Free Back-to-School Health Clinics Open Across Hillsborough — Physicals and Shots Before the Aug. 10 First Day

Hillsborough County families who need mandatory school physicals and shots for their kids can now book free appointments through Project LINK's 2026 Back-to-School Health Clinics, a series of Saturday clinics running ahead of the district's first day of the 2026–2027 school year on Monday, Aug. 10. The clinics handle the exact health paperwork Hillsborough County Public Schools requires to enroll — so parents facing that deadline can knock it out at no cost.

The clinics serve K–12 students who are uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in Medicaid, according to the program and local news reports. Children with private or commercial insurance are not eligible for services at these clinics.

Appointments are required, and there are no same-day walk-ups. Families register per household — not per child — and a one-time $10 non-refundable administrative fee covers the whole family, regardless of how many children are signed up.

What the clinics provide

Every service is aimed at meeting Hillsborough school-entry requirements, delivered by licensed medical partners with parent or guardian consent. That includes:

• School physical exams for enrollment purposes
• Routine, school-required immunizations (with parent consent)
• Immunization record review to check whether a child's history is complete
• Florida School Immunization Form (DH 680) documentation, updates and transfers

The child must be present for all appointment types — including DH 680 updates or transfers. Officials recommend bringing your child's current immunization records and uploading them during registration to speed up the visit.

Who qualifies

Beyond the insurance requirement, a student generally needs to fit one of these situations:

• Enrolling for the first time in a Hillsborough County public or public charter school and needing a physical for enrollment
• Needing school-required immunizations, or an update/transfer of immunization history on a DH 680 form
• Entering 7th grade and needing the required Tdap booster
• Entering kindergarten — the child must turn 5 on or before Sept. 1 of the current school year

When and where

The clinics are held on Saturdays across the county, with dates running from mid-July into mid-August, according to the district and the program. Because slots fill up, organizers are urging families to register early rather than wait until the final weekend before school starts.

This is not a new pop-up effort. Project LINK, the administrative arm of the Back-to-School Coalition of Hillsborough County, says this marks its 28th year running the clinics — a program with a long track record of getting local kids cleared for class.

A decade of impact, by the numbers

Over the past ten years, the program reports it has delivered a substantial volume of care to Hillsborough students and their families:

For families juggling the cost and scheduling of last-minute doctor visits, the clinics offer a practical, deadline-driven way to make sure a child is healthy, protected, and ready when the bell rings Aug. 10. Registration and full eligibility details are available at back2schoolhealthclinic.org.

For more local coverage like this, visit Tampa Community Website and read more healthcare stories and education news. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and join the conversation in our Community Forum — tell other parents how your clinic visit went.