COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Guidance


Spring 2022 AU Abroad Students – COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Guidance

 

To ensure that students can fully engage in their study abroad experience next semester. AU will require all students studying abroad in Spring 2022 to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and receive a COVID-19 booster at least two weeks prior to their program start date.

COVID-19 boosters are required for the following reasons:
  • The Center for Disease Control now recommends that all individuals 18 and over get a COVID-19 booster six months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series or two months after their initial J&J vaccine.
  • In most cases, COVID-19 boosters will not be available abroad.
  • The period of validity for initial COVID-19 vaccinations varies by country. Some countries consider immunization invalid six months after full vaccination while nine months validity is standard in others. These regulations can change at any time leaving students suddenly out of compliance, and unable to visit public spaces where proof of vaccination is required such as classes, libraries, cafes, and public transportation. A booster will extend the period of validity.
  • It will help protect students and the communities in which they will be living and studying.

 AU will consider requests for exemptions from the booster for the following circumstances:
  1.  Medical or religious exemptions already approved by AU from the COVID-19 vaccination.
  2. Students who are currently outside of the United States continuing a program abroad in Spring 2022 and not eligible to receive a booster in their host country.
  3. Students who are in the United States and not eligible for boosters by their program start date.
  4. International students who are ineligible for a booster in their country of residence and not returning to the United States prior to departure.
 
These exemption requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The AU Study Abroad Working Group, in its sole discretion, will evaluate the quality of the study abroad experience for a student who is either unvaccinated or no longer deemed fully vaccinated in their host country. If the AU Study Abroad Working Group determines the experience will be so diminished as to not meet a reasonable standard, then AU will not consider exemptions for that location.    

 
Students should submit a digital copy of the official documentation of booster that includes the name of the vaccine received, the date the booster was received, full name and date of birth through the AU Abroad portal. This documentation needs to be submitted as soon as possible but not later than two weeks before the start date of a student’s program.

 
Finally, we want to be clear that this requirement ONLY applies to study abroad students. It does not apply to students on main campus.

 
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact AU Abroad at auabroad@american.edu.