Campus Life

Penn State urges students to get tested for COVID-19 before summer departure

On-demand testing remains available on campuses

Walk-up testing at the Pegula Ice Arena is closed from April 22 to 24 for the University's vaccine clinic with Walmart. Testing is available those days at the Hintz Family Alumni Center and will resume at Pegula Ice Arena on April 26. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — As the spring semester comes to a close, Penn State is strongly encouraging all students to utilize the University’s on-demand testing to complete a COVID-19 test prior to departing their campus for the summer.  

Students who wish to be tested before leaving campus should plan to take a COVID-19 test about three days in advance of their planned departure and minimize, as much as possible, their interactions with others after testing.

“We know that our students may be concerned about returning home to households with high-risk family members or to individuals who have not yet been vaccinated,” said Kelly Wolgast, director of the COVID-19 Operations Control Center. “For this reason, all of our students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the testing we are offering before they leave for the summer to prevent the unintentional spread of the virus as they travel to their summer destinations.”

At University Park, walk-up testing for students is available at the Hintz Family Alumni Center and the Pegula Ice Arena from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

At the Commonwealth Campuses, testing processes are defined for each campus and are typically administered by the local health center or other designated area. Specific details and hours can be obtained on campus through the campus Student Affairs office.

It doesn't matter if they have been tested last month, last week or yesterday — if a student is concerned that they may be at risk, they should come get tested again. 

The ongoing efforts to mitigate COVID-19 spread disease spread will also support preparations for a fall 2021 return to full in-person instruction. By having tests on record for students this summer, leadership can better plan for the upcoming semester’s classes, activities and more.

University Park students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should continue to schedule testing appointments with University Health Services (UHS) via myUHS (review UHS's hours of operation). Students living on or near other Penn State campuses should seek symptomatic testing via their campus’ health services or a local provider.

More information on University COVID-19 testing is available online at virusinfo.psu.edu

Last Updated April 26, 2021