COVID-19 Updates

The university is monitoring this situation very closely. Going forward, the following alternative education solutions will be in effect for both UCC and Campus Extension classes, unless otherwise notified.

Online: There are no changes to Extension’s normal offerings of online courses at this time. Classes will continue to run as normal.

In-Person and hybrid classes: All Extension in-person and hybrid classes are subject to the University's mask and vaccine mandates. 

Please contact your program department with questions, concerns or clarifications.

Students can review UC San Diego Extension’s Policies, Terms and Conditions here.  If you feel you have extenuating circumstances outside of our refund policy requirements please review the Tuition and Fees page here. Please reach out to unex-petitions@ucsd.edu with any additional questions.

Please visit Osher’s COVID-related FAQs at https://extension.ucsd.edu/olli/about-us/faqs.

The data show that community spread of infection is still a concern across the State of California, the United States, and in much of the world. Please follow CDC prevention guidelines carefully, both to preserve your own health and the health of those around you. California residents have been asked to stay at home as much as possible and wear masks in public.  In an Executive Order on January 21, 2021,  President Biden issued an Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel.  This order makes it Federal law to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19, for domestic and international travel, thus lowering the risk of contracting the virus while traveling.

UC San Diego has a very comprehensive plan, Return to Learn, for a safe return to studying on campus. Please review the Winter 2021 Plan for specific information for this quarter. The plan has been developed in consultation with top public health experts in the United States, who are medical faculty at UC San Diego.  Extension International Programs will continually assess the changing situation with COVID-19 and offer a combination of classes (in-person and online) that meet the strict health guidelines in place.

UC San Diego has a comprehensive plan, Return to Learn, for a safe return to campus life. UC San Diego researchers have developed a substantial SARS-CoV-2 testing program for students, staff, and faculty, which will accelerate the resumption of in-person activities on campus. Campus clinicians, public health experts, molecular biologists, infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists and bioinformaticians are using statistical modeling to help speed early detection and shorten the duration of outbreaks, which could result in fewer infected people.  The University will hold fewer classes in-person, with a reduced number of students in classrooms.  Other safety measures, such as weekly COVID-19 testing and mandatory mask-wearing, are in place as well.

UC San Diego Health and Student Health Services have developed triage screening (by phone and at front desks) and implemented additional protocols to help identify possible cases of coronavirus to provide optimal care for those with symptoms and to protect other patients and staff.  As of Winter Quarter 2021, students are required to receive a COVID-19 test weekly. They can easily access free self-testing kits from vending machines across campus, return their sample to designated boxes, and monitor their results from an app on their smartphones.
 

Yes, you will need to complete a self-quarantine before visiting campus. On January 21, 2021, President Biden issued an Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel.  This order makes it Federal law to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for the prevention of COVID-19, for domestic and international travel. Please reference the CDC guidance on Returning from International Travel.

• You should be tested 3-5 days after travel AND stay home for 7 days after travel.

  • Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days.

  • If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.

• If you do not get tested after arriving in San Diego, stay home for 10 days.

• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not. 

Attendance

Do not attend class or visit the UC San Diego campus until you have completed your quarantine.

We understand that there may be difficulties that prevent you from arriving in the U.S. in time to complete your quarantine before your program starts.  If you will not be able to attend in-person classes because you need to quarantine, please inform us at ipinfo@ucsd.edu so that your absence does not affect your grade.  You will still be expected to attend any online classes in your program at the scheduled days and times.
 
Additional Housing
See our housing page for details on quarantine housing options.

Additional Medical Insurance
To purchase health insurance to cover any medical needs during your quarantine period, please contact our student health and welfare advisor.  Extra UC San Diego Extension health insurance costs $45 per week. 

Almost all students who are enrolled in Extension International Programs (IP) have the UC San Diego Extension medical insurance policy for international students. For students who have purchased the UC San Diego Extension IP medical insurance (Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield), testing and treatment for COVID-19 is covered: 

• Coronavirus testing: Hospital, emergency department, urgent care, and provider office visits, where the purpose of the visit is to be screened or tested for COVID-19, have zero cost-share (no copay). 
• Coronavirus treatment: If a member is diagnosed with COVID-19, the plan will pay based on the plan benefits outlined in the policy, i.e. members will pay any out-of-pocket expenses that the plan requires, such as deductibles, copays, and OON coinsurance, just like any other illness would be treated (at least until otherwise mandated) 

Our Health and Welfare adviser provides students with information regarding area hospitals and medical facilities, which are covered in the UC San Diego Extension’s medical plan. If a person is infected with COVID-19, UC San Diego hospitals have protocols and procedures according to the seriousness of the person’s symptoms, and of course that will include quarantining and monitoring to assure full recovery from the illness and to protect others from becoming infected. 

