Screening Program for Undergraduate Students

Updated April 12, 2021

Yale is providing free viral testing for undergraduates who have returned to campus. As outlined in the Health Guidelines and emphasized in the Yale Community Compact, participation in testing is a requirement for all undergraduates enrolled in residence whether living on or off campus.

Regular testing will help Yale medical and public health experts to detect asymptomatic occurrences, isolate those infected and to prevent further transmission by performing contact tracing and providing guidance about self-isolation and health precautions.

The screening program is only for students who are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, loss of sense of smell or taste, or stomach upset). Those who are experiencing symptoms should isolate and contact Yale Health.

All members of the Yale community may also contact the Campus COVID Resource Line (203-432-6604).

Essential Steps to Take for a Successful Test

Activate your MyChart account.
- MyChart is the patient portal for our electronic health record, EPIC. An active MyChart account is REQUIRED for scheduling testing, receiving results, receiving reminders and canceling tests if needed. Yale Health has been sending information to students for MyChart enrollment; if you have not enrolled, please do so now.
Download the MyChart smart phone app.
- The MyChart app will give you easy access to these features directly on your mobile device. It will allow you to check in for testing using a bar code.
- You can download it to your smartphone by going to the app store or to Google Play.

General Testing Information

The testing process involves a self-administered swab in the front of the nose in a specially designed testing booth. The testing process takes less than 5 minutes. Watch an instruction video.
Before arriving at the test site, it is very important that you blow your nose.
All testing appointments are self-scheduled by students.
All students will be assigned to a testing location based on their residential college affiliation and housing location.
All students will be assigned to a testing schedule, either Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday.
Testing hours will generally be 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday testing will be available at Dwight Hall for those who missed an appointment.
You can view or request changes to test pattern assignments in Yale Hub.

How to Schedule a Test

Go to covidtesting.yale.edu. There will be QR codes posted in residential colleges that will link to this site. Bookmark it for easy access.
Enter your NetID and password.
Click on the scheduling link. It will take you automatically to your assigned testing location.
Select your assigned testing day based on your assigned schedule (Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday).
Select a time on your assigned scheduling day.
Confirm your appointment.
To schedule another appointment, go back to covidtesting.yale.edu and repeat.
On arrival at the test site, open the mychart app and select “view details of your upcoming appointment” to bring up a bar code which is scanned to check you in.

Test Results

Results will be delivered to students through the MyChart app. For instructions on how to download the app, see “Essential Steps to Take for a Successful Test” on this page.
5 different results are possible
- Negative results: Indicate no evidence of Infection at the time of the test. You may have a very low level of virus in your system so this does not rule out that you may become positive on a subsequent test.
- Positive results: Indicate that there was evidence of viral infection at the time the sample was taken. What to expect in the event of a positive test:
  - You will isolate in your room.
  - Yale Health staff will call you to discuss next steps in detail.
  - Your Dean will be notified.
  - You will receive a call from the Yale Contact Tracing Team.
- Inconclusive: There are 2 sites on the virus that the test looks for; both must be positive for the test to be considered positive. When only 1 viral location is positive the test is called inconclusive and must be repeated, as it could represent an early positive test. The resulting team will contact you with instructions.
- Invalid: the lab uses human DNA as a control to make sure the sample is adequate. If there is no human DNA in the sample it is labeled as invalid and not processed. In most cases this indicates a need to be more firm in how you are swabbing the sides of your nose.
- TNP: this result means Test Not Processed. This can happen for a number of reasons but one of the most common reasons is too much mucous in the sample which most often happens when someone doesn’t blow their nose.
If you are in the recurrent testing program we will NOT repeat invalid and TNP samples. Instead you should just attend your next screening test as scheduled.
If you receive an invalid or TNP result and your test was individually scheduled test outside of a regular testing schedule, you should plan to schedule another test.

Scheduling Tips

Schedule in advance! (Walk up testing is possible if space is available but you’ll still need to do scheduling process.
Schedule all of your testing appointments on your assigned testing days. Do not select days other than your assigned days of the week.
While you can’t schedule recurring appointments, you can schedule as many individual appointments as you want in advance (up to one month).
We strongly recommend scheduling both of your weekly appointments at the beginning of the week.