Updated 5 April 2022

Vaccine requirements at Otago Polytechnic. 

From 5 April, we are removing our Covid-19 Vaccination Policy so people are welcome to come to our campuses and use our services without showing vaccination evidence. 

Please still ensure you wear a well-fitting mask, practice social distancing and keep up good personal hygiene. If you feel unwell, please stay away from campus and get tested if you have Covid-19 symptoms. 

Vaccination evidence will still be required from 5 April for the following areas:  

1. Otago Polytechnic Student Accommodation

• Staff, residents and visitors at both Te Pā Tauira in Dunedin and at our student accommodation in Cromwell will need to have evidence of vaccination.   

2. Health Order study areas

• Some of our programmes are currently covered by a Government Health Order which mandates vaccinations. This means if you want to study (or work in) any of these programmes, you'll need to provide evidence of vaccination (three doses are required under this Health Order).
• Programmes that require you to provide evidence of your vaccination status will state this on the specific programme information page on our website. These programmes sit in the following study areas - Midwifery, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Social/Community Services.
• Please also be aware that while we may not require evidence of your vaccination status to study a particular programme, if it has elements of work experience or placements etc, external placement providers may still ask for this evidence. 

How do I provide evidence of my vaccination status?   

If you're applying for one of our programmes that is covered by the above Health Order, we'll need to see evidence of your Covid-19 vaccinations (including types and dates). We're legally obliged to collect this additional information from you as these programmes are covered by the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Vaccination) Order 2021. 

Please complete our online application process as you normally would for one of our health programmes. As part of the application process, you'll be asked to provide your vaccination record. The Government has advised that the only proof of vaccination that we can accept is a vaccination record PDF from your My Covid Record. 

Find out how to get your vaccination record here > 

Where will my information be held?   

Otago Polytechnic Ltd. will comply with Privacy Act 2020 principles when managing the collection, storage and disclosure of information pertaining to a student's COVID-19 vaccination status. In accordance with OP’s Information Management Policy, COVID-19 vaccination details and evidence will be held in strict confidence by OP and will only be disclosed to external agencies for the purposes of confirming your vaccination status as required, or as otherwise required by law. By providing evidence of your COVID-19 vaccination status to OP, you are consenting to disclosure of this information for the purposes outlined in this paragraph.   

What if I have questions or am concerned?   

We know that this is a difficult situation, and that people hold a range of feelings and thoughts about vaccinations.  

Please ensure you seek information about vaccines from reliable sources such as the Covid-19 website.  

If you need support or want to talk through what this situation means for you studying at OP, please reach out to our Student Support teams.