Clearance Requirements

Buy a Clearance Package. Incoming PA students must purchase a CastleBranch Clearance Package by the deadline. Applicants who do not purchase a clearance package by that date will lose their seat in the incoming class. This deadline can be found in the email confirming that your second deposit was received.

• Go to www.castlebranch.com
• Purchase Arcadia PA Clearance package code:
  • AZ12
  • Cost = $159.75
• The following are automatically completed when you purchase CastleBranch package
  • PA Statewide Criminal Background Check
  • Nationwide Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Scan
  • Nationwide Record Indicator with SOI Residency History

See additional requirements for Student Health Services within the weblink. These important requirements are separate from the PA department requirements. 

Hepatitis B (HepB) Vaccination History or Titers

Start Date: Immediately
Due Date: February 28, 2020

A. Vaccine History: If you have documentation of receiving three doses of the HepB (HBsAb) vaccine, upload this documentation to CastleBranch. No titers are needed. 
OR
B. Titers: If you do not have a documented vaccination history, upload lab report showing HBsAb titers with numerical results showing immunity (HBsAg not acceptable)

• Titers option only: If low, equivocal or unresponsive results:
  • Load results in CastleBranch, receive a prompt to take additional steps
  • If you do not have documentation of receiving the 3-dose vaccine previously, get the 3-dose HepB vaccination series
    • (dose #1 now, dose #2 in one month, dose #3 approximately five months after dose #2)
  • Get titers taken 1 – 2 months after dose #3
  • Upload results to CastleBranch
  • If titers remain negative, upload a letter to CastleBranch from your healthcare provider which states that you are a “non-responder” to that particular vaccination

Measles, Mumps & Rubella (MMR) Vaccination History or Titers

Start Date: Immediately
Due Date: February 28, 2020

A. Vaccine History: If you have documentation of receiving two doses of the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine, upload this documentation to CastleBranch. No titers are needed.
OR
B. Titers: If you do not have a documented vaccination history, upload lab report showing positive IgG antibody titers (IgM not acceptable) with numerical results

• Titers option only: if low, equivocal or unresponsive results:
  • Get two doses of full MMR vaccine, separated by at least 28 days
  • Upload documentation to CastleBranch

Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine or Booster

Start Date: Immediately
Due Date: February 28, 2020

A. Vaccine or Booster: Upload documentation of Tdap vaccine or booster (Td not acceptable, must contain pertussis)

• Tdap vaccine or booster must have been received within ten years of May 30, 2020
• If vaccine or booster was received ten or more years prior, receive booster and upload documentation

Varicella (Chicken Pox) Vaccination History, Documentation of Case, or Titers

Start Date: Immediately
Due Date: February 28, 2020

A. Vaccine History: If you have documentation of receiving 2 doses of the Varicella vaccine, upload this documentation to CastleBranch. No titers are needed.
OR
B. Documentation of Case of Varicella: If you had a case of chicken pox, upload documentation
C. Titers: Lab report showing positive IgG antibody Varicella titers (IgM not acceptable) with numerical results

• If low, equivocal or unresponsive for the Varicella titer:
  • Get two doses of Varicella vaccine, 4 to 8 weeks apart
  • ​Upload documentation of two-dose vaccination to CastleBranch.

Polio Vaccination History or Titers

Start Date: Immediately
Due Date: February 28, 2020

A. Vaccine History: If you have documentation of receiving 4 doses of the Polio vaccine, upload this documentation to CastleBranch. No titers are needed.
OR
B. Titers

• Lab report showing positive IgG antibody titers for Polio 1, 2, and 3
• If low, equivocal or unresponsive results:
  • Load results in CastleBranch, receive a prompt to take additional steps
  • Obtain polio booster shot
  • Repeat polio surface antibody titer at least 6 weeks after booster shot
  • If titer remains negative, obtain a letter from your healthcare provider which states you are a “non-responder” to that particular vaccination. Upload document to CastleBranch.

Tuberculosis / TB Blood or Skin Test*

*ANNUALLY RENEWED ITEM – Don’t Complete Early!

Start Date: April 1, 2020
Due Date: April 30, 2020

Please note, when you renew this requirement for year two you will be required to use the same test format you choose here (to allow comparison to baseline)

A. Blood Test (recommended): Quantiferon Gold or T-Spot

• Blood test requires only one visit and may be included with your annual physical exam
• If you previously received the BCG vaccine (commonly given to children who grew up outside the US), get a TB blood test

B. Skin Test: 2 Step PPD

• Skin test requires 4 visits total (two tests and two readings) per year
• Two tests may be performed one week to six months apart
• Each test must be read 48 – 72 hours after it is placed
• Sample schedule: Test #1: Day 1, Reading #1: Day 3 or 4, Test #2: Day 8, Reading #2: Day 10 or 11
• Documentation must be provided of placement and reading of each PPD

C. Xray: If you previously received positive results to testing, upload a clear chest Xray report to CastleBranch

Urine Drug Screen*

*ANNUALLY RENEWED ITEM – Don’t Complete Early!

