Advice from universities in key destination countries

18 March 2020

Cambridge International has contacted a large number of universities to gauge their response to the COVID-
19 outbreak. This is a selection of responses we have received from universities. Some provided links to their
websites and some provided direct responses to our recognition managers.

UK
Schools are encouraged to contact universities directly to make them aware of the circumstances affecting
each applicant.

University of Cambridge
If there are extenuating circumstances that have caused significant educational or home life disruption or
disadvantage for a student, it may be appropriate for the school/college referee or the applicant’s doctor or
social worker to complete and submit the Extenuating Circumstances Form (ECF).

University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh has published information for prospective students who have applied to
Edinburgh. This can be found here.

University of Oxford
We would always encourage any offer holders affected by ill health, school closures or other disruption to do
two things:
• Make sure the examination board is informed, so that the situation can be taken into account in
deciding their final grades.
• Inform their Oxford college, so they are also aware.

If any offer holder is unsuccessful in meeting the conditions of their offer from Oxford, their college would
consider whether or not to confirm that student’s place. This would be decided on a case-by-case basis.
Tutors in the colleges would take in to account any mitigating circumstances of which they had been made
aware. Such decisions are often made at the start of A-level results week, before students themselves receive
their A-level results, so we do encourage students to let their college know of any issues as soon as possible,
rather than waiting until they receive their results. It may not be possible to take mitigating circumstances into
account after the admissions decisions have been made.

Imperial College London

Imperial College London is monitoring the situation closely and if/where necessary will take an informed
decision at the appropriate time as to what concessions we may need to afford or exercise and to whom.

London School of Economics & Political Science

We will look at these individually and work through them on a case-by-case basis to ensure that we
understand the context in which exams were taken. We are preparing for an increase in the number of
extenuating circumstances during the confirmation period in August.

University College London

We have been in contact with our applicants and their schools and will continue informing them directly if
anything changes. We are monitoring the situation closely and looking at flexing deadlines for meeting offer
conditions if that becomes necessary.

Advice from universities in key destination countries 1

 Advice from North American (USA and Canada) universities
A significant number of universities are working on their response to this so please check university websites
regularly. The International Association for College Admission Counseling (IACAC) offers the following advice.

Colleges & Universities want Secondary Schools and Students to know:

• They are working to maintain virtual presence thru online communication platforms.
• When able, alumni in the region doing in-person outreach.
• Deadlines can be extended. Some schools have done this automatically. Others will do upon request,
so confirm with the schools in which you’re interested.
• Remember, universities really do want your students.
• They are working to do all they can to support and encourage application and enrollment, within travel
and visa restrictions and guidelines.

Colleges & Universities Advise Your Students Should:

• Even though documents may be unofficial, please send them in so they can be used for assessment.
• Check email.
• Check websites of the schools that students most want to attend for information and updates.

What Colleges and Universities can do for Students from the Secondary School Perspective:
• Open lines of communication (Zoom, Skype, WeChat, etc.)
• Keep students up-to-date either via direct communication or website.
• Students want to hear directly from colleges and universities, not just their secondary school
counsellors.
• Be understanding about online learning and external factors which may affect student responsiveness
and academic performance.
• Evaluate students on the work they are producing, regardless of the method by which it is produced.

Cambridge International has provided a statement for all member universities on the IACAC website.
For further information: https://www.internationalacac.org/advocacy-outreach-2020

Duke University
Duke is committed to giving all applicants a humane and contextual admissions review and supports the
free exchange of students and ideas across international boundaries. As we consider undergraduate
applications to Duke, we always seek to understand each student’s different context, opportunities, and
challenges. For students currently dealing with the difficulties presented by coronavirus (including school
closures, cancelled tests, distance learning, lack of access to school documents or personnel, suppressed
results on AP/IB/national exams, and more), we hope this reminder will be reassuring. Applicants will not
be penalized for any situations beyond their control, and the admissions committee will give full
consideration to all applications using the materials we have received. More information about the
university’s response to the coronavirus outbreak is available here: sites.duke.edu/coronavirus. Should
you have any questions, please contact our office by email at undergrad-admissions@duke.edu.

