College of St. Scholastica, International Student Services, Immunization Requirements for international students

  INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ABOUT IMMUNIZATIONS

 Because we find many International students have difficulty providing information about vaccinations required by the State of Minnesota to attend college we have included this additional information.

All students attending school post high school are required by law to provide the date of one immunization against Measles, Mumps and Rubella administered after the first birthday. Providing the dates of all doses of these vaccines is helpful as anyone pursuing a health science major will need proof of two Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccines to finish their course of study. In Minnesota students have been immunized twice by age 12 against each of these diseases.

Additionally, immunization against Tetanus and Diphtheria within the last 10 years (and preferably within the past 5 years) is also required. If you have received these immunizations it will almost certainly be easier to obtain those records before you leave your home country. If you have not yet received these immunizations they may be much less expensive to receive at home before you travel than they are in the United States. If no record of immunization is provided we will arrange for you to receive them here, but the charges for these vary from $7 too $75 US dollars for each immunization and involve time consuming off campus travel. The health insurance offered by the College does NOT cover the cost of any immunization so you will be personally responsible for any of these charges.

Immunization against Hepatitis B (a series of 3 immunizations over a 6 month period) is highly recommended but not yet required by the College or the State of Minnesota. Any student planning to major in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy or Exercise Physiology will be required to complete the series of 3 immunizations. This immunization is available in Health Service but it’s cost is NOT covered by International Student Health Insurance and will be the student’s responsibility.

Proof of tuberculosis status is required of any student arriving from any country deemed by the American College Health Association to be at high risk for the disease. These countries presently include all countries in the African, Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asian Regions as well as Russia. Documentation accepted from those students arriving from high risk areas include:

1. Proof of a negative mantoux (tuberculin) skin test placed 3-6 months before arrival at school.

2. A negative chest Xray report, (not the film itself) from an MD evaluation done within the previous year (required if the mantoux, or tuberculin skin test is positive).

3. The results of a negative Quantiferon Gold lab test result performed in the 3 months before arrival at school.

Students from high risk areas who do not provide this information will be required to have the Quantiferon Gold blood test drawn by Health Service staff. The cost of this test, which is around $80 USD will be billed to the student’s health insurance company. Any portion of this bill not paid by insurance will be the students responsibility and will be added to the student’s CSS account in the Business Office.

Those whose Quantiferon Gold blood test is positive (indicating exposure to the tuberculin bacillus) will be referred off campus (again involving time consuming off campus travel) for a rather extensive  and expensive Medical evaluation including a visit with a Doctor, chest X-ray, possible blood testing and possible treatment with medication for 9 months to lessen the risk of the spread of tuberculosis to the rest of the college community. All of these requirements may or may not be more easily accomplished in your home country. If meeting these requirements is impossible, and we do understand this is a possibility, we can assist you in meeting the requirements after your arrival, but need to emphasize that this will require a fair amount of your time and money to accomplish.

Medical care in the United States is excellent, but is always much, much more expensive than our International students anticipate.

We would be happy to answer any of your questions about these requirements by e-mail, please feel free to contact us with your questions. Welcome to The College of Saint Scholastica.   

Your Student Health Service Staff.