COVID-19 advice

COVID-safety at ANU

Please follow all COVID-safety measures when you come to campus including getting tested if you feel unwell.

Refer to the COVID Safety Management chapter of the University's WHS Management System Handbook for more details.

If you test positive to COVID-19:

Alert the University through this online form, and
Inform your supervisor or course convenor.

If you are a household contact of a positive case:

Please speak with your supervisor or course convenor and contact the Work Environment Group to determine appropriate actions.

Recent updates from ANU

All COVID updates will be communicated to staff and students via the weekly On Campus email newsletter. You can find previous staff On Campus and student On Campus editions here.

Updated COVID-19 guidance

While ACT Health has updated its COVID-19 guidance, staff and students are still required to register their positive result with ANU through this online form. Notifications of COVID-19 are used to inform actions required to manage risks associated with possible transmission of COVID-19 including notifying persons who may have been potentially exposed in the workplace.

Returning to campus for teaching and learning

Our remote learning options for in-person courses will cease from Semester 2, 2023.

From 1 July 2023, the temporary provision of fully online course options in response to COVID-19 will end. This means that from Semester 2 2023 (including Winter Session), students enrolled in any ANU in-person programs must be present on ANU campuses for their studies. The transition back will be completed from 1 July 2023 so make sure you're back prior to the start of your courses.

This transition means we can continue to provide a great on-campus learning experience for all our students, who will be able to participate fully in the vibrant campus life here in Canberra. Our return to in-person study also aligns with the Australian government direction to Australian universities regarding the end of regulatory flexibility by 30 June 2023.

If you are a student enrolled in an in-person program but you are currently located overseas, you must make arrangements to travel back to campus as soon as possible and ensure you arrive prior to the start of your courses.

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Masks

Masks are no longer required indoors at ANU except in clinical settings.

Following the decision by ACT Government to end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and relax restrictions across the Territory, as well as other factors around the pandemic including consultation with the ANU community, the University has decided to remove the requirement to wear a mask indoors on the ANU campus, except in clinical settings from 17 October 2022.

Staff, students and visitors to campus will need to wear a mask in clinical settings until further notice.

Please be mindful of members in our community who are vulnerable. We strongly encourage you to keep a mask with you at all times, and be respectful of colleagues, students and visitors who may wish to continue to wear one, or if other COVID-19 safe behaviours are not practicable.

Staff who require workplace adjustments due to a medical condition or disability can contact injurymanagement@anu.edu.au for further advice and assistance.

What other COVID-19 measures are still in place?

Staff and students must register their positive results with ANU using the online form, and notify your supervisor or course convenor.
If you are a household contact, please discuss with your supervisor or convenor, and let the Work Environment Group whs@anu.edu.au know so they can support you and help determine the appropriate actions.
ANU classroom ventilation exceeds mandated requirements. You can read more information about our improved ventilation.
ANU continues to monitor the situation and will re-evaluate as needed. We also ask that our community continues to remain vigilant about symptoms and notify the University if you test positive, practice good hygiene, and be respectful of others in the community. If you are unwell, please stay home and speak with your supervisor or convenor.
Our current campus alert level remains at MEDIUM risk. More information on our Campus Alert System can be found in the Work Health and Safety Management System (WHSMS) Handbook.
Please continue to stay up to date with ACT Health's public health response.

Planning and business continuity

Please ensure your area is working on business continuity plans and putting arrangements in place for absences.

Updates to our COVID-safety management

Read the updated COVID Safety Management chapter of the University's WHS Management System Handbook.

How to stay informed

Follow updates from your local area - they will make decisions relevant to your work and study.
Read On Campus. It lands in your ANU inbox each Tuesday.
Regularly check the information on this webpage.
Download ANUOK, our campus safety app, on Google Play or the App Store, and turn on notifications to stay informed about what's happening that affects our community. To enable notifications in the app, click on current notices > about/preferences > push notifications > enable notifications.

