Frequently Asked Questions

For students electing to receive a single-dose vaccination (Johnson & Johnson), the vaccination must be administered at least two weeks prior to the onset of the Fall semester or moving into campus housing. If receiving a two-dose vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna), the second dose of vaccination must be completed by August 18, 2021 or two weeks prior moving into on campus housing.

For employees electing to receive a single-dose vaccination (Johnson & Johnson), the vaccination must be administered at least two weeks prior to June 28, 2021. If receiving a two-dose vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna), the second dose of vaccination must be completed two weeks prior to June 28, 2021.

NJIT has expanded the Medicat Health Services Patient Portal system, currently used by students, for use by employees. Students and employees are encouraged, once you have received your full vaccination, to provide vaccination information by completing the following steps:

Students and employees should upload a copy of their vaccination card into Medicat, a secure and HIPAA-compliant system by:

• Take a picture of the vaccination card;
• Visit NJIT.Medicatconnect.com and login with your UCID;
• Click the ‘Upload’ button at the bottom of the page;
• Click on the drop-down menu next to the blank box and choose ‘Covid Vaccine Record’;
• Click on ‘Select File’; 
• Upload the vaccination card picture or a PDF file of the card.

Once the above steps are completed, campus health services will verify the submission.

Faculty whose duties do not require them to be on campus for any reason will not be required to be vaccinated. However, we strongly encourage all members of our community to get vaccinated, regardless of their teaching modality.

No, students attending only online and not coming to campus for any reason will not be required to be vaccinated. However, we strongly encourage all members of our community to get vaccinated, regardless of their learning modality.

Yes, students and faculty who teach in or attend an online program and will not come to campus will be required to attest to the updated health pledge when accessing NJIT computing resources, stating that they will not come to campus.

Yes, students with an approved medical or religious exemption will be permitted to live in on-campus housing. The following will be required for these individuals:

• Students will be required to sign a disclaimer prior to moving into the residence halls stating that they understand the risks and additional restrictions required to allow living on campus.
• COVID-19 testing will be required a minimum of two times per week.
• Face coverings will be required at all times when outside the individual residence hall room, unless eating or drinking.

• Students, faculty and staff with an approved religious or medical exception from the vaccination mandate will be required to:
• Sign a disclaimer stating that they understand the risks and additional restrictions required
• Submit to COVID-19 testing a minimum of two times per week
• Wear face coverings at all times when on campus, unless eating or drinking

• NJIT will accept all vaccines authorized by either the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the World Health Organization (WHO), based on CDC guidance, with appropriate documentation of full vaccination. The University has the exclusive right to determine the appropriateness of the documentation.
• NJIT will not accept vaccines that are not authorized by the FDA or WHO.
• NJIT will assist students and staff who have not received an accepted vaccine to get vaccinated through our partnerships with St. Michael’s Medical Center, University Hospital, Essex County, and other sources. Additional information will be provided at a later date.
• While we cannot commit to this at this juncture, we will endeavor to provide vaccination options on campus for those students who arrive in August 2021 without the ability to prove full vaccination. Additional information will be provided at a later date.
• We recognize that the ability to access vaccination in some areas of the world is a challenge. In these extenuating circumstances, each case will be reviewed on an individual basis for consideration of an extension to the vaccination deadline requirement with additional restrictions. 

Based on CDC guidance, in some circumstances people who received a COVID-19 vaccine not currently authorized in the United States will be required to be revaccinated with an FDA-authorized vaccine:

• People who completed or partially completed a COVID-19 vaccine series with a vaccine that is not authorized by the FDA or not authorized for emergency use by the WHO will be required to be revaccinated with a FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine series.
• People who are partially vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine series authorized for emergency use by the WHO will be required to be revaccinated with a FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine series.
• The minimum interval between the last dose of a non-FDA authorized vaccine and an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine is 28 days.
• People who completed a COVID-19 vaccination series with a vaccine that has been authorized for emergency use by the WHO do not need any additional doses with an FDA-authorized COVID-19 vaccine.

NJIT intends to require all contract employees and employees of contractors that are immersed within our community to be vaccinated. Examples of these include IT support, dining services, and mail services. The final determination of this requirement is dependent on the outcome of discussions with these contractors.

We encourage those who may have questions about COVID vaccines to seek answers from reliable sources.

• To learn more about the vaccine approval process, click here or here.
• For information on COVID vaccine safety, watch this video from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
• To learn more about the protective benefits and safety of mRNA COVID vaccines, click here.
• For an explanation of emergency use authorization for vaccines, watch this video produced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• For a discussion of vaccine myths and facts, click here.
• And for information about COVID vaccines and pregnancy, you can read more here.

• Those with valid medical reasons precluding vaccination, as well as those with established and sincerely held religious beliefs that preclude receipt of a vaccination, may request an exemption.
• Such requests must be completed by June 28, 2021, for employees and by two weeks prior to their return to campus for students.
• Students requesting vaccination exemptions should contact the Office of the Dean of Students for guidance.
• Employee requests for exemption based upon religious beliefs should be submitted via the Religious Exemption Form, and requests for medical exemptions should be submitted using the Accommodation Request Form.
  • In addition, the employee’s health care provider will need to submit the Americans with Disabilities Accommodation (ADA) Interactive Questionnaire.
  • The employee should submit all completed forms to the Department of Human Resources for review at hraccommodations@njit.edu.

It will take some time for your body to build immunity to the Covid-19 virus following vaccination. The CDC defines fully vaccinated as:

• 2 weeks after receiving the second dose in a 2-dose series (Moderna, Pfizer)
• 2 weeks after receiving a single dose vaccine (Johnson & Johnson)

For additional information visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019- ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html

Yes. While vaccines are highly effective in preventing you from becoming ill, not enough is known about transmission of the virus from fully vaccinated persons. Therefore, continue to take precautions in public places like wearing a mask, staying 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces until more is known.

• People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered do not have to quarantine or get tested again as long as they do not develop new symptoms.
• People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms.

New Jersey Governor Murphy announced that as of April 5, 2021 NJ is following the CDC travel recommendations.

Domestic Travel

FULLY VACCINATED persons and those who have recovered from Covid-19 in the past three months no longer need to quarantine or get tested before or after domestic travel.

UNVACCINATED persons are to continue to do the following if travel is necessary

• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
• Self-quarantine for 7 days after travel even if you test negative.
• If testing is not available, self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
• If you develop symptoms or feel ill during this quarantine time and/or have a fever, self-isolate, and get tested.
• If you test positive, self-isolate and refer to the FAQ on what to do if you test positive for COVID-19.

See full CDC recommendations

International Travel

FULLY VACCINATED persons are required to do the following after return from travel:

• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
• Self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms; isolate and get tested if you develop symptoms.

UNVACCINATED persons are required to do the following after return from travel:

• Get tested with a viral test 3-5 days after travel.
• Self-quarantine for 7 days after travel even if you test negative.
• If testing is not available, self-quarantine for 10 days after travel.
• If you develop symptoms or feel ill during this quarantine time and/or have a fever, self-isolate, and get tested.
• If you test positive, self-isolate and refer to the FAQ on what to do if you test positive for COVID-19.

See full CDC recommendations