Staff and students will have to show a COVID-19 vaccination certificate to enter student residences, the UC Medical and Counselling Centre and certain health and education settings, including the Wiradjuri Pre-school and UC Health Hub.

People doing university-related business or placements in settings where vaccinations are mandated by the government, including health, aged care, disability care and education settings, will need to be fully-vaccinated, as will those travelling interstate or overseas.

Vice-chancellor Paddy Nixon said the vaccination policy was consistent with ACT Health guidelines for high-risk settings.

"Ensuring the privacy and people's data is critical ... that's why we took this view that we didn't want to store copies of vaccination records," Professor Nixon said.

"We didn't want to see any medical details, just have evidence that it had happened, in the same way in New South Wales, for example, when you go in places you have to show that you've got a vaccine certificate."

Several universities have mandated vaccinations for all staff, students and visitors, including Monash, La Trobe and Melbourne Universities.

Other Canberra-based universities have not implemented vaccination mandates beyond what is required for work placements.

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"When our students and staff are required to be vaccinated for specialised study or work we ensure that they are," an Australian National University spokesman said.

"We've strongly encouraged all our staff and students to get vaccinated as soon as it possible for them to safely do so. We have also provided ongoing education and communication from our public health experts on the benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

"Staff and students are also able to access vaccinations from the University's on-campus pharmacy."

Australian Catholic University chief operating officer and deputy vice-chancellor Dr Stephen Weller said vaccine mandates only applied to students in placements where it was required.

"We are actively encouraging all staff and students to get vaccinated, and we have given staff time to get to an appointment during working hours," Dr Weller said.

Prof Nixon said he was looking forward to having students learning and socialising on campus after a long period of remote study.

"I'm really looking forward to university coming back to life," he said.

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