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Returning to Campus for teaching and learning FAQs

ANU will complete the full transition to pre-pandemic modes of study in 2023. We strongly encourage students who may currently be studying remotely offshore, to make arrangements to travel to campus as soon as possible. We're looking forward to having all our students on campus next year.

When will the remote learning options for in-person courses end?

From 1 July 2023, online classes that were offered in response to the pandemic will have transitioned back to face-to-face mode through on campus delivery. Student visa holders will be expected to be on campus and studying at least two-thirds of their courses in-person, as per student visa conditions.

Why are remote learning options for in-person courses ending?

The flexible delivery mode for in-person courses and distance learning was offered in recognition of the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including domestic lockdowns and international border closures. This flexible delivery was a temporary measure introduced to ensure the safety of our students, staff and the community. It also allowed impacted overseas students, who were unable to travel, to continue their studies fully online.

With international borders re-opening and overseas students once again able to travel to Australia for study, ANU as a CRICOS registered provider of education to international students, must comply with its regulatory requirements by 30 June 2023. This is in accordance with the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act.

How do I know if my program is an on-campus program?

To check if your program is on-campus in Semester 2 2023:

Visit the Programs and Courses webpage
Search for your program
Check the information box on the top right under "Mode of Delivery"

You can also contact your Academic College for further information:

ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
ANU College of Business and Economics
ANU College of Health and Medicine
ANU College of Engineering, Computing and Cybernetics
ANU College of Law
ANU College of Science
For general administration enquires, contact Student Central via email student@anu.edu.au or phone 135 268 or +61 2 6125 3339 (if overseas).

I am currently overseas. Do I need to return to Canberra? If so, when?

Yes, the Australian Government requires international students who hold an Australian student visa to return to study in Australia by the start of your first course(s) after 1 July 2023. This means all students enrolled in in-person programs will be expected to attend and engage in on-campus studies on ANU campuses.

We encourage all students to join us on-campus prior to Semester 2 2023 - this will maximise your university experience and ensure you do not experience delays in completing your program. Plus, you'll get to attend O-Week! Find out more about O-Week and to register for our exciting events to help you connect with the ANU community.

I am currently overseas and I am unable to travel to Australia.

If you are a continuing student on a student visa and you cannot study courses on-campus for compassionate or compelling reasons, you may consider applying for program leave (if you have already completed a course at ANU). Please refer to the Program leave - international coursework student page for more information.

I have an ongoing medical condition that makes it difficult to attend classes on campus. Can I study remotely?

If you have a disability, or an ongoing medical condition that hinders your attendance on campus, please contact Access and Inclusion to discuss options for you.

I need more information. Who can I speak to?

ANU offers a range of supports for students moving to Canberra from overseas or other parts of Australia. Visit the following pages for more information:

Wearing a mask on campus

Masks are no longer required indoors at ANU except in clinical settings.

Staff and students and visitors to campus will need to wear a mask in clinical settings until further notice.

Wearing a mask in clinical settings

You must wear a mask indoors at ANU when in clinical settings. 
Mask are strongly recommended for students in Residences and are required if you are unwell and have to leave your room. 
Masks are no longer required to be worn at ANU events or commercial premises.

Exemptions in clinical settings

The requirement to wear a mask does not apply in the following situations:

Where an individual holds a medical exemption.
When teaching; if required to ensure good communication and you are comfortable doing so. You must remain at the front of the class at least 1.5 metres away from others.  
In laboratories identified as having sufficient mechanical ventilation and where it is considered safer not to wear a mask. You will be told if this applies to a laboratory you are using.
To communicate with someone who is deaf or hard of hearing where visibility of the mouth is essential for communication.
When consuming food, drink or medicine.
When undertaking vigorous exercise.
In an emergency.

Why is ANU continuing to require masks in clinical settings?

We know that masks help stop the spread of COVID and make our community safer - and we want the campus to be the most COVID safe place it can be.

