Travel
To ensure the health and safety of Cornell’s campus and our surrounding community, faculty, staff, students and visitors must abide by the university’s travel and visitor policy.
Questions about visiting students on campus? Please see Housing & Dining for more information.
Student Travel
Cornell students living in the greater Ithaca area are expected to remain in the region until the time when they return to their permanent residence for the remainder of the fall semester. In-person classes will conclude by Nov. 24, after which students will complete the semester virtually. Students who have to travel outside of the greater Ithaca area due to exceptional circumstances (e.g., a family emergency) must follow all New York state and Cornell requirements prior to leaving and upon returning to the Ithaca and Cornell communities. Travel outside the area must be submitted using the form on the Daily Check.
Due to ongoing travel, health and safety concerns, all undergraduate students are prohibited from traveling for Cornell-related research or scholarship until further notice. This extends to spring 2021 study abroad opportunities, including virtual programs. Once conditions allow for students to safely and effectively participate in programming abroad, students who applied for study abroad in spring 2021 will be contacted about submitting a new application for the next available term. Graduate and professional students may submit a petition to travel domestically or internationally for essential purposes by first contacting their School or College regarding the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are students living on-campus able to leave campus?
Students are expected to stay on the Cornell campus or remain in the greater Ithaca area during the fall semester. While students are encouraged to shop at local stores, enjoy trails and scenery on and off campus and visit area restaurants and other local attractions, they must do so within the expectations of the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact, including physical distancing, wearing face coverings, frequent hand washing and related safety measures.
How do I inform Cornell of my travel plans?
Students are required to inform the university of their plans to travel outside the greater Ithaca area. The Daily Check tool contains a travel form to indicate dates when students plan to be “out of Ithaca,” which will pause their Daily Check and surveillance testing schedule while they are away. If students must quarantine upon their return, they must complete the Daily Check and remain in quarantine until the Daily Check indicates they can return to campus. Students traveling beyond the greater Ithaca area for two weeks or longer must consult with Student and Campus Life staff after indicating their plans in the Daily Check. All Cornellians approved to travel internationally on essential Cornell-related travel will also be registered in the International Travel Registry during the approval process.
What is required when I return to Ithaca after traveling internationally or to a travel-restricted state?
Cornell strongly advises students who travel internationally or to a state on the New York State travel advisory list to spend the remainder of your semester at your permanent residence and not physically return to campus. If students return to the greater Ithaca area, they must adhere to the state’s mandate to self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to New York, complete the state’s traveler health form, and be tested as specified by Cornell before physically returning to campus. Students who live on campus will not be permitted to quarantine in their residence hall or other Cornell-owned property. Any student returning from an international location or a travel-restricted state should identify their own quarantine accommodations and plan to cover the cost of the 14-day self-quarantine (including food and transportation). If students must travel for an emergency and cannot cover the cost of a 14-day self-quarantine, they may apply for financial support via the student emergency grant program. Failure to comply with quarantine and testing requirements is a violation of the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact, as well as New York state law.
If Cornell’s COVID-19 Alert Level changes to orange or red, students may not be permitted to return to campus for the remainder of the semester.
What is required when I return to Ithaca after traveling to a non-restricted travel state?
Students traveling outside of the greater Ithaca area but to a state not on the New York State travel advisory list, including elsewhere in New York, should also only travel for exceptional reasons and consider the impact of their travel on their peers and local community.
On-campus students may return to campus but not take in-person classes or engage in any campus activity other than housing or dining until they have completed two consecutive surveillance tests. Students living on campus with roommates or suitemates will be assigned a location by Cornell Housing to await test results and will not be able to relocate back to their residence hall until they have completed two consecutive surveillance tests. Please note: a student’s surveillance testing day may or may not be easily rescheduled.
Off-campus students cannot come to campus, except to complete surveillance testing. They must complete two surveillance tests prior to reengaging in in-person classes or any other campus activity.
Failure to comply with quarantine and testing requirements is a violation of the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact.
If Cornell’s COVID-19 Alert Level changes to orange or red, students may not be permitted to return to campus for the remainder of the semester.
Faculty & Staff Travel
Business Travel
Non-essential business travel is prohibited. Essential business travel requires approval by the appropriate college dean, vice president or vice provost, and plans must follow existing university policies governing travel.
Travel outside New York state, regardless of the mode of transportation, may be subject to governmental quarantine restrictions upon return to the Ithaca area. Employees must anticipate the need for testing and time away from campus and will be required to work remotely, or take paid or unpaid leave during the quarantine period.
For guidance and policy on when essential international travel may resume, for whom, and the process to seek approval, please visit the International Travel Guidelines, Policy, and Recommendations page. For questions or support regarding international travel, contact International Travel Health and Safety.
Personal Travel
Personal travel that presents increased risk of virus transmission is strongly discouraged.
All members of the Cornell community are expected to follow all travel guidelines put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of State, New York state, or the local Department of Health. Employees who travel internationally for personal reasons will be expected to follow CDC guidance upon their return.
New York State Mandatory Quarantine for Travelers
Travel restrictions have been established by an executive order from New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, requiring individuals traveling from states of high virus prevalence to quarantine for 14 days upon entry into New York state.
Standing Committee on Travel and Visitors
Exceptions to the COVID-19 Travel and Visitor Policy (including more- and less-restrictive measures) for any reason (including for specific subsets of staff and faculty in a particular college or unit) will be considered by request to the Standing Committee on Travel and Visitors. Such requests can be made after they have been endorsed by the appropriate college dean, vice president or vice provost.
Committee members include Kevin Hallock, Dean of the SC Johnson College of Business; Rick Burgess, Vice President for Facilities and Campus Services; Gary Koretzky, Vice Provost for Academic Integration; Mary Opperman, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer; Madelyn Wessel, University Counsel & Secretary of the Corporation; and Wendy Wolford, Vice Provost for International Affairs.