Student Travel
To curb potential spread of COVID-19, students residing in the Ithaca area this spring are expected to remain in Ithaca for the duration of the semester with limited-to-no personal travel outside of the greater Ithaca area.
Student travel during this period will be subject to a strict approval process and approved travel will be limited to that which is deemed essential due to urgent or extenuating circumstances. Students who are granted approval to travel must follow all re-entry testing and quarantine procedures before access to campus facilities is restored. Failure to comply with quarantine and testing requirements is a violation of the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact, as well as New York state law.
Students who choose to travel without approval—or who otherwise are granted approval but are subject to mandatory quarantine and testing requirements upon return to the Ithaca area—may not be permitted to return to campus (including on-campus housing). In addition, those students may not be able to attend in-person classes and exams (without an option to participate online, per the Classes and Activities Agreement) and may lose additional privileges. Failure to abide by the University’s travel guidelines and directives is a violation of the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact.
If students are faced with an extenuating circumstance that they believe requires them to leave Ithaca, they must request travel approval through the Daily Check. Absent a true emergency, travel request forms must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance of anticipated travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies as an extenuating circumstance?
If students are faced with an extenuating circumstance that they believe requires them to leave Ithaca, they must request travel approval through the Daily Check. Absent a true emergency, travel request forms must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance of anticipated travel.
Travel will generally be permitted under the following circumstances:
- Death of an immediate family member
- Medically required care for you or a family member
- Commuting for graduate or professional students
- Required academic and career-related travel
Travel will generally not be permitted for the following reasons:
- Religious observance
- Family celebrations
- Leisure travel/vacation
- Routine medical care that can (and should) be scheduled outside the semester (e.g., dentist appointments, yearly physicals, etc.)
- Social events
- Non-academic trips to other universities
I have an extenuating circumstance that requires me to travel. How do I inform Cornell and seek approval to travel?
Travel poses serious risks to the health and safety of our campus and surrounding community. It is expected that all students will remain in the Ithaca area for the full duration of the semester; however, we understand that there may be urgent needs that require personal travel.
New this semester, there will be a more rigorous approval process for any extenuating circumstance that necessitates travel away from the Ithaca area. Students who have extenuating circumstances may qualify for a travel exception; however, it is necessary for those students to submit a travel request through the Daily Check for approval at least 48 hours in advance of traveling.
If essential travel due to extenuating circumstances is approved:
- Daily Check and surveillance testing requirements will be paused while the student is away.
- Students who are permitted to travel will receive information via the Daily Check about re-entry testing and off campus/quarantine requirements—all of which must be completed before students can resume access to campus.
If travel is denied and a student travels anyway, they will be in direct violation of the Cornell Student Behavioral Compact.
During the spring semester, what actions must I take when returning to Ithaca after approved travel?
It is expected that all students will remain in the Ithaca area for the full duration of the semester. However, we understand that extenuating circumstances or urgent personal matters may require travel exemptions.
As noted above, students must seek approval through the Daily Check in order to travel. When travel is approved, students will receive detailed instructions about return testing and quarantine or other off campus restrictions that may apply. These procedures must be followed before access to campus facilities is restored.
In rare instances, graduate and professional students may be approved to travel for educational or academic programs. These students will also receive details about return testing and quarantine measures and must also follow these procedures prior to accessing campus facilities.
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.
I am a graduate/professional student and planning academic-related international travel. What should I do?
Is Cornell-related travel allowed for study abroad programs?
As was the case in the fall, travel for Cornell-related research or scholarship is prohibited for undergraduate students during the spring semester. This also applies 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.
The Office of Global Learning is accepting applications on a preliminary basis for more than 20 fall 2021 undergraduate study abroad programs. Global Cornell’s international travel health and safety experts will continue to monitor developments affecting travel in particular locations and worldwide. The university is expected to make a final decision about fall programming after an additional health and safety review in June 2021.
Education Abroad advisors are available to consult with students on planning for future opportunities, as are study abroad advisors within Cornell’s colleges and schools. Answers to common questions are available on the Education Abroad website. For further information, students may contact ,abroad@cornell.edu.