Health-related: Health requirements for students at Ball State University exist primarily to protect the student body as a whole from infectious disease. Secondary goals are to meet Indiana State Law requirements and to have medical information at hand should a student need assistance from the health service.
State Code:Indiana state law provides that Ball State shall prevent a student from beginning classes if they have not complied with certain requirements by the beginning of the student's second academic term. These requirements apply only to students who are registered for classes on the Ball State Campus. These requirements do not apply to students who are taking only online classes.
Requirements are different for domestic students (those from the United States) and international students.
Requirements are as follows:
Domestic students
Domestic students must have a health form completed. You must have Adobe Reader to open this file. If you do not have it you may download it for free at www.adobe.com by clicking the icon which says "Get Adobe Reader."
The history portion must be signed and dated by the student if he or she is 18 years of age or older. If the student is less than 18 year of age, it must be signed by his or her parent or guardian. As of spring semester 2008 a physical exam is no longer required. The health form includes information about meningococcal meningitis and the meningitis vaccine. The meningitis vaccine is one of the vaccines available at the health center. Students are required to receive information about the meningitis vaccine and make a decision about whether they wish to receive the vaccine or not.
Students must have a booster dose of Td (Tetanus and Diphtheria) or TdaP (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) within 10 years prior to admission. Documentation of Tetanus Toxoid alone is not sufficient. Td and TdaP are vaccines available at the health center.
Students born on or after January 1, 1957, must have either 2 doses of MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) or the following: 2 doses of Measles both given after 1967 and the first on or after the first birthday and the doses separated by at least 30 days, or an immune titer or physician diagnosed measles; 1 dose of Rubella or an immune titer; 1 dose of Mumps or physician diagnosed Mumps or an immune titer. MMR is a vaccine available at the health center.
State law and health center policy provide for an exemption from these requirements if the student provides a signed and dated statement expressing objection on religious grounds. If a student presents such a statement, and the student is over the age of 18, the statement must be signed and dated by the student. If the student is under the age of 18, the statement must be signed and dated by a parent or guardian, unless the student is emancipated. An exemption may also be granted if a student presents written documentation that she is pregnant or if a student is in the process of completing a course of immunizations.
International students
International graduate and undergraduate students must meet all the requirements listed above for undergraduate students. In addition, they must have an evaluation for tuberculosis performed in the United States. Either a TB skin test or a Quantiferon Gold blood test performed in the U.S. is acceptable. Testing will be offered as part of orientation prior to beginning classes. Learn more about TB testing for international students.