The 3,000 students on the residential campuses of the Vermont State Colleges will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 for the fall semester.

The executive committee of the Vermont State College System Board of Trustees voted Thursday to require the vaccines for students at Castleton University, Northern Vermont University and Vermont Technical College.

Students who are studying online only and will not be on campus will be exempted. The decision will not apply to the Community College of Vermont.

Exemptions are also permitted for health and religious reasons.

The system had previously said the COVID-19 vaccinations would not be required until at least one of the vaccines now in use has received full authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

But a jump in cases caused by the so-called delta variant caused the system to change its mind.

The resolution passed by the committee says a significant percentage of state college students are from an age group that is less likely to be vaccinated.

Earlier this month the University of Vermont imposed a similar vaccine requirement.

(AP)