Health Center
Treatment ♦ Wellness ♦ Travel
Dear Hope Student,
Congratulations on your acceptance to Hope College! We look forward to meeting you! This
letter is to inform you about the immunization and tuberculosis screening procedures we require
for all incoming students.
Tuberculosis screening is performed on all incoming students, not just international students.
This screening is important to both identify active disease and past exposure to tuberculosis
(TB). The Hope Health Center follows the U.S. Center for Disease Control guidelines for
evaluation and treatment of tuberculosis. We require that you have this screening and testing
done here at Hope College upon your arrival. Please do not have this test done in your home
country before departing for the U.S. as we cannot accept these results. Please note that having
received BCG vaccine in the past does not change the recommendations for screening, testing or
follow-up for tuberculosis.
If you should have a positive TB test, you will have a chest x-ray to rule out the possibility of
active or infectious TB. Once active TB is ruled out, our public health physician will provide
information to you regarding Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI). To decrease the risk of
developing active TB disease, you will be required to participate in treatment for LTBI. This
involves taking a daily medication for 9 months. This medication will be provided to you without
cost and you will be able to receive it at the Hope Health Center. Please note that LTBI
treatment is a requirement to attend classes and continue your living arrangements at
Hope College. Failure to do so will result in your withdrawal.
Please refer to the Dear Health Care Provider information sheet regarding our immunization
requirements.
We are here to help you get off to a good start at Hope College! Feel free to email us questions!
Sincerely,
Cindy L. Sabo, BSN, RN-BC
Director
Hope College Health Center
sabo@hope.edu