COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

Wheaton College requires all individuals who participate in international programs to be up-to-date with their COVID-19 vaccination(s). To be up-to-date, a person must receive a booster shot when and if eligible prior to departure and/or if required by the host country. 

This decision was made for the safety of all program participants and the communities that host us. Requests for medical or religious accommodations to the vaccination requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis. After initial review of the medical or religious accommodation request to ensure the rationale meets the requirements of the policy, the factors that will be considered in assessing requests for accommodation will include but are not limited to: local entry and quarantine requirements, restrictions on internal mobility or access to venues, the nature and extent of interactions with local communities, availability of adequate medical care in the international location(s), the length of the program, public health requirements (such as quarantine and travel restrictions, including re-entry to the US) that will apply when an unvaccinated individual is exposed to or contracts the virus abroad, and other facts and circumstances that may impact the program and its participants. Please note: Wheaton College cannot override policies or requirements implemented by other countries or program partners.

Requests for medical or religious accommodations to the vaccination requirement will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Deadlines for accommodation requests vary by program. After initial review of the medical or religious accommodation request to ensure the rationale meets the requirements of the policy, the factors that will be considered in assessing requests for accommodation will include but are not limited to: local entry and quarantine requirements, restrictions on internal mobility or access to venues, the nature and extent of interactions with local communities, availability of adequate medical care in the international location(s), the length of the program, public health requirements (such as quarantine and travel restrictions, including re-entry to the US) that will apply when an unvaccinated individual is exposed to or contracts the virus abroad, and other facts and circumstances that may impact the program and its participants.