Dear Graduate Student Community, I’m greatly looking forward to welcoming you to campus again! As you prepare for the fall semester, we’ve compiled helpful information, curated by category, about what to expect this fall on our return-to-campus webpage. Additionally, the Graduate Division hosted a town hall for incoming graduate students to answer questions about preparation for campus life, vaccine and residency requirements, international arrival information, student-parent resources, and other campus services. Regardless of where you are in your graduate career, you may find it helpful to watch the recording of this event. You likely have received several emails from Student Affairs about arrival and vaccine information, but I’d like to reiterate what you need to know: Arrival and Vaccine Information Students should make every effort to be fully vaccinated before arriving on campus. The University of California is moving forward with a vaccine mandate that takes effect today, July 15, 2021. Please take a moment to read through the UC immunization requirement and the COVID-19 vaccine requirement. If you were vaccinated at a non-UC Berkeley vaccination site, please upload your vaccination information through the secure eTang portal as soon as you are able. UC Berkeley will accept COVID vaccines from other countries that are approved by the World Health Organization. We recognize that, if you are outside the United States, you may not have access to vaccines. We have campus vaccination sites that will provide you with vaccines before classes start, but you will need to allow time to do this. Ideally, all students will arrive in the Bay Area and obtain vaccinations by August 4, 2021, two weeks before the UC Berkeley fall term begins on August 18. (Instruction begins on August 25 for most programs.) All students will need to get tested through a campus testing site. International students should get tested before they depart and 5 days after their arrival in the U.S. For complete information, read through UC Berkeley’s arrival guidelines for students, which will let you know whether you need to sequester when you arrive in the Bay Area. Once you take at least one COVID-19 test, your testing badge will be valid for 180 days from the date you were fully vaccinated. Once fully vaccinated, regular surveillance testing is not necessary Exceptions to the vaccine policy for religious or medical conditions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and a process to submit these exceptions will be available very soon. Visit the University Health Services website for the most up-to-date information. If you would like to set up a meeting with Larissa Charnsangavej, our Director of Graduate Student Life, to ask questions or discuss our many campus resources, sign up for a 15-minute virtual appointment. We’re planning a fun welcome event and mixer for all graduate students in September. Stay tuned for more information in the August edition of Grad News. Please be well this summer, take care of yourselves, and spend time with those you love. We are very much looking forward to seeing you in person on campus in the fall. Fiat Lux and Go Bears!
Dear Graduate Student Community, I’m greatly looking forward to welcoming you to campus again! As you prepare for the fall semester, we’ve compiled helpful information, curated by category, about what to expect this fall on our return-to-campus webpage. Additionally, the Graduate Division hosted a town hall for incoming graduate students to answer questions about preparation for campus life, vaccine and residency requirements, international arrival information, student-parent resources, and other campus services. Regardless of where you are in your graduate career, you may find it helpful to watch the recording of this event. You likely have received several emails from Student Affairs about arrival and vaccine information, but I’d like to reiterate what you need to know: Arrival and Vaccine Information Students should make every effort to be fully vaccinated before arriving on campus. The University of California is moving forward with a vaccine mandate that takes effect today, July 15, 2021. Please take a moment to read through the UC immunization requirement and the COVID-19 vaccine requirement. If you were vaccinated at a non-UC Berkeley vaccination site, please upload your vaccination information through the secure eTang portal as soon as you are able. UC Berkeley will accept COVID vaccines from other countries that are approved by the World Health Organization. We recognize that, if you are outside the United States, you may not have access to vaccines. We have campus vaccination sites that will provide you with vaccines before classes start, but you will need to allow time to do this. Ideally, all students will arrive in the Bay Area and obtain vaccinations by August 4, 2021, two weeks before the UC Berkeley fall term begins on August 18. (Instruction begins on August 25 for most programs.) All students will need to get tested through a campus testing site. International students should get tested before they depart and 5 days after their arrival in the U.S. For complete information, read through UC Berkeley’s arrival guidelines for students, which will let you know whether you need to sequester when you arrive in the Bay Area. Once you take at least one COVID-19 test, your testing badge will be valid for 180 days from the date you were fully vaccinated. Once fully vaccinated, regular surveillance testing is not necessary Exceptions to the vaccine policy for religious or medical conditions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and a process to submit these exceptions will be available very soon. Visit the University Health Services website for the most up-to-date information. If you would like to set up a meeting with Larissa Charnsangavej, our Director of Graduate Student Life, to ask questions or discuss our many campus resources, sign up for a 15-minute virtual appointment. We’re planning a fun welcome event and mixer for all graduate students in September. Stay tuned for more information in the August edition of Grad News. Please be well this summer, take care of yourselves, and spend time with those you love. We are very much looking forward to seeing you in person on campus in the fall. Fiat Lux and Go Bears!