School Immunisation Program

Years 7 and 10 immunisation

In Year 7, students are offered diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis immunisation (dTpa), and the human papilloma virus (HPV) immunisation, to give them ongoing protection against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, and timely protection prior to HPV exposure.

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In Year 10, students are offered meningococcal ACWY and B immunisations to protect them against invasive meningococcal disease due to an increase in risk factors such as close social contact with peers. A higher percentage of adolescents also carry the meningococcal bacteria and can unknowingly pass it on to peers and the community

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Catch-up immunisation

For adolescents who miss the school immunisation clinic, catch-up is available from immunisation service providers, such as GPs or other primary care providers, pharmacies, or community immunisation clinics.

For the combined Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis immunisation, the Meningococcal ACWY immunisation and the Meningococcal B immunisation, adolescents are eligible for funded catch-up immunisations up to and including 19 years of age. Catch-up for the HPV immunisation is available for people aged 15 years to less than 26 years.

After the cut-off age for catch-ups, immunisations need to be purchased via private prescription.

Adolescents who are enrolled in distance or home education or not attending school

Adolescents who are the age equivalent of Year 7 or Year 10, but do not attend school, or are enrolled in distance or home education are also eligible for the above listed immunisations. These immunisations can be administered by immunisation service providers, such as GPs or other primary care providers, pharmacists or community immunisation clinics, instead of at school.

Note: the immunisation is provided free but there may be a consultation fee charged by the provider.

Consent

Year 7 and 10 students will receive a consent form and information sheet from their school with details about the immunisations offered and the diseases they prevent.

Parents or legal guardians will be asked to complete, sign and return the consent form so their child can be vaccinated at their school by a qualified provider.

To ensure students can be vaccinated at school, parents or legal guardians must complete, sign, and return the consent form for their child, before the schools’ clinic day.

Misplaced consent forms and information sheets can be downloaded and reprinted:

Some school immunisation service providers use an online consent platform. Instructions for completing online consent will be provided by the school's immunisation provider. Online consent must be completed before the schools’ clinic day.

Parent FAQs

To find out more about the Queensland School Immunisation Program, download the Frequently Asked Questions document for parents (PDF 307 kB).

Parents who do not complete the consent form

The Public Health Act 2005 requires a school principal to provide student and parent information to approved school immunisation service providers for the purposes of following up with parents of students who have not completed consent for their child to participate in the school immunisation program.

The school immunisation provider can only request the following information under the Public Health Act 2005:

  • the name and date of birth of a student
  • the name, telephone number, email address and postal address of a parent or guardian of a student
  • any other information prescribed by the Public Health Regulation 2005 (Part 6) about a student:
    • the sex of the student
    • the school’s class or group to which the student belongs
    • the language spoken at home by the student
    • whether the student identifies as being an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person.

No other student or parent information can be requested from the school principal.

This information allows direct follow-up with parents, and ensures all parents are offered the opportunity for their child to participate in this important school health program. It may also assist parents in making decisions about their child’s immunisation needs. To find out more about information privacy, download (PDF 255 kB)the School Immunisation Program Privacy Information Sheet.

Parents who return a consent card indicating ‘No to Immunisation’ for all immunisations will not be contacted.

Informing parents about follow up

The Information for Schools (PDF 5631 kB) booklet has information about the disclosure of information including sample text for schools to use.

The School Immunisation Program consent pack provides information on the disclosure of information for parents.

Protecting privacy

All student and parent information provided is protected under the Information Privacy Act 2009 (Qld).

Student and parent information obtained for the purpose of direct follow-up with parents and delivery of the School Immunisation Program will be retained and disposed in accordance with the Public Records Act 2023.

Following the school clinic, the school immunisation provider will update the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) with relevant information related to the student’s immunisation. AIR is a whole-of-life national immunisation register which records when a person has received an immunisation in Australia. Please visit the Australian Government’s website to find out more information about the privacy policy for the Australian Immunisation Register:  https://www.health.gov.au/using-our-websites/website-privacy-policy/privacy-policy-for-the-australian-immunisation-register

For information about accessing your family’s AIR Immunisation History Statements, please visit the Australian Government’s website: Check immunisation history | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

Please note that once a child turns 14 years old, privacy legislation automatically changes access to the AIR Immunisation History Statement to the child only, limiting access to others. Please see the following website for more information about accessing AIR Immunisation History Statements: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/getting-vaccinated/check-immunisation-history?language=und#air-immunisation-history-statements

For schools

The Information for Schools Booklet (PDF 5631 kB) provides a comprehensive overview of the Queensland School Immunisation Program, including facilitating a successful school immunisation clinic, resources for school staff, and supporting families and the school immunisation program providers. Sample template letters to parents and a school newsletter article are included to help keep the school community informed about the school immunisation clinic.

For Immunisation Service Providers (ISP)

Each ISP should develop their own policy and procedures for conducting a SIP clinic ensuring compliance with current legislation, professional standards and codes of practice.

The Resource kit for immunisation service providers (PDF 7834 kB) provides detailed information on steps for implementing a school immunisation clinic.

More information

Annual Report

Last updated: 11 August 2025