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We are inching closer and closer to summer (a.k.a. ice cream sandwich season), which means the fall semester is just around the bend. But what will that look like? Last year, it would have been week-long orientation events, move-in day, tearful goodbyes with mom and dad, and exciting tours through campus (first stop: dining hall!). This year, however, the start of the fall semester may look very different.
Even though the latest updates are ever-changing, we’ve scoured the interwebs and compiled this handy list of schools who’ve made announcements regarding the Fall 2020 semester. We hope you find this resource to be helpful!
Editor’s Note: We will update this page weekly every Tuesday with more information as it becomes available. For source information, simply click on the school’s name.
Adelphi University: “Adelphi is actively working toward resuming in-person operations this fall,” President Christine M. Riordan, PhD wrote in a statement on the university’s website.
American University: The university is “exploring many scenarios for the fall involving in-person, online and hybrid models.”
Amherst College: “We continue to hope that you will be on campus in the fall and are working hard to understand and create the conditions that would make that possible. However, there is still too much uncertainty for us to make a decision at this point,” said President Biddy Martin.
Auburn University: “Details for fall semester are not yet determined, although we are planning to welcome students back to campus,” the university said in a statement on its website.
Babson College: The institution is planning to reopen campus for the Fall 2020 semester, according to its website.
Baylor University: “Today I want to inform you that we intend to safely resume in-person teaching, learning, and residential life for the fall 2020 semester,” President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. wrote on April 27.
Boston College: According to a May 19 email, the college plans to resume in-person classes on August 31.
Boston University: Boston University is planning to reopen campus in the fall of 2020, according to an article on their website.
Bowdoin College: The school hopes to have a plan for the fall semester finalized by mid-June, according to its website.
Brown University: President Christina Paxson wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times that “The reopening of college and university campuses in the fall should be a national priority.”
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California State University: California State University (the largest four-year public college system in the US) announced that the fall semester would be conducted completely online.
Case Western University: “We are committed to having students on campus at Case Western Reserve University this fall, and already have begun consulting with experts to ensure the health and safety of everyone arriving on our campus,” the university wrote in a statement.
Chapman University: “While we are doing additional planning in case COVID-19 forces Southern California schools to restrict in-person instruction, our current intention is to return to campus in the fall if we are able,” the university said in a statement.
Clark University: President David P. Angel wrote in a statement: “It is our hope that we will engage in residential learning during the fall, although this may well take a somewhat modified form from what we have all been used to.”
Colgate University: The university will announce its decision regarding a Fall 2020 reopening no later than June 30.
Colorado College: According to its website, the college will “Consider a Fall 2020 scenario in which we have to begin with distance learning, combined with what we learn from this spring, to identify strategies which will keep students enrolled under a distance-based launch to the academic year.”
College of Charleston: The institution is “hopeful that we will begin on time with in-person classes.”
Columbia University: “I want to affirm that Columbia will be proceeding with the 2020-2021 academic year. Over the next two months, I and others will write with more detail about how we will do that,” said President Lee C. Bollinger.
Cornell University: The Ivy League institution hopes to resume campus operations for the Fall 2020 semester. However, “Even when we reopen our campuses, the virus will likely remain a part of daily life and social distancing measures will need to remain in place until that threat passes,” Provost Michael Kotlikoff wrote in a statement.
Dartmouth College: “In the most likely scenario, we expect to have a mix of in-person and virtual classes in the fall for both undergraduates and graduate and professional students,” the school said in a May 4 statement.
Davidson College: Davidson College is modeling several different scenarios, “ranging from all students returning in August to shifting the start date to a fully remote semester,” President Carol Quillen wrote.
Drake University: “It is our intent to offer both in-person instruction and a residential experience for our students this fall,” President Marty Martin said.
Drexel University: The Philadelphia-based university is considering a number of different scenarios for Fall 2020.
Duke University: “No decisions have been made yet as to activities related to the fall semester,” according to its website.
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Emory University: “There are still many variables to be considered for a fall reopening and many questions that need to be answered before we can release a definitive plan,” university officials wrote in a statement.
Florida International University: “Decisions regarding Fall 2020 will be made in the coming weeks,” the school said in a statement on its website.
Fordham University: “We are cautiously optimistic about resuming regular face-to-face instruction this Fall, depending upon the advice of public health authorities,” the university said on their website.
George Washington University: “We continue to plan for in-person instruction and a residential academic experience for the fall, with classes beginning on August 31.” President Thomas J. LeBlanc wrote in a statement.
Georgia Institute of Technology: “All institutions within the University System of Georgia are tentatively planning to return to normal on-campus operations for the fall semester should guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Georgia Department of Public Health allow it.”
