Policies & Forms

The Student Health Center maintains a strict policy of confidentiality to safeguard the privacy of your personal and health information. This is an essential component of quality health care and is required by law.

FERPA permits, but does not require, a school to disclose personally identifiable information from a student’s education records, without consent, to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency, if knowledge of the information is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other individuals. 

Every undergraduate student has a confidential health record that is maintained in the Student Health Center during your student years and is kept on file for seven years after the conclusion of the academic year last enrolled by the student. ELS students' health records are retained for seven years after the last date that service was rendered. The Student Health Center does not release personal health information to anyone without your written authorization. Exceptions include life-threatening illness/injury or those reasons required by law such as court subpoena or public health reporting requirements.

Download the Consent to Release Student Health Information. Please upload the completed form to the Document Upload section of the Student Health Portal.

All full-time Hawk Hill and University City degree seeking students currently enrolled in on-ground credits are eligible to receive services at the Student Health Center (SHC). Students who are on leave of absence and those who have graduated are not eligible for services. 

Students are subject to all requirements of the SHC (including completion of the Physical Examination Form, Immunization Record, and the Health Evaluation Form). 

Services

• Nursing assessment and treatment of illness and injury (e.g. cold/ flu symptoms, painful urination, minor cuts, etc.) and referral for further evaluation by a physician or nurse practitioner.

• Health and wellness information.

• Student’s questions/ concerns and treatment regarding sexual health issues, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pregnancy, reproductive health, or alcohol/ drug/ tobacco problems will be answered and/or treated in a non judgmental, caring manner. The medical providers may treat or prescribe medication directly or assist the student in seeking help from a specialist or another appropriate medical provider/resource in the Philadelphia area.

• Nutritional Counseling for students with conditions such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, gastrointestinal conditions, adverse effects from medications, and weight gain or weight loss.

• Health related consultations, i.e. hypertension, weight-control, nutritional counseling, and sleep issues. 

• Students who need services beyond the scope of the Student Health Center will be referred to appropriate healthcare providers or facilities as necessary. Students are financially responsible for services rendered by outside healthcare providers and facilities.

• Tampons and liners are available in the Student Health Center bathroom.

• The Student Health Center does not function as a pharmacy and therefore does not dispense or distribute prescription medications. 

• Routine medication administration that requires clinical assistance (e.g. biologic injections, nebulizer treatments, etc.). Please see the Medication Administration section for more information. 

Student Health Center Fees

Graduate & Doctoral Students

*Fees are subject to change based on the cost through the supplier.

• Office Visit - $40
• Tuberculosis testing (skin test) - $20
• Crutch rental - refundable deposit of $20

* University of Science legacy students will not be charged for office visits at the Student Health Center.

Undergraduate Student Fees

There are no fees for undergraduate students to be evaluated and treated in the health center except as listed below. Students are responsible for all charges from outside healthcare providers or healthcare facilities. 
 

*Fees are subject to change based on the cost through the supplier.

• Tuberculosis testing (skin test) - $20
• Crutch rental - refundable deposit of $20

Vaccine-preventable diseases continue to occur on American campuses. Based on the recommendations of the American College Health Association (ACHA) Vaccine Preventable Diseases Committee and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), Saint Joseph’s University has immunization requirements for students that meet the criteria outlined below.

Immunization records must be complete and on file in the Student Health Center in order to register for classes. For religious or medical exemptions of the university required vaccines, please email the Student Health Center at health@sju.edu. 

Students with clinical and experiential learning should contact their program with any questions regarding lab titers, additional vaccine requirements, and any additional program requirements. 

Resources: CDC Vaccines & Immunizations

Good health is essential to academic success. Unexpected medical bills can threaten your ability to complete your education should you be uninsured or have inadequate coverage. In an effort to ensure students’ physical and financial health, eligible students are required to purchase or waive the University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) each academic year.

The following degree-seeking students from Hawk Hill and University City must maintain active health insurance while attending Saint Joseph’s University. *Not applicable to Lancaster students at this time.

Health Insurance Requirement Eligibility Criteria

University-sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) 

The SHIP is an ACA-compliant plan insured by UnitedHealthcare Student Resources (UHCSR) and includes access to United's national PPO network. Additional plan information can be found on the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) website.

Students with comparable coverage are encouraged to complete the health insurance waiver. To be considered comparable, the health insurance plan must be filed and approved in the U.S. and compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA). It must also provide comprehensive, non-emergent benefits in the geographical area surrounding the school. Students who do not submit an approved waiver by the deadline will be automatically enrolled and charged for the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP). Students intending to purchase the plan should submit the enrollment form to access their insurance benefits.

The Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) 2025-'26 enrollment/waiver form opens June 1, 2025 and closes September 4, 2025. 

For information about the health insurance plan, Qualifying Life Events (QLE), or to access your insurance card, please go to University Health Plans webpage. Students or a representative of the students who have questions about their waiver or waiver requirements may contact UHP at: 833-207-7508. 

Medicaid

Medicaid, also known as Medical Assistance (MA), pays for health care services for eligible individuals. Medical Assistance is available to individuals who are residents of Pennsylvania if all other eligibility requirements are met. There is no requirement regarding the length of time that a person must live in Pennsylvania. For more information about available services, eligibility, and to apply, please visit https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dhs/resources/medicaid.html.

Saint Joseph’s University Student Health Center does not provide medical excuse notes for students due to illness, injury and/or mental health problems that may lead to missed classes, exams or academic deadlines.

It is the student’s responsibility to inform the professor prior to the missed class, just as the student would be expected to inform their place of employment prior to the start of their work day. It is also the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for missed class work or collecting missed notes of lectures or other assignments as necessary.

Just as Saint Joseph's strives to grow students of competence and character, the Student Health Center encourages students to make healthy and mature decisions when they are sick. This includes healthy eating, adequate sleeping, following medical advice, and possibly missing classes when ill.

All decisions about the impact of an absence and arrangements for making up missed work must be determined between the professor and student.

The goal of the Student Health Center is to provide care to as many sick or injured students as possible rather than spending time verifying short term medical absences. This policy is consistent with recommendations from the American College Health Association and is similar to policies at other peer universities.

Assistance with ongoing illness or injury

Any student with an illness, injury, hospitalization or mental health problem requiring multiple absences should contact the Student Health Center. The Health Center will help facilitate communication with Student Success and / or Student Disability Services.

One of the goals of the Student Health Center (SHC) is to provide students with high-quality healthcare in a manner that clearly recognizes individual needs and rights. To effectively accomplish this goal, it is necessary for students and health care providers to work together. To that end, the following rights and responsibilities must be recognized and safe guarded.

As a student you have the following RIGHTS:

• To receive care and treatment with courtesy, respect, privacy and consideration.
• To receive information in terms that you can understand and to have any questions answered concerning your diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and any associated risks.
• To refuse to be examined or treated by health practitioners and to be informed of the consequences of such decisions.
• To be referred to an alternative health care source when appropriate or upon request.
• To participate actively in decisions regarding your health care and treatment.
• To know the identity of your health care provider.
• To review any medical records created and maintained by the SHC regarding your care and treatment, and to request amendments to these records in consultation with your health care provider.
• To have your medical records kept private. 
• To file a grievance with the Administrative Director of the SHC if you feel any of these rights have been violated.

As a student you have the following RESPONSIBILITIES:

• To show courtesy and consideration for the SHC staff.
• To provide complete information about immunizations, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and allergies to enable proper evaluation and treatment by clinicians.
• To ask questions or request clarification if needed to ensure that there is an adequate understanding of your health problem or treatment.
• To follow instructions concerning medications, follow-up visits, and other essential steps in our treatment plan, and to notify your provider if the plan cannot be followed, condition worsens or an unexpected reaction occurs.
• To keep scheduled appointments or cancel within a reasonable time ahead so that another person may be given that time slot.
• To be respectful of other patients’ privacy and confidentiality.
• To accept financial responsibility for any charges incurred with any health care provider/hospital/urgent care visit and treatment outside of the SHC.

You may direct any concerns about Rights and Responsibilities to the Administrative Director of the Student Health Center.

The Saint Joseph’s University Student Health Center does not distribute or dispense prescription medications. If a student is prescribed a prescription medication by a Student Health Center healthcare provider, the student will be instructed to pick up the medication at a pharmacy of the student's choosing. 

A student requiring clinical assistance with routine medication administration (such as a biologic injection or nebulizer treatment) may submit a request for the Student Health Center to provide this service. The medical director will review and approve/deny all medications administered at the health center. 

To submit a request, students must have their licensed medical provider complete the Medication Administration Order form and upload the completed form via 'Document Upload' to the Student Health Portal. Once the medical director has reviewed the form, the student will be notified via secure message in the Health Portal that their request has been approved/ denied. 

This form must be fully completed in order for Student Health Center to administer the requested medication. A new medication administration form must be completed at the beginning of each school year, for each medication, and each time there is a change in dosage or time of administration of a medication. *Prescription medication must be in a container labeled by the pharmacist or prescriber. *Non‐prescription medication must be in the original container with the label intact.