Admission Procedures
Admission Procedures vary by program please review each full-time program brochure for the admission procedures.
Part Time and Evening course are offered on a first come first serve bases. Registration opens on a specific date and time each term. Please review the Part Time and Evening Program brochure for details. To register for Part Time and Evening Programs you must be able to pay your tuition and fees in full at the time you register.
Immunization Requirements ---
Tennessee Department of Health Rule 1200-14-1-.29
Who is required to be immunized?
• New full time enrollees in higher education institutions (post-secondary) in Tennessee with enrollments larger than 200 students.
• Exempt: full time distance learning students are exempted from immunization requirements
Note: Institutions may have policies or requirements that go beyond state requirements.
Measles, mumps and rubella immunity:
• Proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella may be provided by meeting one of the following 3 criteria:
o Date of birth before 1957, or
o Documentation of 2 doses vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella given at least 28 days
apart, excluding doses given earlier than 4 days before the first birthday, or
o Documentation of blood test (serology) showing immunity to measles, mumps and rubella. If
any one of the three is negative, 2 doses of vaccine must be documented.
Varicella (chickenpox) immunity:
• Proof of immunity to varicella (chickenpox) is required by meeting one of the following 4 criteria:
o Date of birth before 1980, or
o History of chickenpox illness diagnosed by a healthcare provider or verified by a physician,
advanced practice nurse or physician assistant to whom the illness is described, or
o Documentation of 2 doses of varicella vaccine given at least 28 days apart, excluding doses
given earlier than 4 days before the first birthday, or
o Documentation of blood test (serology) showing immunity to varicella.
Hepatitis B immunity (only for health science students expected to have patient contact):
• Proof of immunity to hepatitis B for students in health sciences prior to patient care duties may be documented in one of the following ways:
o Documentation of 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine, or
o Blood test (serology) showing immunity to hepatitis B virus (or infection)
Valid exemptions to requirements:
• Medical: Physician or health department indicates that certain vaccines are medically exempted (because of risk of harm). Any vaccines not exempted remain required.
• Religious: Requires a signed statement by the student that vaccination conflicts with his or her religious tenets or practices.
Students who need 2 doses of vaccine, but cannot get both doses before classes start: Such students may enroll with documentation of one dose of each required vaccine, but the institution should have a policy to require timely submission of proof of complete immunization. Such policies might include not releasing semester grades or not allowing course registration for the next semester until proof of complete immunization is provided.
Location of immunization records: Adults can have difficulty locating childhood immunization records. They should check with family members who may have copies of childhood records. They should try to contact the original immunization provider: if a local health department, contact them directly; if a private medical office, contact that office. Schools may have copies of immunization certificates in student files. Children born after the mid-1990s may have records entered in a state-managed immunization registry; such registries now exist in many states, but are unlikely to contain information on adults. If records cannot be located, vaccination is recommended – additional doses of vaccine are not harmful.
For more information: visit http://twis.tn.gov or http://health.state.tn.us/CEDS/required.htm.
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