FAQs for Students

Yes. Faculty, staff, and students who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 should complete the COVID Vaccine Documentation form to notify the College of their vaccination. You should do this after receiving your first dose. Once you complete the form, someone will be in touch with you to request that you submit documentation to verify the information you submit. Please be prepared to email a scan/image of your vaccination card.

Students, faculty and staff who have submitted documentation showing that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer be in the pool for weekly surveillance testing on campus. Fully vaccinated individuals maybe tested for other reasons—such as exposure to a known positive case, returning from overnight travel or exhibiting symptoms of the virus—and are required to participate when called upon.

No. None of the currently authorized and recommended vaccines in the United States can cause you to test positive on viral tests (PCR and Antigen), which are used to determine if you have a current infection. You could test positive for COVID-19 antibodies on an antibody test, which shows if you have built up some immunity to the virus.

Yes. All members of our on-campus community are subject to the same expectations regarding mask-wearing, physical distancing, limiting close contacts, and self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19.

You will NOT need to quarantine if both of the following are true:

• It has been at least 14 days since you completed the full vaccination (2 doses of Moderna or Pfizer; 1 dose of Johnson and Johnson)
• You are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19

If either of the above are not true, you will still need to quarantine.

While we continue to discourage unnecessary travel away from campus, fully vaccinated students who return to Carleton from overnight travel within the United States are no longer required to “lie low” upon return. These students will be tested for COVID-19 between 5 and 7 days following their return but will be able to return to normal activities right away. If you need to travel away from campus, please complete the Overnight Visit Form in advance so your test can be scheduled. Students returning from travel abroad will continue to be required to “lie low,” and will be tested for COVID-19 upon return and again five days later before rejoining normal activities.

All students, faculty, staff and visitors on campus are required to wear a mask that covers both their nose and mouth at all times indoors while in public spaces and when in the presence of others with whom you don’t share a living space. You are also required to wear a mask outside when you are in a large group (more than 30 people) or event.

You do not need to wear a mask when you are in your room/house by yourself or with others with whom you live. You may also remove your mask when eating or toothbrushing. You do not need to wear a mask outside if you are by yourself or in a small group (30 people or fewer).

• Indoor events are limited to 10 people and must adhere to the modified occupancy of the space. You must wear a mask and maintain at least a 6-foot distance from others when indoors and around those with whom you do not share a living space.

• Outdoor events are limited in size and must be registered and approved using existing processes.

• Residential Life has communicated additional guidelines (e.g., having fewer than 10 people in your room) directly to students.

The College will investigate and issue sanctions according to the Covenant Sanction Guidelines to individuals who do not follow these protocols. 

All students are expected to follow the College’s guidance based on the current action level. You must maintain the same physical distancing and masking behaviors off campus as are required on campus.

When off-campus excursions are permitted into Northfield:

• If you elect to support Northfield’s coffee shops and restaurants, take your drinks and meals to go.
• Exercise outdoors on city streets and lands; always keep a mask with you in case you need it.
• Don’t spend time anywhere that requires you to remove your mask indoors.
• Don’t spend time anywhere indoors that requires you to spend 15 minutes or more within 6 feet of another person with whom you don’t share a living space.
• Install the COVIDaware MN app on your phone to provide an extra layer of information about potential exposure.

Unnecessary travel beyond Northfield continues to be prohibited. Overnight travel for any reason must be communicated in advance and requires special precautions upon returning.

Students who are in isolation or quarantine should follow the guidance of Student Health and Counseling and the Case Investigation and Contact Tracing team.

The Carleton Community Covenant—which all students, faculty, and staff who are living, learning or working on campus are required to sign—establishes clear behavior expectations for students. The Dean of Students Office has developed student sanction guidelines for violations of the covenant.

Carleton’s outdoor masking and physical distancing expectations were revised on May 14, 2021, and are not reflected in the covenant.