Hamilton College: According to President David Wippman, Hamilton College is “working hard to prepare for an on-time, on-campus start in August.”
Harvard University: Provost Alan Garber wrote an open letter on April 27 stating that Harvard’s goal “is to bring our students, faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and staff to campus as quickly as possible.” However, he also added that “ because most projections suggest that COVID-19 will remain a serious threat during the coming months, we cannot be certain that it will be safe to resume all usual activities on campus by then.”
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Haverford College: The institution expects on-campus learning to resume in the fall, according to its website.
Harvey Mudd College: “The most likely scenario might be some combination of online and in-person instruction,” the school said in a statement on its website.
Ithaca College: In a campus-wide email sent on May 18, President Shirley Collado announced that school would reopen on Oct. 5, 2020.
Indiana University: IU President Michael A. McRobbie announced that IU will welcome students back to campus this fall. The semester will start on August 24 and classes will meet in-person until November 20. (Classes will move online November 30 for the remainder of the semester.) The school is not yet sure if spring classes will be in-person or online.
James Madison University: The university is expecting to open as scheduled for the Fall 2020 semester.
Johnson & Wales University: According to Chancellor Mim L. Runey, the university “has teams working on three potential plans for our campuses: return to normal; operate with restrictions such as hybrid delivery; or continue remote learning and telecommuting as we have been doing during this spring term.”
Kenyon College: According to President Sean Decatur, the school is “considering several scenarios, including delaying the start of the academic year in order to accommodate an in-person, residential fall semester.”
Lehigh University: “While our hope is for all of us to be back on campus by the fall, we are preparing for if this is not possible. We are actively planning and aim to provide an update on our approach in June,” the university said in a statement.
Lewis and Clark College: President Wim Wiewel wrote that the college fully expects “to be open and holding in-person classes this fall.”
Marquette University: According to the university’s website, Marquette plans to resume in-person classes this fall if it is safe to do so.
Miami University: The university “will be actively engaging the campus community to plan for safely returning to campus for fall,” according to its website.
Michigan State University: Classes are scheduled to start on September, but the university will end all in-person instruction on November 25. The remaining three weeks of the Fall 2020 semester will be conducted remotely.
Mount Holyoke College: “The College will host a full academic year in 2020-2021 and we hope to resume our normal on-campus instruction as soon as possible,” according to its website.
Muhlenberg College: “Until we have definitive information on the status of the stay-at-home order, we are planning for a full range of contingencies for the fall semester from a full reopen to continued remote learning and everything in between,” President Kathy Harring wrote.
New York University: “NYU is proceeding on the basis that it will resume in-person operations in New York City for the fall semester, cognizant though we are of challenges and changed circumstances caused by the coronavirus,” the university said in a statement on its website.
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Ohio State University: “The current tentative goal is to have an announcement of plans for the fall semester by mid-June,” the university said in a statement on its website.
Ohio University: The university has plans to reopen for the Fall 2020 semester, according to its website.
Pace University: “It is our hope and intention to resume our regular schedule of face-to-face classes across all three of our campuses for Fall 2020,” Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Vanya Quiñones, Ph.D. wrote.
Pennsylvania State University: “We hope, of course, to return to more normal on-campus operations by the fall, but no one can fully predict what will happen with the pandemic,” President Eric J. Barron wrote in a statement.
Princeton University: The Ivy League institution will “wait until early July before deciding whether our undergraduate teaching program will be online or residential in the fall term,” President Christopher L. Eisgruber wrote in a statement.
Purdue University: President Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. wrote that “Purdue University, for its part, intends to accept students on campus in typical numbers this fall.”
Quinnipiac University: On April 28, President Judy Olian wrote: “Our strong preference is to return to in-classroom instruction and on-campus activities this fall, and we have established several planning groups to guide our efforts recognizing that many uncertainties remain.”
Rice University: While Rice plans to resume in-person classes in August, President David Leebron Bridget Gorman wrote that the university is taking steps “to shorten the number of weeks during which classes will occur during the fall semester. Specifically, we will cancel the two-day fall recess (originally scheduled for October 12-13), enabling us to end classes before Thanksgiving.”
San Jose State: In a letter published from the Office of the Provost, school officials are considering several alternatives if in-person learning is deemed unsafe.
Santa Clara University: President Kevin O’Brien “has set up working teams to prepare and plan for various scenarios for fall instruction,” according to the school’s website.
Smith College: “We are hoping and planning for an in-person fall semester. Further, if a fall opening is delayed we are prepared to offer a full, in-person academic year even if the year, therefore, goes longer than usual or has fewer breaks,” the college wrote in a statement on its website.
