As of April 21, 2021, St. John’s will require all students to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus and to provide proof of vaccination before the start of each term. Students enrolled in fully online degree programs (see Find a Program | St. John's University), defined as students not physically on-campus for the duration of the degree, do not need to provide proof of vaccination. This does not include students taking only some of their courses online. Courses will operate in the format indicated in UIS.
St. John’s University will require students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna/Novavax or 1 dose of J&J/Janssen) if a student is planning to be on campus during the 2022-2023 academic year for any reason or enrolled in in-person classes.
Proof of vaccination to COVID-19 must be submitted online via Medicat, the online patient portal.
Submission Deadlines:
Summer and Fall semesters: June 30
Spring semester: December 15
How to Upload Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination and/or Booster Vaccination
To upload your documents student health services health portal (Medicat):
- Go to signon.stjohns.edu and sign in using your St. John's network credentials that you use to access your St. John’s email.
- If you need assistance logging in, please review the support article, How do I log in to signon.stjohns.edu? If this is your first-time logging in, you will be prompted to set up multifactor authentication.
- Once you signed in, click on the icon for Medicat (Student Health Services and Wellness).
- Once you in Medicat, select Uploads. Scroll down to the drop-down menu and select “COVID-19 Vaccine Card.”
- Click Select File to browse your computer for the document you will upload and click Upload.
- Please make sure you upload all the required forms.
St. John’s has an interface with the New York State and New York City Immunization Registries. If you received your COVID-19 vaccination in New York State it is very likely we already have your vaccination on file and do not upload anything. .
- Before uploading your documents, verify in Medicat what immunization records are on file for you.
- If your record is missing COVID-19 vaccination, please upload them now by following the directions above.
Isolation & Quarantine Protocols
Take Action If You Are Exposed to COVID-19:
- Updated guidance does not require individuals exposed to COVID-19 to quarantine. However, it is recommended that you monitor for symptoms.
- Watch for symptoms for 10 days.
- Wear a well-fitting mask around others indoors for 10 days.
- Test 5 days after exposure (or sooner if you develop symptoms).
- Take extra precautions for 10 days when you are around people who are more likely to get very sick (i.e., those who are immunocompromised, elderly, or have underlying conditions that put them at risk for COVID-19).
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (or if you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19) DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS and get tested or test yourself with a home test kit. To find a testing site near you, text "COVID TEST" to 855-48 or visit COVID-19 Testing Locations.
For students living in university housing who develop symptoms, please first call Student Health Services at 718-990-6360 to make an appointment. (Please do not walk in.)
- Complete the COVID-19 Notification Form.
- Do not come to campus and if you live on campus, remain in your residence hall room (Residence Life or Student Health Services will reach out to you with further instructions).
- Stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others.
- Monitor your symptoms. If your symptoms worsen and you have trouble breathing, seek emergency medical care immediately.
You can end isolation based on how serious your COVID-19 symptoms were.
- If you have no symptoms: You may end isolation after day 5.
- If you develop symptoms: You may end isolation after day 5 if:
- You are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication), AND
- Your symptoms are improving.
COVID-19 Vaccine Exemption Requests
Students who believe they qualify for a medical or religious exemption to the University’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement must submit a completed exemption request. It is your responsibility to complete all documentation by the required deadlines.
The deadline to submit a religious exemption application was Thursday, December 15 by 4:30 p.m. (ET). Incomplete applications and/or late applications will not be considered.
If a student’s application for an exemption to the University’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement is not granted, the student must provide proof of receipt of COVID-19 vaccination to attend in-person classes.
If a student has been previously been granted a medical/religious exemption to the University’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement, the student must reapply each academic year or when terms of the granted exemption expire.
For students living in University housing: Before being allowed to move in, a student must have submitted proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 (2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna/Novavax or 1 dose of J&J/Janssen) or have been formally granted a medical/religious exemption. There are no exceptions to this policy.
If you have any questions regarding the University’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement or immunization and vaccination policies, please email Student Affairs at [email protected].
To apply for a medical exemption, please complete both forms and submit them in Medicat via signon.stjohns.edu (Medicat > Upload > Select “Medical Exemption Application”).
- Student form: COVID Medical Exemption - Student - Spring 2023
- Provider form: COVID Medical Exemption - Health Provider - Spring 2023
We strongly recommend submitting a medical exemption application as soon as possible, as processing times may be extended if consultation with your medical provider is required. A student is not exempt from any University immunization requirement until formally granted an exemption.
Questions regarding medical exemption requests should be directed to Student Health Services. Please note during University holidays (e.g., December 23-30, 2022) Student Health Services is closed and is not available to answer phone calls or respond to secure messages. We will respond to you as soon as we reopen the next regular business day.
IMPORTANT: As of 4:30 p.m. (ET) on December 15, 2022, religious exemption application process for the Spring 2023 semester closed. The University will no longer accept applications for religious exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine requirement for the Spring 2023 semester.
Please check back at the beginning of June 2023 for information on the 2023-2024 academic year religious exemption application process.
Please note any student who previously applied for a religious exemption to the University’s vaccine requirement and was denied, that student may not reapply. Decisions regarding vaccine exemption applications are final and not appealable.
If you have any questions regarding the COVID-19 religious exemption application process, please contact [email protected].
Questions regarding religious exemption requests should be directed to Student Affairs at [email protected].
Please note during University holidays (e.g., December 23-30, 2022) the Division of Student Affairs is closed and is not available to answer phone calls or respond to emails. We will respond to you as soon as we reopen the next regular business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. Anyone can have mild to severe symptoms.
Possible symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
For more information, please visit Symptoms of COVID-19.
Concerns about a new and unfamiliar illness are understandable.
If you are feeling anxious or uneasy, please don’t hesitate to turn to the Student Health Services (718-990-6360, select option 4) or the Center for Counseling and Consultation (Queens, 718-990-6384; Staten Island, 718-390-4451) or the St. John’s University Mental Health Helpline (718-990-6352).
- Are You Worried About Coronavirus?
- Self-Care Activity
- Faculty and Staff: Managing Your Anxiety Around Coronavirus
- Parents: How to Keep Your Children Safe and Reassured When Dealing with Coronavirus
For information and support resources, please visit Following an Emergency Situation or a Traumatic Event.
CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older and boosters for everyone 5 years and older, if eligible. Some people in your family may need to take more steps to be better protected from COVID-19, including:
- Anyone not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines
- People with weakened immune systems or underlying medical conditions
There are many ways your actions can help protect you, your household, and your community from severe illness from COVID-19. For more information, please visit COVID-19 Prevention Actions.
For up-to-date information, please check the following websites:
People are protected best from severe COVID-19 illness when they stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. Currently St. John's University recommends students and employees get their recommended boosters when eligible.
COVID-19 vaccine boosters can further enhance or restore protection that might have decreased over time after your primary series vaccination. When you have received your COVID-19 booster dose, please upload proof into Medicat.