They also give our community additional confidence as people go about their work and studies on campus.

I am unable to wear a face mask and have a medical exemption. What do I do?

If you are unable to wear a face mask, you should ask for a letter from your GP confirming that you have a health condition that makes wearing a mask unsuitable. You do not need to disclose the specific health condition or reason for the exemption.

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Vaccination

Vaccination remains the best way to protect ourselves and our community from COVID-19. Vaccinations rates in Australia are very high and Canberra is the most vaccinated city in the world. In addition, all international arrivals to Australia are required to provide proof of full vaccination with a Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approved or recognised vaccine.

Remember that there are many ways to keep COVID safe and vaccination is only one element. Social distancing and density limits, frequent hand washing and staying home if you're unwell are all important for staying COVID safe. More information is available in the COVID Safe Guidelines.

Current position

The University strongly encourages staff and students to get vaccinated, including receiving a booster dose when eligible. Vaccination is required in some University settings such as in our residences and in other settings, including where required by the ACT Government.

We won't introduce a broad vaccination mandate for our community at this time, but we will continue to monitor the public health advice and consult with our community.

Vaccination consultation

The University undertook a consultation process to help consider our position on vaccination. This included consulting with staff, students, emeritus, honorary and visiting staff, health and safety representatives, the NTEU, and consultation at the local level in teams, and between employees and their supervisors.

Community Survey

A survey was run to assist the University with forward planning for the safe return of staff and students to campus and the commencement of semester one 2022. The survey was open for staff, students and emeritus, honorary and visiting staff to complete from Tuesday 25 January 2022 to Monday 31 January 2022 inclusive. The survey was conducted anonymously and results cannot be tied to individual respondents.

Participation

A total of 6,858 staff and students completed the survey. This represents 1,493 academic staff (including casuals), 1,443 professional staff (including casuals), 510 emeritus professors/fellows, honorary appointees and visitors, 2,903 students and an additional 508 people who responded as 'other/prefer not to say'.

Results

The survey results show that a large majority of our community would feel safer if others on campus are vaccinated. More than 80 per cent of respondents answered that they strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, 'I will feel more comfortable coming to work/campus if others are vaccinated'.

You can read the full survey results here.

These results are part of an ongoing discussion with our community. The current position on vaccination, that the University strongly encourages staff and students to get vaccinated, including receiving a booster dose when eligible, remains unchanged. We will continue the consultation process to further refine the University's position on vaccination.

Where to get vaccinated

Staff and students can book an appointment to receive a booster dose on campus at the University Pharmacy. You can also make a booking through your local pharmacy or doctor.

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Notification of positive cases

It's important that you let us know if you test positive for COVID-19. By notifying the University, we can help determine the risk of exposure to your colleagues and students in line with ACT Health Guidelines and, where appropriate, pass this information on to colleagues and students so they can take the necessary steps.

If you test positive to COVID-19, please:

Alert the University through this online form and;
Inform your supervisor or course convenor.

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Improving ventilation

As of 1 August 2022, all changes of have been implemented, see ventilation matrix for building specific updates.

The University has been working to ensure it provides a safe working environment by enhancing air management/ventilation on campus by using industry guidelines developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Four strategies were implemented dependent on the actual building and its existing infrastructure. These were:

Adjust set points for Building CO2 values.
Adjust the built in energy saving cycles to increase fresh air content.
Pre and post purging of buildings with fresh air.
Air filtration.

If you have any further questions or would like your local area checked by F&S, send your request to Fix My Campus team at fixmycampus.fs@anu.edu.au.

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Cleaning and sanitisation

Everyone has an important role to play in keeping our campus safe - staff will continue to have access to disinfectant sprays for use in keeping desk spaces and common areas regularly wiped down. Cleaning in response to COVID cases on campus will be targeted to those areas that are assessed as representing a higher risk of spread.

Hand sanitiser will continue to be available in all foyers and common areas to help maintain good hand hygiene.

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