All students are expected to avoid unnecessary travel. If you must travel, please complete the COVID19 Overnight Visit form in advance.

Unvaccinated Students: In order to ensure the safety of the community, we require any unvaccinated student who needs to complete an overnight visit off campus to notify us of their travel prior to departure and, upon return, to self-monitor and take an on-campus COVID-19 test. “Self-monitoring” means you will have a designated space to live for 10 days, take all meals grab and go, and not be able to attend face-to-face classes or use public spaces, among other restrictions.

Fully Vaccinated Students: Fully vaccinated students who return to Carleton from overnight travel within the United States are no longer required to “lie low” upon return. These students will be tested for COVID-19 between 5 and 7 days following their return but will be able to return to normal activities right away.

Any Student Traveling Abroad: Students returning from travel abroad will continue to be required to “lie low,” and will be tested for COVID-19 upon return and again five days later before rejoining normal activities.

Yes. Faculty, staff, and students who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 should complete the COVID Vaccine Documentation form to notify the College of their vaccination. You should do this after receiving your first dose. Once you complete the form, someone will be in touch with you to request that you submit documentation to verify the information you submit. Please be prepared to email a scan/image of your vaccination card.

Despite state and national successes in vaccinating the populations most vulnerable to COVID-19, Carleton’s policy continues that visitors are not permitted on campus, including those who are vaccinated. This restriction will continue through commencement.

With the threat of more contagious variants of the virus circulating, as well as inequitable access to the vaccine across the country and around the world, we simply don’t know that it is safe to invite guests to campus at this time. While a single event with just one or two outside visitors may seem safe, risk increases as the number of visitors multiplies. Additionally, our students are not being vaccinated at the same rate as other on-campus populations, and the Minnesota Department of Health has specifically excluded those without underlying health conditions or specific work assignments from vaccine priority. Despite the recent vaccination clinics on campus, our ongoing receipt of vaccines is uncertain.

As has been the case throughout the pandemic, circumstances are changing rapidly, and we are closely watching the public health landscape to make decisions in the best interest of our campus community.

Correct and consistent mask use is a critical step everyone can take to reduce their risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. Masks work best when everyone wears them, but not all masks provide the same protection. How well a mask fits, how well it filters the air, and how many layers it has are all important to consider when choosing which mask to wear. The CDC offers tips on improving the fit and filtration of your mask to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The College provided two cloth masks to every student upon arrival on campus. We have additional masks available in the Dean of Students Office, but you are encouraged to bring your own from home, as well, to ensure you always have a clean mask available. Masks should be cloth and must not feature a vent. Neck gaiters and bandanas are not considered acceptable mask options. You should keep your face masks laundered and clean.

Compounding the COVID-19 pandemic with an influenza outbreak on Carleton’s campus could place the community’s health and safety at risk, decrease the likelihood that the 2021 academic year is completed in-person, and stress local medical resources. As an additional measure to help keep our community safe, all students and employees who are living, working or learning on campus are required to receive a seasonal flu vaccine.

Students can work with Disability Services to request a medical accommodation or Associate Dean of Students Joe Baggot to request a religious accommodation regarding the seasonal influenza vaccination requirement.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) recommend that everyone over the age of 6 months receive a seasonal flu vaccine every year.

Additional information regarding flu vaccines:

CDC- Seasonal Flu Shot

CDC- Misconceptions about Seasonal Flu and Flu Vaccines

MDH- Influenza

Mayo Clinic- Flu Shot: Your best bet for avoiding influenza

No; the CDC does not recommend face shields as a substitute for face masks because they don’t protect others from the respiratory droplets of the wearer as well as masks do. A face shield can be worn in addition to a face mask, as added protection for your eyes.

We recommend that students, faculty, and staff install the COVIDaware MN app on their phones to help create a safer community at Carleton. If you choose to install this tool, the app will notify you if you have been near someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Likewise, if you test positive, the app anonymously notifies anyone you’ve been within six feet of for 15 minutes or more during your infectious period. 

