Vaccinations for students entering college or university

At college or university you will be meeting, mixing and living with lots of new people. This can be an ideal environment for viral infections to spread.

Vaccination protects you from serious, potentially even fatal diseases. Being fully vaccinated will also help to limit the spread of these viruses. This will help protect you, your family, your peers, and vulnerable people.

Make sure you are protected against:

• Measles (nhs.uk) 
• Mumps (nhs.uk)
• Meningitis (nhs.uk)
• COVID-19 (nhs.uk)
• Human Papillomavirus (HPV) (nhs.uk)

Vaccinations you should have received:

• 2 doses of the MMR vaccine 

This protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Children are usually vaccinated before they start primary school.

• 1 dose of MenACWY vaccine

This protects against 4 different strains of Meningitis (A, C,Y and Men W). You are usually offered this vaccine in year 9.

• 2 doses of the HPV vaccine

This protects against Human Papillomavirus (nhs.uk), a very common sexually transmitted infection. The HPV vaccine helps protect against cancers and genital warts caused by HPV. You are usually offered the first dose in year 8 and a second dose 6 to 24 months after the first.

• 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and recommended booster(s)

This protects you from serious illness during a COVID-19 infection. It also significantly reduces risk of complications from a long COVID illness. These are free NHS vaccines. 2 primary doses are offered 12 weeks apart. If you are aged 16 and over, you are also eligible for a booster (3rd) dose.

The universal offer of a primary course and booster vaccination will be coming to an end. If you have not had your first or second primary vaccination dose, you will need to arrange your vaccination before the 30th June. 

If you have not had your universal booster (third) dose, you will need to arrange this before the 31st March.  

For those in ‘at risk’ groups the booster offer will reopen during booster campaign periods. If you develop a new health condition that places you ‘at risk’, you can be vaccinated during the next booster campaign period. Vaccination outside these campaign periods would be subject to individual clinical judgement.

Please contact your local health board to arrange an appointment or follow their social media, before these universal offers end.

Your current GP surgery will be able to tell you if your vaccinations are up to date and how to get them. It makes sense to get this done early and you can then focus on learning and enjoying yourself.

Visit the Public Health Wales website for further information on vaccines.