Vaccination policy information for students: Beyond October 17th

Under McMaster’s Vaccination Policy, students are required to upload their proof of vaccination by October 17th at 11:59pm ET. After this date, if you have not provided proof of vaccination or received an approved exemption you are not permitted to attend McMaster’s campus or any McMaster-affiliated site. Please see below for guidance for students who are studying entirely remotely or have at least one in-person class this fall.  

I’m studying entirely remotely this fall:

• You will not be permitted to access campus or any McMaster-affiliated site until you upload proof of vaccination or receive an approved exemption. 

•  You will receive an email follow-up from the University, which depending on your specific circumstances could include an invitation to a meeting with a university representative to discuss your options under the Vaccination Policy. 

• You will not be unenrolled from your Fall 2021 remote courses. However, unless you fall into one of the below categories of students that are eligible to seek special consideration, you will be unenrolled from any Winter 2022 courses as there is an expectation that you will need to attend campus at some point during the Winter term, whether for in-person learning opportunities or in-person assessments.

I have at least one in-person course this fall:

• You will not be permitted to access campus or any McMaster-affiliated site until you upload proof of vaccination or receive an approved exemption. 

• You will receive an email follow-up from the University, which depending on your specific circumstances could include an invitation to a meeting with a university representative to discuss your options under the Vaccination Policy. 

• Following this initial email and/or meeting, you will be asked to contact your academic advisor to explore possible next steps for any in-person courses you currently have. Keep in mind that instructors are not required to offer online teaching or assessments to accommodate students who have not met vaccination requirements and are no longer permitted to access campus or a McMaster-affiliated site. 

• If there is an available option for completing the in-person course remotely, you must apply for temporary special consideration in order to continue this course remotely. This special consideration will expire in the Winter 2022 term. 

• If there are no available options for completing the in-person course remotely, you will be unenrolled from the course. This course will be removed from your transcript and you will be fully refunded for the individual course. You will remain enrolled in any Fall 2021 remote courses and will not be refunded for these courses. 

• You will be unenrolled from any Winter 2022 courses as there is an expectation that you will need to attend campus at some point during the Winter term, whether for in-person learning opportunities or in-person assessments.

Am I required to upload proof of vaccination to MacCheck before October 18th if I am a(n):  

Full-time or part-time student in an undergraduate or graduate degree program?

Yes. If you are a student enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program, even if you do not plan to attend campus or any McMaster-affiliated site in the fall term, you are required to upload your proof of vaccination to MacCheck by October 18th. As McMaster currently does not offer any undergraduate or graduate programs without some level of in-person learning, you will be required to come to campus at some point during your degree. This could include an in-person class in the Winter 2022 term or an in-person assessment. 

If you are enrolled in a health professional degree program, you should follow the instructions from the Faculty of Health Sciences Health Screening Office and your education program for submitting proof of vaccination. As most health professional degree programs do not have any remote learning options, learners who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged to meet as soon as possible with their education program to explore possible next steps. 

International student, co-op work abroad student or remote exchange student who is currently residing outside of Canada and is experiencing barriers to accessing a Health Canada or WHO-approved vaccine, or a third dose of a non-Health Canada or WHO-approved vaccine?

Updated November 12, 2021:

• Undergraduate students: For more information, please visit the International Student Services office website to access current information and to receive the supports to be successful.
• Graduate students: For more information, please visit the School of Graduate Studies website to access current information and details about supports available.

Continuing Education student who is learning entirely remotely and there is no expectation to attend campus for any reason?

If you are a student who is not in a degree program and you are only taking remote courses, you are strongly encouraged but not required to upload proof of vaccination to the MacCheck digital tool, unless you plan on accessing campus or a McMaster-affiliated site.  

If you decide to take an in-person course in a future semester, you must upload proof of vaccination to the MacCheck digital tool before enrolling.  

Continuing Education students in the Faculty of Health Sciences who have in-person clinical placements are required to follow the health and safety mandates, including vaccination policies, of their employer.