Frequently Asked Questions
General
Q: Who has access to the Health Center?
A: Access to the Health Center is limited to health tuition-paying students or qualified “off semester”
students. Spouses and domestic partners of students are eligible to use the Health Center if they meet certain criteria,
including the prepayment of a $100/semester health fee. Additionally, faculty and staff of UCF may use the Health Center if
they have qualifying BlueCross BlueShield coverage.
Q: Are there “real” doctors in the Health Center?
A: Yes, our physicians are all Board Certified.
Q: Am I automatically assigned a physician?
A: No, you may choose to see anyone of our physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners.
Insurance
Q: I already have health insurance. Why do I have to pay a health fee?
A: The health fee is a state-mandated fee that all students attending a 4-year state university are required to pay
regardless of insurance coverage. You are entitled to unlimited primary care visits with no office charge and it enables us
to provide other affordable services to the you and UCF community.
Q: Which insurance plans does the Health Center accept?
A: The Health Center participates only with the student health insurance plan, administered by The Chickering Group,
an Aetna company, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO. If you are a student covered by BlueCross BlueShield PPO, you must let the
appointments staff know in advance so that you are scheduled with a BC/BS in-network provider.
Q: Can the Health Center file claims with my insurance company?
A: Yes, if you have The Chickering Group, BlueCross BlueShield PPO, or out of network benefits on any other insurance
plan. The Business Office will need a completed Insurance Processing Agreement and a copy of the front and back of your insurance
card.
Q: Where can I find more information about the Student Health Insurance Plan?
A: Please refer to our Insurance page on this website or call our Business Office for more information (407.823.4252).
Immunizations
Q: Where can I obtain my immunization records?
A: You can ask your parents/guardians to see if they have any official documentation for you. Your doctor or former
pediatrician may have your immunizations on file. You can also try any public schools that you have attended. Previous colleges
(except community colleges) or universities are good sources, also.
Q: What is an MMR?
A: An MMR is the Measles, Mumps and Rubella combination vaccine.
Q: Is this just a University of Central Florida requirement?
A: No. All Florida State University System schools, and some private institutions require proof of two MMR shots. Some
schools may have additional requirements. Some departments within UCF may have separate requirements for immunizations that are
not monitored by Health Services.
Q: When is the deadline to submit my immunization records?
A: You must submit the records before registering for courses at UCF (registration is usually done at orientation). You are
not required to submit them for admission to the university.
Q: What if my doctor doesn’t have an office stamp?
A: Ask your doctor’s office to write the dates of your shots on their office letterhead and sign it. It is helpful to
have your date of birth on the form as well.
Q: I have documents from the health department or my former school. Do I still need to complete the UCF Immunization form?
A: Yes, your bio/demographic information and signature are required on the left side of the form. Copies of your other
records can then be attached to the form and submitted.
Q: Why were my shot records good enough to get through public school, but not sufficient for UCF?
A: Until fairly recently, almost all public schools in Florida only required that you have one dose of the Measles
immunization. The State of Florida now requires two doses of measles for all public school and university students.
Q: I was in the military. Doesn’t this prove that I've had all my immunizations?
A: No. While most people in the military have received many immunizations, the requirement states that we must have your
actual immunization dates on file. You may submit copies of your military shot record, which we can review to determine if the
requirement has been met.
Q: I attended another Florida State University System school; do I still have to show proof of immunizations when the
requirements are the same?
A: Each university stores the data differently and these systems are not linked together. You can simply contact the health
services department of your former school and ask them to fax the records to UCF Health Services for review.
Q: I got my first shot before my first birthday, why would this be unacceptable?
A: Immunizations given prior to your first birthday may be ineffective because your immune system was not fully developed.
The CDC recommends that the Measles and Rubella immunizations be given after you are one year old. That is the policy established
in the requirements.
Q: If I was born before January 1, 1957, do I still have to submit proof of MMR shots?
A: No, you are exempt. You are required to submit the Immunization Form, however. Just complete the portion on the left side
of the vertical line and submit.
Q: I had my transcripts sent to UCF and they were supposed to contain my immunization records. Why don’t you have them?
A: College transcripts generally do not contain immunization records. You will have to request a copy of these records from
the health services department of your former school. Many high school transcripts do contain immunization records. However, these
transcripts are sent directly to Undergraduate Admissions and become the property of that office. You will need to obtain a separate
copy of these records from your high school and submit them directly to UCF Health Services. There are cases when high school transcripts
are received electronically. The dates of the MMR shots are directly put in the software our offices uses. Please call 407.823.3707
and we would be glad to check and see if your immunization record is already showing in our system.
