College

Back to school: Here are the vaccine, mask, and testing requirements for colleges in Mass.

As college students come back to campus, COVID-19 protocols will still be part of the equation for many.

By Mihiro Shimano

August 6, 2021

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In less than a month, colleges and universities will see the return of students and staff back to their campuses. This fall promises to bring back at least some sense of normalcy for schools, especially for the campuses that have been mostly vacant since March 2020 when the first COVID-19 outbreak occurred. 

However, many of the schools seeking to resume normal activity levels on campus are striving to take the utmost precautions in bringing back large numbers of students and staff. With the Delta variant on the rise, administrators are updating policies for wearing masks, testing, and more. 

In April, when Boston.com readers were polled on whether “colleges should mandate the vaccine in the fall,” 66% of responses agreed with a vaccine mandate. 

In order to compare and monitor the reopening of colleges and universities in the fall, Boston.com has compiled a table of colleges in Massachusetts, listing their vaccine, mask, and testing requirements. 

Some schools are requiring vaccines for students while keeping it optional for faculty and staff. Others, like the Massachusetts association of community colleges, have not mandated COVID-19 vaccines at this time. On the other hand, the nine presidents of the Massachusetts state schools agreed to require COVID-19 vaccines for all returning students for the fall. 

Mask policies also vary depending on the schools. The recent CDC updates on masks following the increase in COVID-19 cases from the Delta variant has prompted some schools to restore mask mandates, requiring mask-wearing indoors and outdoors where social distancing is not possible. 

This list will be updated to reflect the changing policies as colleges prepare for the reopening of their campuses. 

Private Colleges & Universities

State Schools

Community Colleges

Massachusetts community colleges said they would not require their students to get COVID shots. Massachusetts also does not require community colleges to conduct COVID-19 testing of students and faculty or staff on campus.