Your vaccination records in Dubai are held by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), and as a student you can usually get them in one of three ways: through the DHA app, through the Alhosn app for COVID-19 and related records, or in person at a DHA health centre if your history is older or incomplete. Universities and employers ask for these records for enrolment, clinical placements and internships, so it is worth retrieving them before a deadline forces the issue. This guide covers each route, what to do when records are missing, and how to get childhood vaccinations from another country recognised.
First, Know Which Records Live Where
Vaccinations given at DHA facilities — government clinics, school health programmes run through DHA, and DHA hospitals — sit in the DHA’s electronic system under your Emirates ID and medical record number. COVID-19 vaccinations given anywhere in the UAE also appear in the Alhosn app, which many universities still accept as proof for that specific vaccine. Vaccinations you received at private clinics in Dubai are held by that clinic; DHA can often see private-sector records through linked systems, but not always, so the clinic itself is your fallback. Childhood vaccinations received outside the UAE are not in any UAE system until you have them transcribed — more on that below.
Getting Records Through the DHA App
- Download the DHA app and log in with UAE Pass — as a student resident you will already have this for other government services.
- Open your profile or medical record section and look for the vaccination or immunisation record option.
- View the list of recorded vaccines with dates; download or screenshot the record, or request the official vaccination certificate where the app offers one.
- If a vaccine you definitely received is missing, note its date and location — you will need those details for the correction route below.
The whole process takes a few minutes when records are complete. If you have never used DHA services and have no file, the app may prompt you to create or link a medical record number (MRN); a quick visit to any DHA health centre with your Emirates ID sorts this out.
The In-Person Route at a DHA Health Centre
Students whose vaccinations predate the electronic systems, or whose records are scattered, often do better in person. Take your Emirates ID and, if you have one, your old paper vaccination card or booklet. Staff can search your file, print an official vaccination record, and advise on updating gaps. There may be a small administrative fee for printed certificates — typically modest, but treat any figure as a guide and confirm the current charge at the centre or on the official DHA website. Go on a weekday morning if you can; health centres are quieter, and staff have more time for record archaeology than during the evening rush. If your university needs the record attested or stamped, ask at the same visit — DHA centres are used to student requests at enrolment season.
Childhood Vaccines From Another Country
Many students in Dubai grew up elsewhere, and universities here still want a complete vaccination history. The standard solution is transcription: take your home-country vaccination card or a letter from your childhood doctor to a DHA health centre (or a university-approved private clinic), and a doctor reviews the record and enters the equivalent vaccines into your UAE file. Bring:
- Your original vaccination card or booklet from home, or an official printout from your home health service
- A translation if the card is not in English or Arabic
- Your passport and Emirates ID
- Your university’s vaccination form, if they issued one, so the doctor can complete it in the exact format required
If some childhood records are simply lost, the doctor may recommend blood tests for immunity (for example to measles or hepatitis B) or a catch-up dose; for a student this is routine and usually resolved in one or two visits. Start this process at least a month before your enrolment deadline — transcription is quick, but waiting on documents from home is not.
What Universities Usually Ask For
Requirements vary by institution and programme, but the common requests are records of MMR, hepatitis B (essential for healthcare students with clinical placements), tetanus boosters, and COVID-19 vaccination history. Medicine, nursing, dentistry and allied health students face the strictest checks and may need immunity blood tests as well. Check your university’s student health requirements page early in the summer, keep digital copies of everything in two places, and keep the paper originals — future employers in healthcare will ask for the same records again.
FAQ
Can I get my records if I no longer live in Dubai?
The DHA and Alhosn apps work from abroad if your UAE Pass and Emirates ID details are still active. Otherwise, contact DHA through its official channels to ask about remote requests.
My COVID vaccine shows in Alhosn but nothing else does — is that normal?
Yes. Alhosn focuses on COVID-19 and related records; your full immunisation history lives in the DHA system, so use the DHA app or a health centre for the complete list.
What if a vaccine I received is missing from my DHA record?
Visit a DHA health centre with any proof you have — a clinic receipt, a card, or the date and location — and staff can usually verify and add it. Confirm current procedures on the official DHA website.
Getting your vaccination records is a small task that becomes urgent only when ignored, so pull them together at the start of term rather than the end. For more student and health-service guides, visit DXB Talk and browse the How-To section.
