ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The University of Rochester has become the first local college to require COVID-19 vaccinations for its students.

The U of R says this applies to all undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the 2021-22 academic year. It applies to both those living on and off-campus.

Those students need to be fully immunized by August 1, ahead of the fall semester. If they cannot, the university says it will make every possible effort to provide a student with a vaccine once they arrive on campus.

Students may request medical or religious vaccine exemptions, but the university says it will not offer remote instruction as an option to students who are not vaccinated.