Widespread use of the COVIDAware MN app would provide an extra layer of information about potential exposure for those traveling back to campus or who travel off campus during the term. It may also prove helpful for contact tracing in situations where one’s ability to judge distances or recall how long a specific interaction lasted is not particularly accurate.  

COVIDaware does not collect any personal information or track your location. The app was made available by the State of Minnesota, in partnership with PathCheck Foundation. It uses your phone’s Bluetooth signal to exchange anonymous tokens through exposure notification technology developed by Apple and Google. You can learn more about COVIDaware MN online, and download it from the Google Play or Apple App Store.   

We have continued our Winter Term surveillance testing regimen to test 600 individuals per week. This represents nearly 30% of our on-campus population of students, faculty, and staff. The tests are administered by Homeland Health and analyzed by a lab at the University of Minnesota, with results available within 24 hours.

As of May 4, students, faculty and staff who have submitted documentation showing that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are no longer in the pool for weekly surveillance testing on campus. We are continuing to conduct surveillance testing on 600 members of our community each week, acknowledging that this number will decrease as more people become fully vaccinated.

If you have received a positive COVID-19 test, you will be removed from the surveillance testing pool for 90 days.

• All students, faculty and staff were tested for COVID-19 immediately upon return to campus in March, and all students were tested again about one week later.
• We have increased our supply of rapid tests to ensure we can continue to test individuals as soon as they experience COVID-19 symptoms.
• We also are prepared to conduct targeted testing of individuals or groups who may be at increased risk of exposure, as identified through contact tracing or case clusters.

We saw success with these approaches in the fall and winter and will continue to prioritize practices that enable our contact tracing team to work as swiftly as possible.

If at any time you believe you are a close contact of a positive case of COVID-19 on campus, please call the contact tracing team at (507) 222-5119.

In most cases, no; the college will supply and pay for COVID-19 tests on campus. However, in some instances, students who need to complete an overnight visit off campus will be required to pay the cost of their required on-campus COVID-19 test upon return.

We use the CDC’s definition of a close contact, which is any individual who has spent 15 cumulative minutes or more over the course of 24 hours within 6 feet of the infected person. All unvaccinated close contacts of an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 will be contacted and quarantined. For students living in townhouses or interest houses, all unvaccinated residents of the house will be quarantined in the event of one resident’s positive test.

A close contact also may be someone who had direct physical contact with a positive case, shared eating or drinking utensils with a positive case, provided care in the same residence to someone who is sick with COVID-19, or who had direct contact with infected respiratory droplets through sneezing or coughing. Because campus spaces like classrooms and dining halls have been set up with physical distancing in place, we don’t expect full classrooms to require quarantine in the event of an illness.

If at any time you believe you are a close contact of a positive case of COVID-19 on campus, please call the contact tracing team at (507) 222-5119.

There is no plan for wastewater testing at this time. We consulted on this practice with an external expert and learned that it would provide less meaningful data than will be learned through our plan for ongoing, weekly surveillance testing for COVID-19.

With surveillance testing, we can estimate the true prevalence of illness in the overall population. We can also respond to known positive cases immediately. With wastewater testing, we could detect viral RNA that may be associated with residents in a dorm, but would need to follow up with a test or quarantine for every resident in the dorm.

For return-to-campus and surveillance testing, we are using a PCR test, which is administered via nasal swab by a health care professional. We also have access to rapid tests and saliva tests, which we use to meet other testing needs.

When a member of our campus community tests positive for COVID-19, our team works on behalf of the Minnesota Department of Health to carry out tracing for close contacts both on and off campus. Affected students follow quarantine and isolation protocols within campus residences that have been reserved for this purpose. Students in quarantine or isolation have a designated case manager, receive meals in their residence, take their classes online, and have their health and wellbeing actively monitored by a member of our professional Student Health and Counseling staff. Those living in suites, townhomes and interest houses are considered household contacts and will need to quarantine in the event that a house member tests positive. Affected faculty and staff follow quarantine and isolation protocols at home.

