COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement Information

Updated March 30, 2022

Please note: The vaccination requirement pertains to the Spring 2022 semester only. The College will no longer require vaccination for students, faculty and staff beginning with the Summer I session and going forward. However, certain divisions, such as Allied Health & Nursing, may have specific vaccine/masking requirements.

Please refer to dccc.edu/coronavirus for up-to-date information and student resources.

Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions:

Will I need to be vaccinated to come to campus?
Effective January 1, 2022, current students, faculty, and staff must be fully vaccinated and have provided proof of vaccination to the College to enter any College campus or center. This means that you must receive your second or final (depending on whether you have received the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine) dose by January 1, 2022, to allow the two weeks needed for the vaccine to be fully effective before the start of the spring semester. Beginning January 1, 2022, students, faculty, and staff who remain unvaccinated without an approved exemption will not be permitted on campus.
Do students and faculty at branch campuses and off-site locations also need to provide proof of vaccination?
Yes, Delaware County Community College students and faculty taking/teaching classes offered at any branch campus or off-site location are also required to provide proof of vaccination. This includes credit and non-credit students and faculty except where the training is held at a non-College location.
How will this vaccine requirement affect high school dual enrollment students and concurrent adjunct faculty?
The vaccine requirement impacts all students who wish to access any College location, including dually enrolled high school students. Additionally, only vaccinated students or students with an approved exemption can access face-to-face student support services or activities.

Dual enrollment students taking college courses that are taught in high schools by high school instructors (concurrent adjunct faculty) do not need to be vaccinated. Dual enrollment students taking college courses that are taught in college classrooms, by college faculty, in any of the three Chester County Intermediate Units (Brandywine, Phoenixville and Pennocks Bridge), the Delaware County Intermediate Unit or an off-site location (e.g., Bennet Homes Center) do need to be vaccinated.
I am an international student. Will the College accept the vaccine/proof of vaccination I received in my home country?
Yes, per the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the U.S. will accept full vaccination of travelers with any COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO), including those from Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Other vaccines are also approved by the WHO and are used widely around the world, including the following vaccines: Gamaleya, Oxford-AstaZeneca, CanSino, Vector Institute, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sinopharm-Wuhan, Bharat Biotech.
If I am taking all my courses online, can I still come to the campus for in-person student services, events and activities if I am not vaccinated?
Students who are taking all courses online for the Spring 2022 semester are not subject to the vaccination requirement; however, fully online students who wish to regularly access a College location to use in-person services (e.g.: tutoring, advising, counseling, learning commons, bookstore), or attend events and/or activities will need to either:

1. Provide proof of vaccination. If you are interested in submitting your proof of vaccination because you intend to visit campus to utilize in-person services or attend class and events/activities, you can upload your documents at www.dccc.edu/uploadvaccine.

2. Have an approved medical/religious exemption (see below) AND provide proof of a negative COVID test taken no longer than 72 hours prior to their visit.

Please note, if you need to come to campus for an isolated incident, you should contact Student Affairs at studentaffairs@dccc.edu at least 48 hours prior to your intended arrival. You will need to show proof of a negative COVID test taken within the last 72 hours.
Will prospective students be permitted on campus?
Yes, prospective students will need to show proof of vaccination or will need to show proof of a negative COVID test taken within the last 72 hours. For prospective students who do not have proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, the College will allow limited access to the campus to complete the enrollment process. Once registered, the student will be required to submit proof of vaccination or apply for a medical and/or religious exemption or enroll in an online program.

Prospective students can also take advantage of the College’s online student services, including enrollment, placement testing, advising and counseling.
Will visitors be permitted on campus?
Yes, visitors will need to show proof of vaccination or will need to show proof of a negative COVID test taken within the last 72 hours to be permitted on campus.
How do I provide proof of vaccination?
Proof of vaccination can be submitted through the College's digital vaccination verification system. All faculty, staff, and students who work at DCCC or will be providing in-person instruction or are registered for in-person classes at any of DCCC locations will be notified by email, text, and when logging in to delaGATE with a link to submit proof of vaccination through the system. The Human Resources team will review your proof of vaccination and you will be notified when approved or if further information is needed.
How can I request a vaccination exemption?
Request for an exemption (medical/religious) from receiving the COVID-19 vaccination can be submitted through the College's digital vaccination verification system. All faculty, staff, and students who work at DCCC or will be providing in-person instruction or are registered for in-person classes at any of DCCC locations will be notified by email, text, and when logging in to delaGATE with a link to the system. Follow and respond to the survey questions indicating that you will be submitting an exemption request.

