International Programs Global Policies

Due to variability in COVID-19 policies across the world and expected tightening of COVID-19 restrictions as we head into the winter season, IP will continue its vaccination requirement for the Spring 2023 academic semester. As a reminder, all students participating in an international program must satisfy the following COVID-19 vaccine requirements:

• All students must be fully vaccinated and boosted once (when eligible for a booster) in advance of their departure to the program. There are no exemptions or exceptions to this policy. 
• Spring 2023 study abroad participants: Review our COVID-19 Spring 2023 Vaccine and Booster Table for program-specific details and deadlines.

Consistent with the University’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all IP students, regardless of program, are directed to submit proof of vaccination to the Student Health Center (SHC) via the student health portal. Vaccination and booster status will be shared with University officials who have a legitimate need to know this information. This may include faculty or staff in academic or administrative settings, or for contact tracing purposes, etc. Students that submit falsified vaccine records will be reported to the Office of Community Standards. The sanction of falsifying this record may include suspension from the University. 

COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Availability: please refer to L.A. County’s COVID-19 vaccine website for vaccination appointments and locations. 

Students with questions should contact the International Programs Office at 310.506.4230 or international.programs@pepperdine.edu. More information, including answers to frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines, are available on the University’s COVID-19 website. 

For international programs occurring after May 1, 2023, IP will align its COVID vaccination policy with the prevailing Pepperdine COVID vaccination policy unless circumstances in host countries and/or program related travel locations require otherwise. The University’s COVID-19 vaccination policy requires students to be vaccinated who do not claim an exemption. The university’s exemption process requires students to complete a form via the Student Health Center Patient Portal if they seek an exemption due to medical, religious, or philosophical reasons.

In addition to complying with the University vaccination policy, students applying for programs that begin after May 1, 2023 must comply with host country vaccination requirements, as well as those of countries included in educational field trips/ international study tours and partner organizations if they are more stringent than the university’s policy. As of February 14, 2023, participants in the Kenya MITS program must be vaccinated because of our partner organization’s requirement.  Also, Germany’s COVID-19-related requirements for performances necessitate participants in the Heidelberg Music Program be fully vaccinated. 

Review our COVID-19 Summer 2023 & Academic Year 2023-2024 Vaccine and Booster Table2023-2024 Vaccine and Booster Table  for program-specific details and deadlines.

If the program countries’ COVID vaccination requirements change at any time in the future, participants must comply with all new or updated requirements. If the new requirements necessitate additional vaccination or boosters, students will need to comply to remain in the program. Students who choose not to comply with the revised requirements (before or during the program) will be ineligible to continue participation in the program, remain in the program country, and must withdraw from the program. In the event of withdrawal, the financial policies detailed in the International Program contract and the Seaver College catalog will govern outstanding charges, fees, or refunds for tuition and room and board. Students participating in IP should be aware that failure to comply with host country, EFT/IST country, or local partner policies will likely result in the loss of incurred expenses, including visa, local country fees, and personal travel. Withdrawing students shall also be responsible for any additional costs associated with their return travel.

For the aforementioned reasons, students should consider carefully the consequences of not being fully vaccinated when participating in IP. The past couple of years have shown that COVID-19 policies, including vaccination and booster requirements, can change very quickly both in the US and in IP host countries and travel locations. Also, exemptions (such as for religious or philosophical reasons) available to students in the US are likely not to be accepted or permitted in program host countries or travel locations. For these reasons and for the health and well-being of our program communities, International Programs continues to encourage all participants to be fully vaccinated and boosted (to have received the initial dose of a vaccine and applicable boosters, if eligible) prior to participation.

Consistent with the University’s COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, students are directed to submit proof of vaccination (if required by the program) to the Student Health Center (SHC) via the Student Health Portal. Vaccination and booster status will be shared with University officials who have a legitimate need to know this information. This may include faculty or staff in academic or administrative settings, or for contact tracing purposes, etc. Students that submit falsified vaccine records will be reported to the Office of Community Standards. The sanction of falsifying this record may include suspension from the University. 

COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Availability: please refer to L.A. County’s COVID-19 vaccine website for vaccination appointments and locations.