February 5, 2021

Dear students,

Since the known onset of COVID-19 in the U.S. last spring, Yale travel-related decisions have been guided by the University's commitment to reducing the spread of the coronavirus. As I announced in October 2020, sponsored outbound international travel from the United States, including study abroad and international fellowships, remains suspended for Yale College students through the end of the spring term.

For summer 2021, I anticipate, though this is not yet certain, that the universal travel restriction will be lifted, and for sponsored summer activities, Yale College will return to the practices defined in the Yale University Travel Policy for Yale College Students (“Travel Policy”). The Travel Policy evaluates international travel restrictions on a country-specific basis and includes travel advisories from the U.S. Department of State, CDC, and International SOS.

I know that you will understand that there is no guarantee that any specific travel plan will be approved for the summer, given the possibility that the public health situation could change any time. If you are considering international activities in summer 2021, please read carefully the Travel Policy, which will be updated whenever appropriate. Information about Yale’s many programmatic opportunities and funding resources can be found, as always, on the CIPE websites. There you can find frequently-updated information about Study Abroad, work and internships through the OCS, Yale Summer Session, and Fellowships and Funding.

Please refer to the FAQs for summer travel for specific information that may be useful to you as you begin your planning.

I continue to urge you all to prioritize your own health and safety along with the health and safety of communities with which you will engage. It remains everyone’s responsibility to limit the spread of COVID-19.

With best wishes,

Marvin M. Chun
Dean of Yale College
Richard M. Colgate Professor of Psychology; Neuroscience; Cognitive Science