Student Drivers - Undergraduate & Graduate

Student Driver Criteria and Approval Process
Criteria to become an approved Ithaca College driver.

Please review the criteria below to ensure you meet all requirements before applying to become an approved driver.

  • Must have a minimum of two (2) years of driving experience after obtaining a driver’s license.
  • The minimum required age for driving outside the boundaries of Tompkins County is 21 years of age.
  • The minimum required age for driving only in Tompkins County is 19 years of age.
  • Review the criteria used to determine unacceptable risk in the Driving College Vehicles Policy.

Process to Become an Approved Ithaca College Driver

To obtain approval as an Ithaca College driver, students must complete all steps outlined below:

REVIEW COLLEGE DRIVING POLICY AND STUDENT DRIVER HANDBOOK  
Read and become familiar with the Driving College Vehicles Policy  and the Student Driver Handbook.

AUTHORIZE A MOTOR VEHICLE RECORD (MVR) CHECK 
Submit a completed Driver Information Form to authorize the College to review your driving history.

COMPLETE UNITED EDUCATORS (UE) ONLINE SAFETY COURSE  

  • First-Time Approval: Driver Safety Fundamentals
  • Renewal Approval: Defensive Driving Strategies: Get There Safely

** Notes About UE Training
UE courses are designed to promote driver safety awareness. They supplement—but do not replace—Ithaca College’s specific policies and procedures. In some cases, College requirements differ from UE training. For example:

Students may only operate mini-vans with a maximum capacity of 8 occupants. 
Students may only operate SUVs with a maximum capacity of 8 occupants. 
College vehicles may not contain all emergency equipment referenced in the UE training modules.
Student drivers must switch drivers every three hours and may not exceed this 3-hour driving limit.

NOTIFICATION OF APPROVAL STATUS  
Once all steps are completed, both the student and their supervising Ithaca College faculty or staff member (note: supervisors cannot be students) will receive notification of the student’s approval status.