Bishops University
With the World Health Organization’s classification of the COVID-19 as a worldwide pandemic, the Canadian
and Quebec governments have made recent announcements that restrict activities on university campuses,
including Bishop’s. Due to these announcements, and for the health and safety of our campus community
and visitors to campus, we have cancelled our scheduled on campus Open House that was to occur on

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 Saturday March 21st. We understand that visiting our campus plays an important role in the decision making
process of selecting a student’s future university. Over the coming days we will be working on developing a
“Virtual Open House” so that we can bring the campus to you. Our plans will include a series of live and
recorded videos, campus tours, information and chat sessions, and a contact list so that you can gather more
information and get your questions answered. Also note that we have also suspended our campus tour
program until the end of April at which point we will reassess. Virtual campus tours and live tour sessions will
also be announced in the coming days.

Please note that Bishop’s University does not penalize students through the admissions process who are
unable to demonstrate interest or come to on or off campus events and that students have until June 1st to
accept their offer of admission to Bishop’s for Fall 2020.

We thank you for your understanding in this matter and unique situation we are all facing. For more
information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and our guiding priorities please
visit: www.ubishops.ca/coronavirus.

Should you have any specific concerns please contact us at: recruitment@ubishops.ca or 1-819-822-9600
ext.2681 (Office hours are Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4:00 pm EDT).

Ohio State University

I'm writing with important updates from Ohio State as we navigate the coronavirus outbreak. At Ohio State —
as everywhere — guidelines and protocols have evolved dramatically over the past several days, and I'm sure
they will continue to do so. We want you to be aware of decisions that impact your students and families.

We still plan to make our final decisions on applications to the Columbus campus by the end of
March. However, other plans have changed.

To limit the spread of the virus, the state of Ohio has asked that we remain local and minimize contact by
avoiding large gatherings. To achieve this, the university has enacted the following changes:

• We have canceled all admissions visits, campus tours and on-campus recruitment events
scheduled through April 20. This includes our large yield programs as well as academic
overviews and tours. We will reassess the situation in April.

Our staff will contact admitted students who had planned to visit campus to help answer their
questions. Additionally, you and your students can find answers to a range of common questions
on our COVID-19 update for visits and events page.

• All domestic travel has been suspended until April 20. Our staff and alumni volunteers are not
permitted to host events, take part on panels, attend college fairs or conduct visits in high schools.

Getting in touch with us

Our staff is ready to help. Counselors, please contact one of our Columbus campus admissions
counselors or staff on the regional campuses with questions.

Students and families should continue directing their questions to askabuckeye@osu.edu. Please let students
know that our response times will be longer — while we'll work to provide our very best customer service, the
reality is that our communications center is staffed heavily with students, who may not be on campus.

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 Rutgers University, New Brunswick
Fostering a healthy campus community for our current and future students, as well as their families, is a top
priority for Rutgers University–New Brunswick.

While the university closely tracks the spread of COVID-19 across our region, we have taken action to ensure
your well-being, while still offering you and your students new ways to experience Rutgers.

Please note the following very important changes to our usual programs and events.
Admitted Student Open House (scheduled for Saturday, April 4) will now be hosted online only. Check
your inbox soon for details about this new and exciting 'On Demand' experience, as well as additional
online events throughout April.

▪ All campus tours through Wednesday, April 15 will be rescheduled. Campus visits scheduled
after April 15 will be reevaluated in early April.

▪ All high school visits and recruitment activities through April 7 will be rescheduled. Events
scheduled after April 7 will be reevaluated in early April.

What You Need to Know

▪ The Rutgers Visitor Center will not be able to take walk-in visitors beginning Friday, March 13
through Wednesday, April 15; however, we will still be ready and available to assist with all your
questions via phone and email: 848-445-1000 or questions@admissions.rutgers.edu.

▪ Students and families affected by the postponement of campus tours will be contacted by an
admissions counselor to personally assist in rescheduling their campus visit.

▪ Those students and families registered for campus visits and tours post-April 15 will receive updates
on their scheduled tour status in the coming weeks.

▪ We will provide more information in the coming days regarding planned Admitted Student Open
House: On Demand.

▪ If our visit to your school has been postponed, we will reach out to you soon to reschedule or to make
alternative plans.

While we won't see you on campus in the coming weeks, your and your students' safety and health is of the
utmost importance to us. If you have any questions, please write to questions@admissions.rutgers.edu.

