide vaccination records?
If you’ll be studying a health sciences discipline like medicine or dentistry, you will need to be up to date on all your vaccinations and be able to provide proof of this as part of your compliance requirements with your university. Other programs like physiotherapy may have specific requirements too, like a tuberculosis exam and serology testing.
Why does my university require that I be vaccinated and why do I need to provide records?
To be able to undertake placements in certain programs, particularly healthcare fields, it is mandatory that students are fully vaccinated. This is to ensure the safety and well-being of both you and the patient by minimizing the risk of transmission of infectious diseases. Your immunization records will be proof that you are safe to participate in placements. If you have not met all the necessary vaccination requirements or cannot provide proof, you will be denied entry to your placement. We recommend students make photocopies as a back-up just in case anything happens to the original copies of your documents.
What is required from me?
The required immunizations are ones that most students will have already had done when they were young. While each university will have their own specific requirements, we have included some general guidelines below to get you started. You should always check in with your admissions officer for details regarding what’s required by your program.
- Hepatitis B Vaccine
- Hepatitis B Serology
- Varicella Vaccine
- Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis Vaccine
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccine
- Influenza Vaccine
- Tuberculosis screening
The universities want to see proof of these vaccines in the form of a immunization record or a serology test, sometimes both. Some universities will require the completion of an additional form, like this Vaccination Record from the University of Sydney.
How to obtain your records
You’ll need to contact your family doctor for access to your immunization records. Additional forms (like the one from the University of Sydney above) can be completed with the help of your GP or any doctor who has access to your vaccination records.
#OzTREKKTip: This appointment with your GP differs from the health exam with a panel doctor that some students are required to do for their student visa. We’ll talk about that one in another blog and link it here.
When do I need to complete this step?
The deadline to submit proof of immunization will vary depending on the program and university. Most schools require these documents to be submitted before the start of the program, since many universities begin placements and working with patients as early as first semester. Our advice is to get started on this earlier than later so you don’t feel the last-minute stress of organizing your documents and making an appointment with your doctor before you depart!
We hope this information helps to answer some of your immunization questions and leaves you feeling more prepared to complete this step of your predeparture journey.
Updated January 12, 2023
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