COVID-19 testing

You can leave your accommodation to drop your tests off as this aligns to government guidance. You should not use public transport and should walk or cycle to drop off your test. Find details of drop off locations.

If you are an international student and are quarantining, you shouldn’t leave your residence until you have finished your period of mandatory quarantine, and you should recommence testing after your quarantine period in line with your text message instructions. 

No, but we encourage you to take part in the programme even if you don’t need to come to campus at this time. If you left Southampton/Winchester over the Christmas break, we strongly recommend you isolate on your return until you have received two negative test results to help keep others safe.

No, but you must take part in weekly COVID-19 saliva testing.

In line with government lockdown guidance, you should not go to campus unless you have in-person teaching. You must have two consecutive negative tests before visiting campus.

We are not currently providing the antibody tests and would encourage all students to take part in our non-invasive simple COVID-19 saliva testing programme.

If you do a private test through an accredited provider, and the test is negative, you would only need to quarantine for five days. You should then recommence regular saliva testing in line with your text message instructions, and wait until your first negative result before accessing the campus (other than to drop off your sample).

It is important that we are confident as possible that students coming on to campus do not have COVID which is why we have asked for two negative results.

We appreciate that it may not be easy to drop-off samples in advance of coming to campus before teaching, but we would request that you do this so you are doing as much as possible to protect your University friends and colleagues and to help control transmission.

We would encourage you to speak to the Southampton City Council, you can contact them either via Webchat or by phone. These details can be found under point 6 on this webpage.

No, you do not need to test before travelling back but if you are not registered for our testing programme, you must do so now. Register here.

If you returned to the University before lockdown, remember to take a saliva test 1, 4 and 8 days after you arrived back in Southampton or Winchester. You must self-isolate (except to drop off your saliva samples or shop for essential supplies) until you receive two consecutive negative tests.  
 
If you stayed at the University over the winter break and can safely access a drop off point that is local to you, you should resume weekly testing on any convenient day (unless you are self-isolating).

If you travelled internationally, you must comply with UK Government regulations and it is mandatory for you to quarantine for 10 days.

Once you have finished your quarantine period, if you are an essential worker, you are strongly encouraged to participate in the saliva testing programme. Register here.

One negative test is recommended if you return to Southampton/Winchester from overseas. There are no specific requirements for accessing campus for the first time if you are an essential worker.

PGR students who need to access campus (essential workers) are strongly encouraged to participate in the saliva testing programme in order to minimise risk to yourself, your colleagues and your family. There are no specific requirements for accessing campus for the first time if you are an essential worker.

PGR students who need to access campus (essential workers) are strongly encouraged to participate in the saliva testing programme. There are no specific requirements for accessing campus if you are an essential worker.