Stanford University: “We’re actively discussing what our fall quarter 2020 will look like, but at this point, we do not have decisions,” the university said in a statement on its website.
Syracuse University: According to The Daily Orange, SU’s student newspaper, “The fall 2020 semester will be held on an accelerated schedule, starting Aug. 24, instead of the original Aug. 31 start date.” Students will not return to campus after Thanksgiving break; instead, “review sessions and final exams will be conducted online.”
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Tulane University: “While we cannot guarantee anything in these uncertain times, we very much hope to hold face-to-face, on-ground classes in fall 2020,” President Michael A. Fitts wrote.
UC Berkeley: The school is working closely with public health officials to determine when to resume in-person classes. UC Berkeley also plans to “continue to offer remote instruction as an option for Fall 2020, even if classes are held in-person.”
UC Los Angeles: “We are weighing various factors and scenarios for the 2020–21 academic year, gathering data and working closely with public health officials before making any decisions,” Chancellor Gene Block and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Emily A. Carter wrote in a joint statement.
University of Arizona: According to its website, the university plans on resuming in-person classes this fall.
University of Central Florida (Orlando): UCF will announce a decision about fall classes in June, according to their website.
University of Colorado at Boulder: The university will announce a decision regarding the structure of the fall 2020 semester on or before June 1.
University of Delaware: The university is “planning to welcome all students on campus this fall.” However, the administration is also “carefully evaluating alternative scenarios for [the] fall semester that may need to be considered.”
University of Florida (Gainesville): President Kent Fuchs wrote that the university will announce a decision regarding the fall semester no later than July 15.
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University of Georgia: While the university hopes to resume normal instruction come Fall 2020, it will depend on advice and guidance provided by public health officials as well as Governor Brian Kemp.
University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign): “The fall semester may not look exactly the same as when you left our campuses. But I am confident that with the appropriate protocols in place, we will restore much of our face-to-face teaching, as well as lab-based research, residential life and the other unique benefits that make our campus communities second to none,” President Timothy Killeen wrote.
University of Maryland (College Park): “We intend to announce a decision regarding Fall programs by June 15,” Mary Ann Rankin, Senior Vice President and Provost, wrote in a statement.
University of Michigan: President Mark S. Schlissel, M.D., Ph.D. wrote that he remains “cautiously optimistic that we will be able to deliver a public health-informed Fall semester on our three campuses.”
University of Miami: In a video message, President Julio Frenk said that the university plans to reopen on time and on campus — as long as it is safe to do so.
University of Missouri: “We expect to return to in-person operations and classes this fall,” the university said in a statement on its website.
University of North Carolina: The university “hope[s] to open in mid-August, but in any scenario, the semester will likely have a different feel than the past.”
University of Notre Dame: On May 18, the university announced that it would resume in-person classes on August 10 — two weeks earlier than usual. The school also announced that the semester would end by Thanksgiving and forgo their usual fall break in an effort to prevent students from bringing the virus back to campus.
University of Pittsburgh: “By early July, we will share explicit guidance with students and their families so that they can begin to make plans for the fall,” says Chancellor Patrick Gallagher.
University of Rochester: According to the school’s website, Fall 2020 programs are being developed to accommodate both on-campus and remote students.
University of South Carolina: The university has canceled fall break, and will “conclude face-to-face instruction at Thanksgiving Break,” President Bob Caslen wrote on May 17.
University of Tampa: President Ronald Vaughn said that the school is “planning to return to our traditional face-to-face, campus-based learning in Fall 2020.”
University of Texas (Austin): The university hopes to reopen campus by Fall 2020; a final decision will be announced by late June. Regardless, UT said in a statement that they will “continue to instruct and educate students in the fall.”
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University of Transylvania: Interim President Dr. John Williams said that while no decision has been made yet regarding the fall semester, he hopes to announce a decision by early June.
University of Virginia: “Although we hope to restart normally in the fall, it is still too early to know if that will be possible,” UVA leaders wrote in a statement.
Vanderbilt University: “We all share the same goal — returning to the beloved community and campus that feed our spirits and minds, and conducting classes in person there this fall. Achieving that goal is up to each one of us,” Susan R. Wente, Interim Chancellor and Provost, wrote on May 7.
Wake Forest University: The university plans to conduct the fall semester on campus, according to its website.
Washington University (St. Louis): “We will have a staggered academic calendar, with individual schools beginning the fall and spring semesters on different dates,” Chancellor Andrew D. Martin wrote in a letter to the Wash U community.
Williams College: President Maude Mandel will announce a decision regarding Fall 2020 reopening no later than July 1.
Yale University: President Peter Salovey said he will announce an update regarding the Fall 2020 semester by early July at the latest.
