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"Across the world and on our campus, COVID-19 vaccination is important for allowing a return to normal life," school officials wrote in a statement.
The COVID-19 vaccination requirement will operate similarly to existing requirements for other immunizations and will begin to be implemented for students living on campus this summer, officials noted.
"As with our other required immunizations, students may request an exemption for medical or religious reasons."
The requirement will not apply to students participating in programs that are fully online or which never meet on campus, officials said.
Any vaccine currently authorized for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will be accepted by the university, officials said.
As more people are vaccinated, school officials noted that students, faculty, and staff who have been fully vaccinated do not need to quarantine or be tested if they have been identified as a close contact of a person with COVID-19, as long as they remain asymptomatic, the statement reads.
All undergraduate students, including non-Lehigh students, who request to live in university housing beyond June 1 also will be required to be vaccinated, officials said. Graduate students living in campus housing must be vaccinated as of July 1.
"Not only do vaccinations prevent serious illness and death, but increasing evidence indicates that vaccination significantly reduces the likelihood that a person can be an asymptomatic carrier of COVID," the statement reads.
"Our entire community will benefit from widespread vaccination. Please consider a vaccine if you haven’t yet done so."
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