College immunization requirements in California
The short answer
California has no statewide college immunization law. Instead the University of California and California State University systems set systemwide requirements — typically Hepatitis B for students under 19, plus MMR, varicella, Tdap and meningococcal — and each campus health center administers holds and compliance.
University of California / CSU systemwide immunization policy
No statewide statute; the UC and CSU systems require a common core of vaccines, with Hepatitis B for students under 19.
University of California / CSU system policy · UC/CSU systemwide immunization requirement
Baseline requirements in California
What most institutions in California require, resolved from the statute or system policy plus national CDC/ACIP guidance. Individual campuses may add to this.
All students
| Vaccine | What's required | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)Derived | Two doses of MMR or proof of immunity (systemwide requirement). | Required |
| Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY)Derived | MenACWY dose at age 16+ for students aged 21 and under. | Required |
| Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis)Derived | One Tdap dose, typically within the last 10 years. | Required |
| Varicella (chickenpox)Derived | Two doses of varicella vaccine or proof of immunity. | Required |
| Hepatitis BDerived | Hepatitis B series required for students who are under 19 years of age. | Conditional |
Recommended
| Vaccine | What's required | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Meningococcal B (MenB)Derived | MenB series recommended for young adults (ages 16–23) through shared clinical decision-making. | Recommended |
| Influenza (seasonal)Derived | Annual seasonal influenza vaccine for all students. | Recommended |
| COVID-19Derived | Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccination per current CDC guidance. | Recommended |
Health-professions & clinical-rotation students
Students placed in clinical sites carry an occupational-health style clearance on top of the all-student requirements — titers, TB screening and annual boosters tied to a clinical site.
| Vaccine | What's required | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)Derived | Documented immunity to measles, mumps and rubella by titer or a two-dose series. | Required |
| Varicella (chickenpox)Derived | Documented immunity to varicella by titer or vaccination. | Required |
| Hepatitis BDerived | Complete Hepatitis B series plus a positive surface-antibody (anti-HBs) titer before patient contact. | Required |
| Tuberculosis screeningDerived | Baseline tuberculosis screening (IGRA preferred) on entry, with annual screening based on risk assessment. | Required |
| Influenza (seasonal)Derived | Annual seasonal influenza vaccination during clinical rotations. | Required |
Sources & provenance
- Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCDC immunization of health-care personnel guidanceReference →
- Advisory Committee on Immunization PracticesCDC/ACIP recommended immunization scheduleReference →
- University of California / CSU system policyUC/CSU systemwide immunization requirement
Institutions in California
40 institutions — open one for its full vaccine list, deadlines and clinical-rotation rules.
Recent updates · California
- 2026-03-30policyUC / CSU systemwide Hepatitis B age threshold held at under 19
System policy continues to require the Hepatitis B series for students under 19 — modeled as a conditional rule.
Frequently asked
Does California require vaccines for college students?
There is no statewide statute. The UC and CSU systems set their own requirements — commonly MMR, varicella, Tdap and meningococcal, with Hepatitis B for younger students — and each campus enforces them.
About this page. Illustrative concept generated by Enterprise Health to demonstrate a programmatic, knowledge-graph-driven requirements library. Confirm current requirements with each institution and the California Department of Public Health.
Enterprise Health runs student immunization compliance in California
One ONC-certified record per student, automated holds, and reporting that rolls up across every campus in the system.