Fully vaccinated people do not need to quarantine if both of the following are true: 

• It has been at least 14 days since you completed the full vaccination (2 doses of Moderna or Pfizer; 1 dose of Johnson and Johnson) 
• You are not experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 

If either of the above are not true, you will still need to quarantine. 

In rare circumstances. Spring 2021 changes to CDC and Minnesota Department of Health guidelines allow some quarantined students to be tested at day 7 and released if the test is negative, and they do not exhibit symptoms. However, it is important to know that very few individuals will be eligible for early release; it is dependent on the circumstances of each exposure.

We increased our designated quarantine and isolation space to 101 beds, and we have the flexibility to add even more if needed. With 90 designated spaces this fall, our peak usage came in Tenth Week when 58% of spaces were occupied.

The College has space reserved for roughly 101 students in quarantine and isolation. Students living in these spaces have the support of a designated case manager, receive meals in their residence, continue their coursework online, and have their health and wellbeing actively monitored by a member of our professional Student Health and Counseling staff. We are following CDC recommendations for the length of quarantine and isolation.

You will not be allowed to leave your quarantine/isolation space and will need to continue your coursework remotely. How you do that will vary depending on your instructor and the class activities and structure. For example, your professor may be able to use in-classroom microphones or cameras to allow you to follow along, you may be able to access recorded lectures for later listening, or you may be able to keep up by doing assigned reading and participating in Moodle discussions. Your first point of contact should be your instructor. If you are unable to keep up with the class, you should work with the Dean of Students Office to consider a medical extension or leave.

Physical distancing is the act of limiting your interactions with others. It includes not shaking hands, avoiding crowds, standing 6 feet from others, working remotely when possible, and staying home if you feel sick.

Quarantine is for people who may have been exposed to COVID-19.

Isolation is for people who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been confirmed to have the virus.

If you have been sick with respiratory symptoms or fever, you should isolate for 10 days after the onset of your illness. You can stop isolating after that 10-day period as long as you have been fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of medication) and your symptoms have improved.

Class Deans are the best point of contact for family members. However, if an immediate concern is present, family members should call Security at (507) 222-4444. Security is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Visit https://go.carleton.edu/mySHAC to locate the daily symptom tracker. Please follow these instructions to accurately fill out the daily symptom tracker.

Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) is prepared to provide medical care to students during the term via multiple means. Remote telehealth meetings are being utilized for the initial assessment of all appointments. For medical services that require an in-person visit, students will be invited to meet with a provider in the clinic. SHAC also assists students in securing off-campus appointments and understanding transportation options, as needed.

For students who are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or who have tested positive and are therefore in isolation on campus, SHAC will check in with them remotely on a daily basis. If a student has symptoms that require medical intervention beyond self-care strategies, SHAC will help students coordinate the higher level of care needed.

Yes, students continue to be able to travel off campus for medical appointments. We are limiting the number of occupants in campus fleet vehicles based on physical distancing guidelines.

Yes. All on-campus students, faculty, and staff must self-monitor and self-report their symptoms daily in order to ensure swift action if signs of illness arise. The symptom tracker can be found at https://go.carleton.edu/mySHAC.

You can locate an in-network provider or pharmacy via Wellfleet Student. Wellfleet also offers detailed information on its Coronavirus Updates page.

If you are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, you should record your symptoms in the Symptom Tracker, self-isolate and:

• Contact Security at (507) 222-4444
  or
• Submit a Community Concern Form

Security is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the Community Concern Form is monitored regularly.

According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

• Fever (100.4° F or higher) or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• New loss of taste or smell
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

This list does not include all possible symptoms. 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Minnesota Department of Health are the most up-to-date sources of information on the coronavirus outbreak.