Please check the International Programs Dates and Prices page for program cancellations due to COVID-19 and updates on program offerings this year and in 2021.

English Language Programs 

Starting in October 2020, the English Language Institute transitioned to a hybrid format, with some classes held in-person and some classes held remotely.  Classes may temporarily transition to an all-online format for public health reasons, if it becomes necessary.

University and Professional Studies and Certificate Programs 

UC San Diego plans to offer Fall Quarter 2020 and Winter 2021 courses through a combination of in-person and remote instruction. University leaders are working closely with public health officials and will continue to refine the balance between in-person and remote class offerings as the situation evolves. Depending on the public health context, it may become necessary to transition our classes back to exclusively remote learning. 

In-person course availability across UC San Diego departments is limited due to campus public health measures. Extension is offering a short list of Business classes, which are also relevant for many other fields of study.  Check the University and Professional Studies (UPS) webpage for more information. With the exception of the Paralegal Certificate, all of our Certificate Programs that are normally offered in the fall will adopt a hybrid model, with a combination of in-person and online courses.

Campus directives may change at any time, so please check this Extension webpage frequently.

 

U.S. immigration authorities advised schools that a fully online schedule of classes during the coronavirus situation will be permitted if you are already on campus and currently studying in our programs or in the U.S. and transferring from another U.S. institution. Please note: Guidance from U.S. immigration authorities is subject to change.  

IMPORTANT IMMIGRATION NOTICE: 

New students:
New students who have not yet started studying with us, who are outside of the U.S., will not be able to obtain an F-1 visa or enter the United States to enroll in a U.S. school if they are taking a 100% remote course load. Since Extension International Programs will be offered in a hybrid format, our students will take a combination of in-person and online classes for full-time study. This format meets the SEVP requirements for new international students.

Transfer students:
Transfer students who are already in the U.S. will be able to start programs in the fall that are held online or a mix of online and in-person classes and maintain their F-1 status. Since Extension International Programs will be offered in a hybrid format, our students will take a combination of in-person and online classes for full-time study. This format meets the SEVP requirements for transfer international students.
 
Continuing students:
Continuing students with an active SEVIS record, including those who are outside the U.S., are eligible to enroll in a fully remote course load for the Fall quarter, maintain their F-1 status, and seek re-entry to the U.S. They will also be permitted to temporarily count online classes towards a full course of study in excess of the regulatory limits. However, since Extension International Programs will be offered in a hybrid format, our students will take a combination of in-person and online classes for full-time study. This format meets the SEVP requirements for continuing international students.

Questions or concerns? Please contact our immigration adviser.

Please see the individual website for the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your region for information regarding its operating status and the services it is currently offering. To find embassy or consulate websites, go to https://www.usembassy.gov/. The embassy links get you to the right embassy website, but you will have to do some clicking to find relevant COVID-19 information, as each embassy website is structured a bit differently.
 

Due to the COVID-19 emergency, the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is allowing issuance of the electronic I-20  (see question 8) for the duration of the emergency.  SEVP has coordinated with both the U.S. Department of State and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding the policy to allow electronic I-20 issuance.  Both agencies support the issuance of electronic I-20s (for F-1 visas).

J-1 students are required to have a physical, original DS-2019 document.

There are multiple program options available to students who would like to continue their studies, including English language, University Professional Studies, and Certificate programs. Please contact ipinfo@ucsd.edu as soon as possible to discuss options. 

In the event that your travel must be delayed, there is no cost to defer enrollment as long as you notify us in writing before the program’s published start date. At the time of deferral, we will need to know the new start date and the program being requested. See our dates and prices for published start dates.

You will need a new Form I-20, which reflects your new program start date. At the same time you notify us that you want to delay your studies, you will also need to let us know the new start date you would like.

If you decide to cancel your studies, we will refund or defer all tuition and fees, except application and express mail fees, as long as you notify us in writing before the program’s published start date. See our brochure for published start dates.

If you decide to withdraw from your current studies, our policy remains in place. We will refund or defer all tuition and fees, except the express mail fee, as long as you notify us before the program’s published start date. If you decide to cancel your studies after the program start date, you will not receive a refund. See our dates and prices page for published start dates.

Due to government mandates, the UC San Diego OSHA team is currently working remotely.

For assistance with OSHA courses please send an email to oshatraining@ucsd.edu. 

For assistance with the 10/30 hour OSHA Outreach Training Program please email oti-outreach@ucsd.edu.

If for any reason a student is not able to attend a class, or the class has been canceled, the UCSD OTIEC/OS&H Department will issue a full refund or will offer a transfer to another course section. All requests must be received in writing (oshatraining@ucsd.edu). Please provide the student’s name, student ID number, section ID and course name in which the student was enrolled and the reason that the student cannot attend the class. Please specify if you prefer a refund or a transfer.