Q: What kind of proof of shots do you accept?
A: We will accept any official form containing your name, date of birth, the names of the shots, and the dates of the shots. These
forms or documents may be from a medical office, a school, or military records. Copies of baby book pages where your parents wrote in the
shots are not official records and are unacceptable.
Q: What if I cannot find my records?
A: You may retake the shots. Because you must wait at least 30 days between the two doses, contact our office if this interferes
with your UCF orientation deadline.
Q: Where may I obtain the shots?
A: MMR shots are available at the UCF Health Center. You may also receive them at public health offices or private doctors’
offices.
Q: What is a titer test?
A: It is a blood test that tests the level of antibodies in a person’s bloodstream. Positive IGG titers for Measles and
Rubella may be submitted in lieu of immunizations. A copy of the lab report MUST be attached to your immunization form.
Q: Where do I send the Immunization Form?
A: Our address is in the upper right corner of the form:
UCF Health Services - Health Information Management
P.O. Box 163333, Orlando, FL 32816
Please be sure to keep a copy for your records.
You may also fax the form to us at 407.823.3135.
Q: Are the Hepatitis B and Meningitis shots required to enroll at UCF?
A: No. Students who will be residing in UCF’s on-campus housing are required to either document receiving the
Hepatitis
B and Meningitis vaccines or sign a form to waive the requirements. Please submit the form to Student Housing with your residence
application. If you would like more information regarding Meningitis please visit our
Educational Links/Meningitis Resources.
International Students
Q: For what duration do international students need to purchase insurance?
A: You will need to have health insurance for the duration of the semester for which you are trying to register. If you want
to register for the fall semester, you will need to be covered from August 20 until January 5 (of the following year), at least. If
you want to register for the spring semester, you will need to be covered from January 5 until May 20, at least. If you want to register
for the summer semester, you will need to be covered from May 20 until August 20, at least. If you are not taking classes or if you are
out of the country during the summer semester, you are still required to have health insurance. To avoid any confusion with those dates,
the office advises you to have annual coverage (from May 20 until May 20 of the following year).
Q: Do International Students have to buy the insurance offered by UCF?
A: International students are not obligated to purchase the health insurance plan that is offered at UCF. The office has a list
of alternative insurance companies for International Students. We have checked that those companies offer health insurance plans that
match the requirements listed on the compliance form.
Q: If I buy the insurance offered by UCF, how do I apply? Can I send my payment directly to the insurance company?
A: When you choose to purchase the health insurance plan that is offered at UCF, you can come into the office to make your payment.
The methods of payment that are accepted are: personal checks, credit cards (Visa or MasterCard only), and money orders. We are unable to
accept cash.
You may also enroll online at www.chickering.com. Just bring us your payment receipt as proof of purchase.
Q: I am an international student. Do I have to fill out the Compliance Form or can I just bring in my insurance card?
A: The office will not accept a copy of your insurance card only. It is mandatory for all international students who have
insurance from an outside company to have a UCF Compliance Form filled out by their insurance representative. The Compliance Form lists
what the insurance requirements are and the office must see what your insurance covers, in detail.
Q: I have insurance through my employer, what do I do?
A: If you have health insurance through your employer, you will need to have a Compliance Form filled out by a representative of
the health insurance company your employer uses. If your coverage does not match the requirements, our office will need a copy of your
insurance card and you will need to sign a Health Insurance Financial Accountability Affidavit.
Q: I have insurance through a family member, what do I do?
A: If you have health insurance through a family member, you will need to have a Compliance Form filled out by a representative of
the health insurance company your family member uses. If your coverage does not match the requirements, our office will need a copy of your
insurance card and your family member will need to sign a Health Insurance Financial Accountability Affidavit.
Q: I have an Insurance Hold, but my insurance is current. Why do I have this Hold?
A: Even though you have health insurance for the current semester, the office will put you back on hold (toward the middle of the
semester) as a reminder to show us proof of health insurance for the following semester. The office must know in advance that you will
have health insurance during the semester for which you are trying to register. This hold will only prohibit the next semester’s
REGISTRATION, nothing more.
A: Regardless of national health care systems, no international student is exempt from the requirement. However, different countries have different ways of meeting this requirement. Please call our office for further explanation if you have questions about this.