Enclosed student study spaces in the Gould Library and Anderson Hall are available on a first-come, first-served basis. As a courtesy to others, please use study spaces for only one class period at a time on Monday-Friday between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m.

You must reserve classroom space if you want to use one Monday-Friday between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. You can do so via the College’s Room Reservation portal using these portal instructions. If you are needing a quiet space to Zoom into classes, this could be an option. Classrooms are not available for drop-in use Monday-Friday before 10:30 p.m. 

Eating and drinking is prohibited in enclosed study spaces and classrooms. 

Our approach to academic spaces is to promote six-foot physical distancing and minimize transmission through infected surfaces or aerosols. This includes both modifying room layouts by reducing the density of available seats and implementing behavioral changes, such as wearing masks. In-person class meetings are limited to 30 students. In order to support physically distanced traffic flow, we have changed the daily class schedule to provide longer, 20-minute, breaks between class periods.

No. If a student were to do this, Carleton would be in violation of federal standards for financial aid and accreditation.

The College’s academic policies and regulations still hold. College graduation requirements will not be waived, and we would also expect major and minor requirements to be met regardless of whether students register for courses remotely or take classes on campus.

The one-time global exceptions to academic policy that were granted in Spring 2020 (e.g., P.E. waiver for 12th-term seniors, mandatory scrunch for all courses, broader coverage of end-of-term extensions, etc.) were not extended to the 2020-21 academic year.

Carleton’s Learning and Teaching Center hosted regular faculty development events throughout the summer, and there was robust participation by faculty. For example, 20 faculty participated in the first iteration of a week-long workshop on designing fall courses for engagement and resilience. A further 22+ faculty attended a boot camp on online teaching with specialized sessions on using video effectively and approaches to discussion in a variety of remote formats. Further programming focused on working with the librarians and library resources, designing A&I seminars, and teaching quantitative skills, to name a few. The academic support professionals are available for consultation, and the College has introduced the Resilient Pedagogy website to organize and disseminate all the information on best practices, tools, available support, and good examples to the campus community. 

In addition to programming on campus, Carleton faculty have had the opportunity to participate in a number of professional development initiatives through consortial groups, including the Liberal Arts Consortium for Online Learning (LACOL) and the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM). These included workshops, discussion boards, book groups, and opportunities to share syllabi, assignments, and best practices. Faculty are also participating in the workshops put on by many of their professional organizations which focus on teaching issues specific to their disciplines.

This depends on the students involved and the work that they must do together. We encourage virtual interactions in situations where that approach is effective. Masks are required for in-person work. Students living in townhouses and interest houses have more freedom to work with members of their “family unit.”

Yes, course meeting times have been adjusted. The passing periods were increased to 20 minutes, and the final period of each schedule type (6a and 5-6c) was moved to the evening, beginning at 7 p.m.

In addition to dining halls, residences, and outdoors, you may eat and drink in the Weitz Cafe and Schulze Cafe areas at any time. Sanitizing wipes are available to wipe your table; mask up as soon as you are finished eating.

Eating and drinking is prohibited in classrooms and in the library.

Nearly 1,600 students are on campus this spring.

Yes, kitchens continue to be available in residence halls, with some modifications. Depending on the residence, those modifications may include reserved time slots, occupancy limits, and cleaning requirements. 

Beds and other furniture in multiple-occupancy residential spaces were arranged to ensure 6 feet of physical distance can be achieved between residents, particularly for sleeping. The layout of these rooms was informed by guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health. Desks and dressers can be moved out of rooms upon request.

Only students living in campus housing (including the designated hotels) and those approved for the Northfield Option are permitted to come to campus for in-person classes. 

The meal plan is required unless you have been released through an accommodation or live in a room where a meal plan is not required.  

Yes, beginning again on Monday, April 12. All campus dining spaces are set up to accommodate physical distancing. For those who wish to take their meals to go, Dining Services is supporting the G2G program on campus—exchange your card for a G2G Container. Replacement cards can be purchased (dining dollars or Schillers) in Sayles Café.

