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Health, Wellbeing and Belonging

Nov. 6, 2020 – Spring semester return to campus update

Posted by on Friday, November 6, 2020 in Community Messages.

Dear students,

We wanted to share some information with you as you think about your return to campus for the spring semester. We recognize this is an extraordinarily stressful time and are committed to providing you with information to help you make plans as soon as it is possible to do so.

While the situation continues to evolve, we are writing today to share that:

  • Because the CDC does not currently require a 14-day quarantine period for travelers to the United States from abroad, Vanderbilt will not require this for students who are abroad during the winter break and plan to arrive for in-person on-campus activities for the spring semester. However, a quarantine is required if the person was exposed to the virus during travel. If the CDC or other local guidelines change for travelers from abroad before your return, the university will be required to implement such.
  • Note that for countries that have specific travel restrictions, you will need to abide by CDC or other federal agency guidance. Please reach out to ISSS if you need guidance.
  • We currently plan for you to follow all of the same arrival protocols for the spring semester as for students who are returning to campus from locations in the United States. We are finishing those plans and will share them with you and with all students by December 15.
  • There may be additional requirements all students must follow when returning for the spring semester. This might include testing and shelter-in-place requirements, and some programs might have specific requirements dependent on the nature of the activities. Any such requirements will be communicated as they are finalized.

We also wanted to make sure you were aware of the upcoming Traveling During COVID-19: Preparing to Leave Campus online session at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The Vanderbilt Travel and Global Safety and Security teams will discuss how best to prepare for departure from campus in November, including domestic and international entry/exit requirements.

We will communicate with you again as soon as we have more detailed information.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please email us at isss@vanderbilt.edu. We wish you a successful conclusion to the semester and a safe, restful and restorative winter break.

International Student and Scholar Services Team