Health Services

Overview

At the University of Northwestern, we want to do all we can to help you successfully navigate through college life, and sometimes that means managing unexpected challenges due to illness or injury. The nurse in Health Services will try to help manage your health concerns as best she can within her scope of practice and capability, along with the virtual medical platform, TimelyCare. However, sometimes health insurance is necessary to get the care you need and can help keep medical expenses from derailing your educational goals.

All students must carry health insurance.

Many of you will be covered by your parents’ health insurance plan during your years in college. If so, please make sure you carry a copy of your health insurance or a card provided by your insurance company. Health Insurance is needed for all medical care received off-campus and outside of the virtual platform for medical care, TimelyCare. If you are not covered by a parent’s health insurance plan and/or are looking for insurance, you can check out Student Health Plans for more resources.

International Student Medical Insurance

All international students are required to purchase international student medical insurance. For more information and assistance with this contact the Health Service’s office at 651-631-5246.

All students need to provide evidence of certain immunizations once they are admitted to the university. This is to protect you from serious illness and also to protect our community. It is the student’s responsibility to provide accurate immunization dates to achieve compliance. These dates will become a part of your official medical record.

What’s Required?

Minnesota College Immunization Law requires all students born after 1956 be immunized against certain diseases, allowing for certain specified exemptions.

• Tetanus/diphtheria (Td or Tdap), at least one dose is required within past 10 years. If no childhood immunizations were received, the student must receive one Tdap, followed by one Td four weeks after the initial Tdap, and then one additional Td 6-12 months after that.
• Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR), must report 2 doses after age 12 months or provide titer results. You must have received all three vaccines: measles, mumps AND rubella for the requirement to be met in Minnesota.

How do I submit it?

Students submit their Tetanus (Td or Tdap) and MMR dates online by logging into myUNW and finding the Health Services page and following the link to the subpage, Immunization Requirements.

Under Minnesota law, you do have to submit an immunization record to your college or meet one of the legal exemptions. To complete an exemption form, sign into myUNW and find the Health Services page with more detailed information under the Immunization Requirements subpage.

What’s Recommended?

• Meningitis
  • Meningococcal ACWY
  • Meningococcal B
• Hepatitis A (2 dose series recommended for people with increased risk, for international travelers and others who wish to obtain immunity.)
• Hepatitis B (3 dose series)
• Varicella (2 doses given one month apart if no history of having chicken pox)
• Poliomyelitis (recommended for students under 18 years and some international travelers)
• Influenza (annual)
• Mantoux testing (required for all international students who have been where tuberculosis is endemic and for all students who have other tuberculosis risk factors)
• COVID Vaccine – remain up to date on current recommendations

Immunizations can be received for low cost at
Ramsey County Public Health
555 Cedar Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
Phone: 651-266-1234 – please call for an appointment