Other safety measures in our dining spaces include physically-distant queues and seating arrangements, plexiglass barriers between dining staff and diners, and strict sanitizing processes for tables, utensils, and shared spaces.

There are colored cards on all tables. One side is green, indicating that the table has been cleaned and sanitized. The other side is red, indicating that the table needs to be cleaned and sanitized. Students are to display the red side of the card while they are seated at the table.

All diners are required to wear their face coverings and wash or sanitize their hands before entering food service lines.

Please visit the dining services website for updated dining hours. 

Sayles is currently cashless, accepting meal plans and Schillers. We hope to be able to accept credit cards later in the term.

We encourage the use of Schillers, as it qualifies diners for a 10% discount in Sayles, Weitz and Schulze Café and a 20% discount in the dining halls.

Campus food handlers are specifically trained in proper safety and hygiene procedures. All Bon Appétit staff members completed special COVID-19 training and follow all federal and state-level regulations. Additionally:

• All diners are required to wash or sanitize their hands before entering food service.
• Pre-work temperature checks and a health survey are being done for all dining managers and employees.
• All dining staff members are wearing masks and gloves during service periods, when in contact with students, and as their jobs safely allow.
• All meals are available to go.
• Staff are disinfecting throughout each meal period.
• Staff are changing service utensils every 20 minutes.
• Self-service options are available in accordance with guidance from the Minnesota Department of Health.
• Seating arrangements in the dining hall have been adjusted to support physical-distancing guidelines.
• All diners are invited to swipe their own card.

At the beginning of the term, each student living on campus received a Green2Go exchange card. These cards can be redeemed for a clean and sanitized reusable container, which can be used at Sayles Café, Burton Dining Hall, and East Dining Hall. Learn more about the Green2Go program.

As always, we are using our sustainable purchasing practices, keeping our local farmers in business. We continue to make food in small batches to enable us to reduce waste. 

Not at this time.

Students have OneCard access to academic buildings from 7 a.m. to midnight. Classrooms should be unlocked during these hours. 

Yes. For library information, please visit the library website.

Yes. Carleton is committed to supporting all campus community members who have been impacted by sexual misconduct. Any Carleton student can access both on-campus and off-campus resources whether they are currently located on Carleton’s campus or studying remotely. Learn more.

Information Technology Services has put together a technology support page for students describing how to set your timezone, how to access available software (to download or run remotely on a Carleton lab computer), how to scan and upload paper documents, and information about key resources like Zoom and the Google Suite. ITS also has a client portal from which you can create a problem ticket or ask for real-time help by chat. 

The physically distanced and outdoor nature of spring season sports will allow for varsity athletes to return to a modified competition schedule in April, following the campus-wide “lie low” period that ends on Monday, April 5. Only spring sports will compete (golf, tennis, track and field, baseball, and softball); fall and winter sports will not be in competition during the spring.

Significant restrictions will be in place to protect the health and safety of student athletes and the entire Carleton campus community. Those include:

• Mandatory, frequent testing. All spring sports athletes and coaches will be tested weekly with a PCR test for COVID-19 as part of Carleton’s targeted testing plan. They will also be tested on competition days with a rapid antigen test.
• Mask mandate. Athletes and coaches must be masked at all times during practice and competition, as well as during travel to and from competition.
• Travel restrictions. No overnight travel will be permitted, and all travel will take place by bus with 50% occupancy and physical distancing in place.
• Outdoor only. All competitions and associated activities will take place outdoors. There will be no access to locker rooms or training rooms, meals will be eaten outdoors, and portable toilets will be stationed near the fields. There will be no indoor competitions.
• No spectators. Spectators will not be allowed at Carleton home competitions.

The Rec Center reopened on Monday, Jan. 18. View plans and hours on the Rec Center website.

Equipment check-out and remote classes continue to be available. The outdoor track, Arb, and rinks are open.

