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COVID-19 resources for the Stanford community

Skip Current policies and status

Current policies and status

Stanford is in a phased recovery of operations due to COVID-19. Below is an overview of our current policies and protocols. These will be adjusted as the public health situation changes.

COVID-19 vaccines are being administered by health care providers to eligible individuals based on criteria set by public health authorities. For the most current information, visit the Vaccinations page.

Classes will be mostly remote for the spring quarter, with limited classes offered in-person. Teaching Commons and Teach Anywhere offer resources for instructors.

On-campus housing for the spring quarter is being offered to graduate students, new transfer students, juniors and seniors and approved undergraduates with special circumstances.  Dining halls provide takeout meals, with CleanDining protocols. A compact outlines protocols for those living in R&DE-assigned housing or coming to campus.

Research and some other essential in-person campus activities are operating on-site. Guidance for researchers is available. Otherwise, faculty, staff, postdocs and students who can work remotely are asked to continue doing so until school/unit leaders determine that return to on-site work is needed. Work Anywhere offers resources.

COVID-19 testing is required on a twice-weekly basis for students  who live on campus or come to campus frequently. Starting January 4, 2021, surveillance testing also is required for faculty, staff, and postdocs who are approved to work on-site. Dashboards provide aggregated results for the Stanford community.

Health Check to self-report health status is required on a daily basis for students on campus and for employees and postdocs working in-person at a Stanford facility. Training on COVID-19 hygiene is required before returning to work at a campus location for the first time.

Maintain physical distance from others at all times – generally at least 6 feet. Wear a face covering indoors (unless you are in your apartment, dorm unit or personal office and no one else is present who is not a member of your household) and also outdoors whenever 6 feet of physical distance cannot be maintained from people who are not in your household.

Gatherings are generally prohibited, both indoors and outdoors, with some exceptions for university-led academic activities and other activities. Students in R&DE-assigned housing can gather with members of their registered households” of up to 8 people  and as of April 14 can participate in on-campus outdoor gatherings for up to 3 separate households with no more than 24 students total in one gathering. 

Nonessential visitors to campus are limited under the campus zones program. Public events, performances and exhibitions are not occurring in person. Certain essential visitors (including spouses/partners and minor dependents) are allowed in student residences. New appointments of visitors, including visiting scholars, visiting postdocs, visiting student researchers and others, are restricted.

University-sponsored travel is restricted. Employees arriving from travel of more than 150 miles away from Santa Clara County or San Mateo County can return to the Stanford main campus or Stanford Redwood City campus after receiving a negative COVID-19 test 5 or more days after their arrival back (or after 10 days without a COVID-19 test). SLAC employees may have different policies.  Students should continue participating in Stanford’s regular twice-weekly testing for students.

Athletics activities are being provided additional flexibility under a revised Santa Clara County order. Stanford Athletics will be in touch with student-athletes and coaches about the effects on team activities.

Exercise outdoors is encouraged, subject to physical distancing. Pool reservations and other recreational offerings are available for those approved to be on-site.

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COVID Dashboards

Stanford’s COVID dashboards provide daily and weekly updates about COVID surveillance testing, isolation, and prevalence in the Stanford community.

See the dashboards

Latest Updates

Student vaccination this fall

In a message to the campus community, Provost Persis Drell writes that Stanford plans to require all undergraduate, graduate and professional students coming to campus this fall to be vaccinated for COVID-19, with accommodations for those who cannot take a vaccination for medical or religious reasons.

Read more about Student vaccination this fall
See all COVID-19 announcements

Testing, Prevention & Care

What should I do if I'm feeling ill?

Learn how to access care if you think you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

Learn more about what to do if you're feeling ill

Where can I get tested?

Find out where you can get tested for COVID-19 if you are on or near campus. (Stanford's five drive-through testing locations are available to all insurances.)

Learn more about where you can get tested

Mandatory self-reporting to Stanford

Let Stanford know if you are awaiting test results or have tested COVID-positive, or if you are sick with certain COVID-19 symptoms.

Learn how to self-report

Where can I get a vaccine?

Find out about COVID vaccine eligibility and where to receive a vaccine, based on the county in which you reside.

Learn more about getting a vaccine

Prevention & self-care

Learn about ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and maintain good mental and emotional health.

Learn more about prevention and self-care

Campus hygiene

Learn about Stanford’s enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures and follow instructions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Learn more about campus hygiene

Social distancing protocol

Learn about the steps Stanford is taking to comply with the Social Distancing Protocol requirement.

Learn more about Stanford's social distancing protocol

Travel information

Find current travel advisories and resources for re-booking and cancellations, and learn what to do if you are returning to campus from an out-of-state trip.

Learn more about travel and returning to campus from traveling out of state

Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 illustration

For COVID-19 related information for the Stanford community from prevention strategies to university operations to finding help:

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Other Resources

Learn Anywhere

Information and technology resources for students to set up internet access at home and attend classes online.

Learn more about attending classes remotely

Teach Anywhere

This guide provides you suggested actions to take quickly when making the shift from teaching in a classroom to teaching anywhere.

Visit the Teach Anywhere website

Research Continuity

Guidance and information on research continuity, sponsor agency, funding opportunities and COVID-19 research at Stanford.

Learn about research continuity

Work Anywhere

Technology resources, services, and equipment to enable the success of Stanford’s distributed workforce — no matter where your “office” may be.

Visit the Work Anywhere website

Stanford COVID-19 research & crisis response

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic poses a humanitarian crisis unprecedented in its scale of complexity, calling for coordination and collaboration between many fields of study.

Learn about Stanford’s response plan to unite COVID research

Stanford scholars and researchers lend their expertise to tackling the COVID-19 crisis

Stanford scholars in fields ranging from history to virology to artificial intelligence have been lending their expertise to the study and analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected more than 2.5 million people worldwide.

Learn about Stanford scholar’s expertise and ongoing COVID-19 work