If you are requesting a medical exemption, you can download the medical exemption request form from the system or request a form from COVID19@dccc.edu and have your healthcare provider or physician complete and sign the form. Once completed, you may upload the form through the digital vaccination verification system.

If you are requesting a religious exemption, you will be sent a link to a DocuSign religious exemption form. Please complete the DocuSign religious exemption form and submit.

The Human Resources team will review your exemption requests and you will be notified when approved or if further information is needed.
How will the confidentiality of my proof of vaccination or exemption form be protected?
The College’s Human Resources department will administer the proof of vaccination and vaccination exemption process. Any documentation or other confirmation that employees, faculty or students provide about their vaccination status or vaccination exemption will be maintained confidentially and separately from all other records. Human Resources will strictly control access to the information and limit its use within the scope of the vaccination mandate.
If I had a previous COVID-19 diagnosis, do I still need to have proof of vaccination?
Yes, evidence is emerging that people get better protection by being fully vaccinated compared with having had COVID-19. One study showed that unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than twice as likely than fully vaccinated people to get COVID-19 again.
If I am unvaccinated but have an approved medical and/or religious exemption, will I be allowed on campus?
Unvaccinated students, faculty, and staff with an approved medical and/or religious exemption are permitted on campus but must provide proof of a weekly negative rapid COVID test beginning January 3, 2022. Proof of a negative test will need to be electronically uploaded by 12:01 a.m. every Monday during the Spring 2022 semester. Please refer to the list of locations in Delaware County providing free rapid COVID testing and the resource for Chester County locations. Note: The College is requiring free rapid COVID testing for unvaccinated individuals with an approved exemption; the College is not requiring or paying for any other COVID testing.
If I am not vaccinated and do not have an approved medical and/or religious exemption, can I still enroll in courses for Spring 2022?
Students who choose not to be vaccinated, and who do not have an approved medical and/or religious exemption, are encouraged to enroll in one of the College’s many online programs for the Spring 2022 semester. Student support services will continue to be available online, including tutoring, counseling and academic advising.
What information is available about the existing COVID vaccines?
Information regarding the various COVID-19 vaccines, including their safety and efficacy, is available from various agencies and public health authorities, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Pennsylvania Department of Health (PDOH). You may also wish to speak with your health care provider about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Where can I get vaccinated?
Any individual interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine can find a vaccination site near them by visiting the Delaware County vaccination resource page, the Chester County vaccination resource page or www.vaccines.gov.
Once booster shots are available, will they be required for students, faculty and staff?
The College is waiting to receive additional information regarding the booster from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Will the College require masks and social distancing for the Spring 2022 semester?
The College will require masks for all students, faculty and staff for the Spring 2022 semester. Classrooms in all divisions will return to full capacity.
What should I do if I lost my CDC COVID-19 vaccine card?
Luckily, most vaccine providers and state health departments have already put in place measures to help you get a new one, or at least obtain a digital record of your vaccination, which the College will also accept as proof of vaccination. Check and see if your vaccine provider, be it a retail pharmacy, health clinic, or a health department, allows you to access your vaccine records online or you can call the location where you were vaccinated and request a record of your vaccination.

Immunizations are also reported to the appropriate state health department's Immunization Information System (IIS). You can request an electronic record of your vaccination record from the PA Department of Health by visiting www.health.pa.gov/topics/Reporting-Registries/PA-SIIS/Pages/PA-SIIS.aspx.

If you have a COVID-related question, please email your question to covid19@dccc.edu.

Please also review the CDC’s Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement Information

Contact Information

Links