Completing your student immunisation records: animal or agricultural environments
If you're enrolled in a program or course working with animals or in agricultural environments, you need to be up to date with several vaccinations.
Depending on your program or course, you may need to provide evidence of vaccinations or immunity against:
- tetanus
- Q fever.
You may also require vaccination against lyssavirus, rabies or influenza (flu), depending on the work and environment within which you interact with animals.
Check the information below to find out:
What immunisations do I need?
To see the immunisation requirements for your program or course, check the summary list:
Summary of program/course immunisation and screening requirements (PDF, 692.7 KB)
If you don't see your program or course in the list, check our summary page to find your immunisation requirements.
Tetanus
If tetanus protection is a requirement of your program/course, you will need to provide evidence of a primary course of tetanus vaccinations (e.g. childhood vaccination course). If you can't provide evidence of a full course, you must provide a record of 1 documented adult dose of dTpa or dT vaccine within the last 10 years, as well as 10-yearly boosters.
Adults are recommended to receive a tetanus booster dose if they are over 50 years of age and have not received a booster dose of tetanus-containing vaccine in the past 10 years.
Medical treatment must be sought if you sustain a tetanus prone injury and more than 5 years have elapsed since your last booster.
Q fever
If you are required or recommended to be immunised against Q fever, remember:
- Pre-vaccination screening is required to exclude those who are already immune from receiving a Q fever vaccine.
- The antibody screening and vaccination process involves 2 visits to a doctor. Visits need to be exactly 7 days apart.
- If a Q fever vaccination is required, exposure in high-risk environments should be avoided until 15 days after vaccination to allow immunity to develop.
- Q fever screening and vaccinations are usually not available in countries outside Australia. You may have to wait until your arrival in Australia before you can get vaccinated.
UQ Health Care offers Q fever testing and vaccination. Alternatively, you can complete Q fever testing and vaccination through a medical practice that provides this service.
Locate a Q fever vaccinator near you
Q fever register
You should register your Q fever immunity status with the Australian Q fever Register.
To register, complete the Personal Details and Consent Form and upload this form to the Q fever website.
You'll be emailed a Q fever Register eStatement -- this eStatement includes your registration number and can be downloaded and saved on a mobile device.
If you have previous immunity, you should still complete the Personal Details and Consent Form and register on the Q fever website.
Additional recommended vaccinations
Lyssavirus/rabies
If you may be exposed to, or there is a risk of being bitten or scratched by bats or flying foxes, you will need to get a pre-exposure vaccination (rabies vaccination).
You may also need a rabies vaccination if you participate in placements in overseas countries where rabies vaccination is recommended.
Influenza (flu)
If you will be in regular close contact with pigs and/or poultry, we recommend that you receive your annual influenza vaccination.
During your program, you should be aware of any follow-up or additional vaccination/screening requirements. You must also report any change to your immunisation or infectious disease status that might put you or your clients at risk.
What do I need to do?
Arrange any outstanding immunisations with a general practitioner (GP) as soon as possible after enrolling in your program or course.
Discuss the costs with your doctor. You'll be required to pay for any vaccinations and immunisation screening required for your program or course.
1. Gather your immunisation documentation
You will need to provide a valid immunisation statement or signed medical document.
If you're an international student, may be able to complete some of the requirements prior to your arrival in Australia. Documents must be completed/translated in English. Remember Q fever screening and vaccinations are only available in Australia.
Information for international students
If you're an international student coming to Australia to study, we encourage you to seek the immunisation requirements in your home country before you start your studies at UQ.
It can take some time to complete all immunisation requirements. You'll also need to provide documents to us in English, so if you need to translate documents, you will need find a suitable institution to complete this.
Before you depart
Before leaving your home country, we recommend that you:
- obtain a written record of all your vaccination or blood test results – this should be in English if possible, and must be signed, dated and stamped by the medical practitioner or immunisation provider.
- have all outstanding vaccinations/ screening tests prior to departure (where possible).
When you arrive
Once you arrive in Australia, visit a medical practitioner or register for an appointment with UQ Health Care to receive any outstanding vaccinations.
When you go to your appointment, remember to bring your vaccination history documentation from your home country – either in English or translated. This will assist in ensuring you may not require catch-up or additional vaccinations.
2. Submit your immunisation evidence
Information for UQ Skills students
If you’re a UQ Skills student with a Q fever and/or tetanus requirement, you will submit your evidence of immunity via aXcelerate. Please disregard the information below as UQ Skills students are unable to submit documents to the my.UQ dashboard.
You can only submit your immunisation documentation after you’ve received a ‘Student Immunisation Evidence Request’. This request will be initiated by your faculty or school.
You can upload the required documentation using the link in your email notification, or directly through your my.UQ dashboard.
UQ can't accept hard copies of your documents.
Upload the requested evidence by the task due date, even if you haven't completed all requirements by this date.
Your evidence will be assessed and securely stored by the Immunisation Records Team (IRT). If you haven't completed all requirements, the IRT will tell you what you need to do.
Your compliance status will be reported to your school or faculty to allow them to manage your placements or coursework.
Helpful tips:
- You can access the student immunisation evidence process via the ‘Notifications’ section of your my.UQ dashboard.
- Upload all documents together where possible. If your documents are too large for a single upload, try compressing them. If the file size is still too large, upload documents separately before pressing “submit”.
- Once you press submit, you won't be able to upload additional documents until the IRT verify your first upload and return the task to you.
- Keep a copy of your medical documentation for your own records.
- You can access your immunisation records in my.UQ while still enrolled at UQ.
Processing timeframes
Allow at least a week for your records to be assessed once you have submitted them. At the commencement of the semester the time frame for assessment of records may be extended. You will not be considered compliant until your records have been assessed by the IRT.
Getting support
Administrative or placement questions should be directed to your school or faculty placement team.
Immunisation questions should be directed to your general practitioner (GP) or the UQ Immunisation Records Team (IRT) immunisation@uq.edu.au.
Read the Vaccinations and Immunisation Guideline.
Visit the Australian Immunisation Handbook for detailed information about vaccine preventable disease.