We will follow Minnesota Department of Health guidelines regarding the number of people permitted to gather for events or meetings.

If you plan to study remotely during Winter or Spring Term, your Carleton financial aid package may change because of a different cost of attendance. In a case where a student decides to study remotely, room, board, and the CSA Fee for the term are no longer charged. Because of the change in costs to you, your financial need will also change and an adjustment to your award may be necessary. Students who are remote, who are not living at home and are paying rent should notify Student Financial Aid so those costs can be factored into any adjustment. To understand how your financial aid may change, contact Student Financial Aid for more information.

Your first step should be to work with your supervisor to determine if you can complete your work remotely or make up your hours later in the term. If these options are not available to you, please contact Student Financial Aid. 

Our existing refund schedule as described in the Campus Handbook remains in place.

Carleton is committed to meeting the financial need of students for 12 terms or 216 credits, whichever comes first. If you take the 2020-21 academic year off, your aid will be canceled for the current year. You will be considered withdrawn form Carleton and will need to go through the readmission process through the Dean of Students Office.

Since financial aid is awarded on a yearly basis, you will need to apply for aid prior to returning to Carleton. Assuming that your family’s financial situation has stayed about the same, you can expect your aid to be similar to what you have received in the past. The FAFSA and CSS Profile for the 2021-22 academic year will be available Oct. 1, 2020. Instruction about applying for aid can be viewed through Student Financial Aid.

If you have taken out Federal Direct Student Loans, you will be sent information about Loan Exit Counseling, as this is required whenever a student’s enrollment drops below half time. Because you will be considered withdrawn, you will also enter your 6-month grace period and will be required to start making payments on the loan at the end of the grace period.

Once you are readmitted, your loans will go back into in-school status and payments will not be required until you graduate. However, the loans will start repayment within 30-60 days after graduation as you will have already used your grace period. Any new loans taken after your readmission would have the 6-month grace period. Your grace period starts the date you are withdrawn.

If you have any private alternative loans, you will need to contact the lender to find out their process. Any Carleton Loan or Henry Strong Loan will be processed similar to Federal Loans. However, if you have questions about your specific Carleton or Henry Strong loan, please contact Candace Koen in the Business Office.

Yes, both in-person and remote work options are available to students.

We expect that tuition for the academic year will remain unchanged from the previously announced 2020-21 amount regardless of course delivery method.

Tuition for the academic year will remain unchanged from the previously announced 2020-21 amount. As was the case during the recent Spring Term, students who do not live in one of the College’s housing options will not be charged room and board. Our revised budget plan for the fiscal year 2021 incorporates reserves for financial aid, including contingencies for students with more financial need than might have been expected before the pandemic. We remain committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of every Carleton student.

Yes. You may apply for emergency funding through the Dean of Students Office.

We have continued to study and optimize campus ventilation systems to maximize fresh air intake, install the highest quality filters that the systems will tolerate, and to supplement this with some stand-alone filtration units as well as bipolar ionization, which releases charged atoms that attach to and deactivate virus particles. Every air handler on campus has been cleaned and checked to ensure proper operation of the dampers and motors for air flow, as well as proper fitting of filters. We are also ensuring that campus spaces have access to fresh air either through a window or a central HVAC system. Additional information can be found in the Facilities Operation and Impact document on the Resources and Training page of this website.

Following CDC and MDH recommendations, Carleton’s enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures have been developed to prevent community spread of SARS-CoV-2. A detailed document is available on the Resources and Training page of this website.

Campus restrooms are disinfected daily by custodial staff, and disinfecting wipes are available for individual use as needed. All restrooms have been evaluated to accommodate physical distancing, and modified occupancies have been posted as applicable. Additional information can be found on the Resources and Training page of this website.

Most drinking fountains have been taken out of service. Bottle fill stations remain in service if they are unaffected by the shutting off of drinking fountains.

Yes, all residential buildings have a supply of cleaning supplies for student use.