To: Wellesley College Students and Families
From: Sheilah Shaw Horton, Vice President and Dean of Students
Re: Fall 2021 Move-in Schedule
Date: June 23, 2021
Wellesley’s preparations to welcome all students back to campus this coming fall are well underway. We know many of you are excited to make your travel plans to return to campus, and we are now able to share the fall 2021 move-in schedule with you.
While we are eager for your return, we will still need to ask our community to follow health and safety precautions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are working on finalizing those plans and protocols.
First, remember that all students must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to come to campus in the fall. You must submit evidence of vaccination by July 15. Please review the instructions for how to upload your information into Patient Gateway for Health Services, provided by Newton-Wellesley Collegiate Health. You must also provide vaccination information in the toolbox on the Wellesley portal. If you have already uploaded evidence of vaccination, thank you.
Students who have not submitted proof of vaccination or received approval of a medical or religious exemption or disability accommodation by July 15 will not be allowed to return to campus.
If you are arriving from an international location and are unable to access a vaccine approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), please reach out to Health Services to arrange to be vaccinated upon arrival to campus.
Students with exemptions and those arriving from international locations who are unable to access an approved vaccine will need to quarantine for at least seven days upon arrival.
Arrival dates for fully vaccinated students
Vaccinated students may arrive directly to their residence hall on campus only within their designated arrival window. (We will send out more details about selecting specific arrival days and times later in the summer.) After arriving, vaccinated students will be tested for COVID-19, and then will be required to adhere to in-room restriction (remaining in their rooms except to pick up grab-and-go meals). After one negative test result, students will be cleared to begin programming and classes.
| Vaccinated students | Arrival window (all times are EDT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Designated student leaders, fall pre-season athletes, first-year Global Scholars | All will receive separate, follow-up communications from College staff and program sponsors about specific arrival details. | |
| Entering international first-year, transfer, and exchange students | Sunday, August 29, 3:30 p.m. to Monday, August 30, 3:30 p.m. | |
| Entering domestic first-year, transfer, and Davis Scholar students | Wednesday, September 1, 3:30 p.m. to Thursday, September 2, 3:30 p.m. | |
| Returning sophomores | Friday, September 3, 3:30 p.m. to Sunday, September 5, 3:30 p.m. | |
| All other returning students | Friday, September 3, 3:30 p.m. to Monday, September 6, 3:30 p.m. |
Arrival dates for students who are arriving from international locations and were unable to acquire an approved vaccine
These students may arrive only within their designated arrival window. (We will provide more details about arrival locations and selecting specific arrival days and times later in the summer.) They will be tested on arrival and will begin an immediate, seven-day quarantine. Following two negative test results and at the completion of their quarantine, students will be cleared to begin programming and classes. In coordination with Health Services, these students will be vaccinated following the quarantine period.
| Students arriving from international locations who were unable to obtain an approved vaccine | Arrival window (all times are EDT) | |
|---|---|---|
| Designated student leaders and fall pre-season athletes | All will receive separate, follow-up communications from College staff and program sponsors about specific arrival details. | |
| Entering international first-year, transfer, and exchange students | Sunday, August 22, 3:30 p.m. to Monday, August 23, 3:30 p.m. | |
| Returning students | Monday, August 30, 3:30 p.m. to Tuesday, August 31, 3:30 p.m. |
If you are uncertain about which arrival window applies to you, please contact studenthousing@wellesley.edu.
Only one designated parent, guardian, or family member will be permitted to enter the residence halls with each student to help them move in. They must show proof of vaccination to enter and must wear a mask. Wellesley College Facilities staff will also be on hand to assist students with moving their belongings. Other family members are welcome to visit with their students in the outdoor areas of the campus on move-in day, but they will not be permitted to enter residence halls or other campus buildings at any time.
We hope this information allows you to begin planning your return to campus for the fall semester. We will share additional details with you later this summer, and we look forward to seeing you in the fall.