Outreach trainers registered for update courses or those trainers whose authorizations will expire during an OTI Education Center closure will be afforded a 90-day grace period after classes resume to enroll in a new update class. These trainers may continue to conduct 10- and 30-hour Outreach training classes until the end of the 90-day grace period. Those trainers who have not completed the standards course within the past seven years will not be required to take the standards course under this scenario.

Additionally, if a trainer has been restricted to travel during this time and is not able to reauthorize prior to his/her expiration he/she will also be afforded the same 90-day grace period.

Yes, you will still receive your cards. You may expect a slightly longer turnaround time, so please continue to issue an OSHA Training Program Report immediately after you have taught a class. The online reporting portal can be found here: https://storefront.ucsd.edu/osha/login.php. It is also highly recommended to issue a Certificate of Completion to your students.

Unfortunately, the Directorate of Training and Education (DTE), OSHA, will not grant any exception requests to conduct the OSHA 10/30 hour classes online. OSHA has authorized nine vendors to conduct Outreach Training classes online. For more information visit: https://www.osha.gov/training/outreach/training-providers.

Unfortunately, the OTIEC  courses are not authorized to be conducted in an online format; however, there are UC San Diego Safety classes available online: Introduction to Fire and Life Safety, Safety Leadership I and Safety Leadership II.

The immediate plan is to move the event to a future date to be announced in the coming weeks.

We are actively in the process of rescheduling select classes and we expect to have resolution and communication in the coming weeks. Please join our email list or frequently visit the website for the most up-to-date information. Students can also view the remainder of the 2020 classes on osha.ucsd.edu.

At this time we have not made any decisions to cancel classes beyond May 1, 2020. For the most up-to-date information, please check our website osha.ucsd.edu.

All in-person Library Next programs have been canceled through June 2020, including STEAM workshops and the Admit One Test Prep Academy. The Libraries may be closed, but you can still experience workshops online by visiting the Library NExT page of the Sally Ride Science website.

Admit One: During this trying time, UC San Diego Extension remains committed to helping you achieve your goals. In an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we have transitioned all of our Summer courses to an online or hybrid format. Hybrid classes are fully online with live virtual class meetings each week using our Zoom conferencing system.

We know these are uncertain times and we are continuously monitoring developments and following guidelines, mandates and recommendations from federal and state officials to ensure your ongoing safety. At this time, this summers’ Sally Ride Science Junior Academy will take place as scheduled. If in the coming months, workshops are canceled, we will notify participants immediately and full refunds will be provided. For questions please contact precollege@ucsd.edu.

During this trying time, UC San Diego Extension remains committed to helping you achieve your goals. In an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, we have moved this summer’s Sally Ride Science Junior Academy workshops online. These online STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) workshops for students entering 4th-12th grade will be conducted through virtual class meetings using the Zoom conferencing system and the learning platform Canvas. For questions please contact precollege@ucsd.edu.

The online class will be conducted through virtual class meetings using the Zoom conferencing system and the learning platform Canvas. Please contact precollege@ucsd.edu with questions or concerns.

Mail is being delivered to our offices and staff is attending to hard-copy transcripts for applications and recommendations on a weekly basis. We are experiencing a slight delay in processing applications and recommendations while California’s Stay-At-Home order is in place.

Yes, although there may be a 1-2 week delay. Once your Request to Recommend form, transcript verifying completion of required coursework, and any required supplemental documents are received, we will initiate the recommendation process. You will be contacted via email if there are any missing documents. Once recommended, you will receive an email directly from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC).

You have the option to submit electronic transcripts if they are sent directly from your college or university. Scanned copies of transcripts are considered unofficial and not valid for admission purposes. Please have your college/university email transcripts directly to submittranscript-debs@ucsd.edu.

Please fill out a Transcript Request Form and submit it directly to Student Services. There is no charge when transcripts are sent internally to Education and Community Outreach (ECO).
Please use the address below when completing the form:
UC San Diego Extension
Education and Community Outreach
Attn: Credential Analyst
9500 Gilman Drive, #0170-N
La Jolla, CA 92093-0170

We can expedite processing in this situation, on a case-by-case basis. Please submit a short note with your Request to Recommend form explaining your situation. Please make sure to provide an email address so we may follow up with you directly.

Please continue to send your forms to
UC San Diego Extension, ECO
Attn: Credential Analyst
9500 Gilman Drive, #0170-N
La Jolla, CA 92093-0170

Please send an email to unexeduc@ucsd.edu should you have any additional concerns or questions.