Start Date: April 1, 2020
Due Date: April 30, 2020

A. Drug Test: Complete the drug test included in your Clearance package and upload the results to CastleBranch

Depending on your location, CastleBranch will assign you to Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp for testing. You can request a lab change by contacting CastleBranch.
                a. Quest locations: https://appointment.questdiagnostics.com/patient/confirmation
                b. LabCorp locations: https://www.labcorp.com/labs-and-appointments

PA Immunization Record Form*

*ANNUALLY RENEWED ITEM – Don’t Complete Early!

Start Date: April 1, 2020
Due Date: April 30, 2020

• Receive a physical examination in April, and have your health care provider sign and date the PA Immunization Record form.
• Upload to CastleBranch, do not include anything but this one page document
• Do not upload a full physical examination document here

PA State Fingerprinting*

*ANNUALLY RENEWED ITEM – Don’t Complete Early!

Schedule fingerprinting appointment between: April 1, 2020 – April 30, 2020
Upload fingerprinting results on or before: July 15, 2020

     1. Schedule an appointment

• If you reside in PA, DE, NJ or MD or can reasonably make a trip to Pennsylvania
  • Schedule an April appointment to be fingerprinted with Idemia (Identigo)
• If you reside outside the area AND can’t make it to Pennsylvania before May
  • Schedule an appointment to be fingerprinted with Idemia (Identigo) prior to May 22, 2020
  • Schedule your appointment as soon as possible to allow maximum time for results to come in and for follow up, if needed
• The fee as of 10/25/18 is $21.35
• Appointments can typically be scheduled up to six weeks ahead
• Visit the Idemia (Identigo) website for Pennsylvania at: https://www.identogo.com/locations/pennsylvania
• Select "Digital Fingerprinting"
• Enter Service Code: 1KG6ZJ, select "Go"
• Complete information, provide good phone and email contact information
• Leave Employer Information blank
• IMPORTANT: Make sure you provide a good mailing address that will be active when you receive your results a month or more after your fingerprinting appointment, and let other residents at this address know that you’re expecting an important document by mail
• Select the live scan fingerprinting location where you will complete your fingerprint scan.
• Schedule your appointment
• Check on the Summary page that all information is correct
• This page will show you the amount due and accepted methods of payment. You must have your payment with you when you go to your scheduled fingerprint scan appointment.
• Login to your myCB account and enter the date your scheduled fingerprint scan date

        2. Get fingerprinted at a Pennsylvania Idemia (Identigo) location

• ​Students from both campuses must be fingerprinted by Idemia at a Pennsylvania location

        3. Upload results

• All students must upload fingerprinting results by July 15
• After you are fingerprinted, you should receive your fingerprint results within 6 weeks
• Make a note in your calendar to follow up if you do not receive results
• If you do not receive results in six weeks, follow up with the contacts below. Every year some background checks are never delivered, but the FBI will typically send a new report if the first one is not received.

1. IDEMIA registration, processing, or billing questions:1-844-321-2101
2. General questions about FBI clearances: FBI Background Check Unit at 717-783-6211 or 1-877-371-5422

Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance - Department of Human Services

*ANNUALLY RENEWED ITEM – Don’t Complete Early!

Start Date: April 1, 2020
Due Date: April 30, 2020

Between April 1 – April 30, go to the Compass website 

• Create an individual account
• For Keystone ID, make up a unique user ID
• When you receive a confirmation email with a temporary password, log in, set up a permanent password
• Complete the online application
• This service is free for those who haven’t received a Child Abuse Clearance within five years, $13 for others
• For "Application Purpose," choose "Volunteer Having Contact with Children"
• For “Volunteer Category,” choose “Other”
• For “Agency Name,” type “Arcadia University”
• Complete other information and submit
• Provide the submission date in CastleBranch
• Scan and upload your official Dept. of Human Services Child Abuse Clearance Results in CastleBranch

Health Insurance

Start Date: April 1, 2020
Due Date: May 24, 2020

• It is an Arcadia University policy that all students are insured. All students must be covered by health insurance while in the PA program
• Arcadia University has partnered with a 3rd party company regarding insurance services (United HealthCare Student resources)
• Details on health insurance will be provided to enrolling PA students in spring
• The insurance website is typically available to enrolling students in April
• Students must opt in or opt out of University-provided health insurance
• Insurance charges will be automatically  applied to tuition
• If a student waives out and has provided insurance coverage information, a refund will be applied to their account within 7-10 business days.
• Upload documentation of health insurance card, front and back, in CastleBranch
• Upload the insurance card for the coverage you will have at and after matriculation

Influenza Vaccine

Start Date: August 15, 2020
Due Date: October 15, 2020

• Students must have a flu shot administered in their first year for the flu season
• Flu shots will be available on campus in the fall every year
• Do not upload documentation of flu shots received prior to August 2020

Arcadia's Student Health Services also has clearance requirements for all students at both campuses (link below).

PA students must complete PA clearance requirements AND Student Health Serices requirements.

Students who do not complete Student Health Services requirements will have a Health Hold placed on their records and cannot be registered for classes.

Student Health Services clearance requirements