Testing

We previously announced that all Ithaca College students must be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the fall semester. If you are an Ithaca College student choosing to remain on or access campus this summer, we expect that you will be vaccinated earlier to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak and eliminate the need for surveillance testing over the summer. Once vaccinated, please submit your vaccination card to healthcenter@ithaca.edu. 

We strongly encourage all other individuals who will be accessing our campus this summer for camps, clinics, or workshops, who are age-eligible for vaccination, to be vaccinated against COVID-19 disease.

For more information about COVID-19 vaccine and links to helpful scientific information about the benefits, please visit our vaccine webpage.

All unvaccinated individuals must have an "undetected" PCR diagnostic test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus within 72 hours prior to traveling to Ithaca. 

Unvaccinated summer programming participants will be required to test on a schedule related to your specific program. This information will be shared with you as part of the registration process for the program/activity, which may not be available until closer to the start of your summer program. At this time, the cost per test is $45. 

Students participating in the following programming/activities must be vaccinated against COVID-19 disease and have their vaccination card on record with Hammond Health Center (please scan/copy and email to healthcenter@ithaca.edu). The few students that are unable to be vaccinated due to medical/disability or sincerely held religious belief, must test weekly and will be exempt from the testing fee:

• Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy students enrolled in summer academic courses required for the professional phase of their degree
• Matriculated graduate students enrolled in summer academic courses required for their degree
• Humanities and Sciences Summer Scholars
• Dana Fellows
• National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) students
• HEOP Summer Institute students
• Student employees who are required to be on campus for their jobs

Ithaca College, in partnership with Cayuga Health System, uses a saliva self-collection process for surveillance testing. More information on our testing process and the saliva self-collection process is available here. Please note that new testing options are becoming available so our testing process may change prior to our summer activities beginning. We will keep families and students updated on any changes.

Individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 disease are not required to participate in surveillance testing. All students must have their vaccination card on file with Hammond Health Center (please scan/copy your card and email to healthcenter@ithaca.edu). We will clarify with other summer programming participants the expectations for providing their vaccination card prior to program start. (As of May 6, 2021)