University links

Arizona State University (ASU)

https://eoss.asu.edu/health/announcements/coronavirus

Brown University
https://covid.brown.edu/

Columbia University
https://www.columbia.edu/content/coronavirus

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 Cornell University
https://www.cornell.edu/coronavirus/

Dartmouth University
https://news.dartmouth.edu/covid-19/covid-19-coronavirus-information

Davidson College
https://www.davidson.edu/admission-and-financial-aid

Emory University
https://apply.emory.edu/discover/coronavirus.html

Florida State University

https://alerts.fsu.edu/

Harvard University
https://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus

Indiana University
https://protect.iu.edu/environmental-health/public-health/communicable-diseases/coronavirus.html

McGill University
https://www.mcgill.ca/coronavirus/

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

https://mitadmissions.org/help/faq/what-if-my-application-is-disrupted-by-a-catastrophic-event/

Princeton University
https://www.princeton.edu/content/covid-19-coronavirus-information

Rice University
https://emergency.rice.edu/coronavirus

University of British Colombia (UBC)

https://www.ubc.ca/campus-notifications/

University of California, Los Angeles

https://newsroom.ucla.edu/stories/coronavirus-information-for-the-ucla-campus-community

University of Maryland
https://umd.edu/virusinfo

University of Pennsylvania
https://wellness.upenn.edu/coronavirus/

University of Southern California

https://sites.usc.edu/coronavirus/

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 University of Virginia
https://uvaemergency.virginia.edu/covid-19-faqs

University of Washington
https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/

Vanderbilt University
https://emergency.vanderbilt.edu/vu/coronavirus/

Yale University
https://communications.yale.edu/covid-19-information

Australia
Australian universities are currently issuing advice for students affected by the travel ban who are unable
to start their first semester.

Many are providing a flexible Semester 1 schedule that includes blended and online learning to those who
are affected by the COVID-19 restrictions.

Australian National University

https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/coronavirus-and-travel-restrictions-advice

University of New South Wales (UNSW)

Students who miss Term 1 will be asked to enroll in Term 2 on 1 June. Further information:
https://www.unsw.edu.au/faqs-coronavirus

The University of Western Australia

Flexible study - Students arriving in Perth by 31 March
Students can start their studies via a blended learning model on 24 February, with lecture recordings and
other remote delivery techniques giving them access to the first four weeks of teaching. When they arrive
in Perth, we'll work with them on a study plan to ensure they can progress in time for the start of Semester
2 on 27 July (subject to achieving satisfactory academic standards). We will work with them on a unit-by-
unit basis to deal with any assessment issues that might arise from their late arrival.
For further information: https://www.web.uwa.edu.au/novel-coronavirus#new_div_3446928

Monash University
Monash had already deferred the start of semester for the majority of programs until 9 March for an online
program and 16 March for an on-campus start. If the travel ban is lifted on 22 February, the majority of our
students still in China should be able to return to Australia in time for a 14-day self-isolation prior to
returning to campus.

If the travel restrictions are not lifted on 22 February, we will work with affected students individually to
determine a personalised study plan, which may include remote and intensive study options. Monash is
committed to ensuring affected students are able to start their semester one studies and be fully up to
date by the end of 2020 and able to progress to second year studies. Most will be up to date by the end of
semester one 2020 and the remainder by end of semester two, 2020. All students will graduate as first
intended.

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 For further information: https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/update-on-the-novel-coronavirus

The University of Melbourne

https://students.unimelb.edu.au/student-support/coronavirus

The University of Queensland (UQ)

UQ has allowed those who are affected, mainly from mainland China to attend courses online until Week
4 while the Australian government has travel limitations in place. All students must arrive and physically
attend classes by Week 5. If any students can’t be here by the week 5, they will need to defer to the next
available semester.
For further information: https://about.uq.edu.au/coronavirus-advice-uq-community#qt-
tabs_coronavirus_info-foundation-tabs-3

The University of Sydney

https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/coronavirus-infection-university-of-sydney-advice.html

Austrade Links
https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/English/student-support

https://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/english/study-in-australia-student-support/australian-
education-provider-list

Malaysia
https://educationmalaysia.gov.my/coronavirus/

New Zealand
https://naumainz.studyinnewzealand.govt.nz/help-and-advice/healthcare/the-coronavirus-what-you-need-
to-know

Singapore
https://www.moe.gov.sg/faqs-covid-19-infection

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