Covid-19 Changes FAQs

A student with a face mask greets Buzz also wearin a face mask

Updated 3/15/22

We recognize the ramifications of Covid-19 may present a number of concerns for our residents. Georgia Tech Housing and Residence Life has developed enhanced cleaning protocols, programming and distancing initiatives to prevent the spread of disease, while still providing the community and support to enhance your academic success and promote your personal growth and development. Additionally, we have made adjustments to our policy and procedures - you can find answers to our most frequently asked questions about our plan below.

Safety in our Halls

Where can I get tested for Covid-19?  

We will continue surveillance testing on campus. All students, faculty, and staff may participate in regular testing even if you have been fully vaccinated, but we especially encourage those who have not been vaccinated to get tested weekly. 

What is Housing and Residence Life doing to promote the health and well-being of residential students in response to Covid-19?  

  • We encourage everyone in the Georgia Tech community to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommendations. 

    • The University System of Georgia encourages people to wear masks based on their preference and assessment of personal risk. Neither vaccination nor masking in indoor public spaces is required at Georgia Tech. 
    • The free asymptomatic surveillance testing program remains available to all students and employees. You may participate in regular testing even if you have been fully vaccinated. We especially encourage those who have not been vaccinated to get tested weekly.

  • Increased cleaning and scheduled closing to disinfect common area spaces.

  • Reserving the right to relocate any affected students to another room, hall, or other location in the event of a required self-quarantine or isolation as determined by Stamps Health Services. 

What if a residential student is concerned about exposure or is experiencing symptoms? 

In the event a resident does not feel well or is exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19, we ask them to reference the Coronavirus Decision Tree linked below. Those residents should operate based on that guidance. 

Decision Tree

What if a resident is immunocompromised?  

Residents with pre-existing conditions that put them at greater risk from Covid-19 are entitled to some accommodations through the Office of Disability Services. If you are concerned about your health risks, please contact the Office of Disability Services at 404-894-2563 to discuss your needs.

Accommodation Request Information

Housing & Residence Life encourages incoming residents to engage in communications with their roommate about important topics prior to arriving on campus, while room assignment swap is still possible. Now that the semester has begun, Housing & Residence Life can offer three options that work within Institute policies for residents concerned about living with unvaccinated students: 

You may request a roommate agreement meeting with your Resident Assistant and Hall Director. We recommend this option first. During this meeting, roommates will review the agreement together and sign the document at the end. You are permitted to discuss mask wearing inside the room/apartment; however, any decisions made must be agreed upon by all roommates.  While the room swap process has concluded for this fall, residents can still request a room change through their Hall Director. Receiving a new assignment is not guaranteed, is handled on a case-by-case basis and depends on availability. We are currently at capacity but that is subject to change in future.  

To reduce the spread of Covid-19, Georgia Tech encourages all residents to wear face coverings inside campus facilities, participate in free weekly surveillance testing and to monitor yourself for any symptoms. For more information about preventing the spread including viewing the exposure decision trees, please read more here.

What if my roommate is unvaccinated?  

Housing & Residence Life encourages incoming residents to engage in communications with their roommate about important topics prior to arriving on campus, while room assignment swap is still possible. Now that the semester has begun, Housing & Residence Life can offer three options that work within Institute policies for residents concerned about living with unvaccinated students: 

  1. You may request a roommate agreement meeting with your Resident Assistant and Hall Director. We recommend this option first. During this meeting, roommates will review the agreement together and sign the document at the end. You are permitted to discuss mask wearing inside the room/apartment; however, any decisions made must be agreed upon by all roommates. 
  2. While the room swap process has concluded for this fall, residents can still request a room change through their Hall Director. Receiving a new assignment is not guaranteed, is handled on a case-by-case basis and depends on availability. We are currently at capacity but that is subject to change in future.  
  3. You may cancel your housing under the terms of the contract. 

To reduce the spread of Covid-19, Georgia Tech encourages all residents to wear face coverings inside campus facilities, participate in free weekly surveillance testing and to monitor yourself for any symptoms. For more information about preventing the spread including viewing the exposure decision trees, please read more here. 

For updates on the Institute’s policies and procedures, please continue to visit the Georgia Tech Moving Forward Operations Update page. 

Isolation & Quarantine Process

If a student is tested and diagnosed with Covid-19:

Visit this page to find guidance on what steps residents should take if you test positive. 

What does isolation in place mean?

Should a resident test positive during spring semester at Georgia Tech, they are encouraged to isolate off-campus in their homes. Residents who have their own bedroom will be allowed to isolate in place. For those who share a bedroom with another individual and are not able to return home, they will be temporarily relocated to a nearby hotel.

Public health is a shared responsibility. We are asking everyone to refer to and use the daily self-screening questionnaire and the Covid-19 decision tree, which provide guidelines for getting tested, reporting a positive test, and isolating yourself away from others. Residents who are experiencing symptoms are encouraged to distance and test to confirm they are positive.

With these changes, our commitment to the safety and well-being of our community remains with a continued emphasis on personal responsibility. Housing and Residence Life will continue to follow guidance from the Georgia Department of Health and the University System of Georgia. For more information about campus guidelines, vaccine clinics, and testing please visit Georgia Tech’s Covid-Safety site.