The test must be conducted 14 days before arrival on campus.

The University System of Maryland announced on a new change on July 31 that will affect all students and faculty across the university system. In order to reduce transmission of the virus on campus, every student and staff member will have to get a coronavirus test before coming to campus this fall. The new directive comes as colleges and universities around the country make preparations for in-person and virtual classes for the fall semester. The new policy applies to students, staff, and faculty at all Maryland universities and colleges across the state. 

A negative test result must be provided to the school before students and staff can report to campus. Each campus will also have policies and procedures in place for students and staff that test positive after the school year begins. Students that are already on campus must quarantine in place until a test can be administered and confirmed negative, and students that are coming from out of state must also follow Maryland quarantine protocols for travelers.

All colleges and universities will also be following recommended safety guidelines including requiring masks, social distancing, hand washing and sanitizing, symptom monitoring, and following local limits on gathering and events. Employees and students will also be required to monitor their symptoms while on campus.

Courtesy Governor Larry Hogan

If you are a student planning on attending college in Maryland, you can get information on COVID testing by visiting coronavirus.maryland.gov. You do not need to have symptoms or an order from a doctor to get a test. In most cases, the test will be covered by your health insurance. Most of the testing sites will require you to make an appointment in advance. Some colleges will be offering on-campus testing, so check with your university before you make an appointment at another testing site.