Indiana: student wins against vaccine mandate pressure

Sydney, a hardworking nursing student, had religious exemption forms on file with her university.

As she prepared for her clinical rotations beginning January 2026, she was unexpectedly told that she must receive the MMR, Varicella, Hepatitis B and influenza vaccine and that her religious exemption would not be accepted.

She was given only days to comply, putting her academic future at risk.

This case highlights a reality AVFCA sees far too often: institutions frequently rely on urgency, uncertainty, and incomplete information to pressure students into compliance. When students are informed, supported, and persistent, those tactics lose their power.

Read Sydney’s story.

In Connecticut, Yale gives 2 options for its New Student Health Requirements, and has a form for medical exemption (subject to review).