Bacterial Meningitis Vaccination Information

Effective Jan. 1, 2012, TEC 51.9192 (amended by SB No. 62, effective Oct. 1, 2013), all new students under 22 are required to submit evidence of immunization against bacterial meningitis or meet certain criteria for declining such a vaccination.

Proof of immunization/exemption will be required before students are permitted to register for classes. The vaccination requirement applies to:

• All new first year (1L) students
• All new transfer and visiting students
• All new students auditing a course
• All returning Texas A&M students who have experienced a break in their Texas A&M enrollment of at least one fall or spring semester

You are exempt from the vaccination requirements if any of the following apply:

• You are 22 years of age of older (goes into effect October 1, 2013)
• You cannot take the vaccine because of medical reasons (must be verified by physician)
• You decline the vaccine due to reasons of conscience, including a religious belief.
  PLEASE NOTE: Before you will be allowed to attend classes, you must complete an original, Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) Vaccine Exemption Affidavit Form. This is the only acceptable documentation for this exemption, and this process takes a significant amount of time. Begin well in advance of your intended start date.

Students exempt from the vaccination requirements for any of the above reasons must return a signed copy of the Bacterial Meningitis Immunization Exemption Form to the Office of Admissions.

Evidence of Vaccination

Your Evidence of Vaccination must verify that the vaccination was received during the five year period prior to and no later than 10 days before the first day of the semester.  All documents should include your full name and date of birth.

Entering Fall 201​​9 – vaccination must be on or after 08/​16/201​4

Evidence of vaccination must be submitted in one of the following four formats: 

1. A complete Evidence of Vaccination against Bacterial Meningitis Form. Print out and use this form if you plan to obtain your vaccination somewhere other than your personal physician's office.
2. A document bearing the signature or stamp of the physician or his/her designee, or public health personnel (must include the month, day, and year the vaccination was administered).
3. An official immunization record generated from a state or local health authority (must include the month, day,and year the vaccination was administered).
4. An official record received from school officials, including a record from another state (must include the month, day, and year the vaccination was administered).

Students may fill out a New, Transfer or Visiting Law Students Extension Request Form if they need more time to fulfill the vaccination requirement. Students who fail to submit the required bacterial meningitis documents by the preferred deadline will not be permitted to register for classes.

Texas A&M University will maintain the above information in accordance with Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations and the Health and Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Important Considerations

• You are strongly encouraged to obtain the bacterial meningitis vaccination before entering the United States.
• Meningitis documents must be in English. If a meningitis document is received in another language, then the document needs to be translated. A seal or stamp must be on the translated document in order to be considered an official record.
• The bacterial meningitis vaccination must be administered by a Health Practitioner authorized by law to administer an immunization.

Evidence to Decline Vaccination

Evidence to Decline Vaccination must be submitted in one of the following formats:

1. An affidavit or a certificate signed by a physician who is duly registered and licensed to practice medicine in the United States, in which it is stated that, in the physician's opinion, the vaccination required would be injurious to the health and well-being of the student.
2. An affidavit that is notarized and signed by the student stating that the student declines the vaccination for bacterial meningitis for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief.
3. Request the TDSHS Affidavit Request for Exemption from Immunizations for Reasons of Conscience. The form cannot be accepted if more than 90 days have passed since the date it was notarized.

For More Information

For additional questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Admissions at (817) 212-4040 or law-admissions@law.tamu.edu.  

The documentation must be submitted through postal mail, e-mail, fax, or in person to the Office of Admissions.

Texas A&M University School of Law
Office of Admissions
1515 Commerce Street
Fort Worth, TX 76102
Fax: (817) 212-4141
Email: law-admissions@law.tamu.edu