COVID-19 Updates
Throughout the pandemic, AUC’s plans have been guided by two principles: protecting the health and safety of our community during an evolving pandemic and supporting our students' goals to become globally-minded and socially-accountable physicians. This has allowed us to safely manage medical education on our campus since January 2021. We are committed to providing a safe and meaningful experience, and we will continue to evaluate and modify COVID-19 safety protocols as needed while keeping your health and safety our priority.
Updated August 2022
SINT MAARTEN
GENERAL QUESTIONS
The semester starts on August 29, 2022. A full academic calendar is available here.
Our plan is to continue in-person academic delivery in the September 2022 semester. As COVID-19 trends both on campus and within the broader Sint Maarten community are steadily declining, we will continue to evaluate and modify COVID-19 safety protocols as needed while keeping your health and safety our priority.
While we are confident that student engagement is enhanced with in-person learning, we are offering a remote option for first-time first-semester students for their first term only* to give them flexibility in learning options to start their medical education. We recognize that new students may face hardships in preparing to be on the island for the first time due to circumstances compounded by COVID-19, such as challenges in the passport, visa, and travel-related processes.
Students further along in their educational journey (semester 2 through 5) and repeat first semester students will still be required to be on the island, and our clinical students will continue to participate in live clinical care settings, as we firmly believe that completing a medical education in person is the best way to learn medicine and be competitive for U.S. residency placements
Note: The remote option for AUC is only available to Sint Maarten campus first-time first-semester students and does not include the UK Track.
*The September 2022 semester remote option for new, first-time first-semester students is contingent on the U.S. COVID-19 national emergency declaration and federal allowances. If the national emergency declaration and federal allowances are terminated prior to the end of the September 2022 semester, you will be required to complete your semester on the island. The remote option is not offered to continuing students (semesters 2-5) or students repeating the first semester.
Yes, campus facilities including the gym, cafeteria, testing center, and study rooms are open and operating under our COVID-19 safety protocols.
TRAVEL
If you have previously studied on Sint Maarten, please bring your residency documents. If you had received a residency permit but misplaced it, please email SEllis-Singh@aucmed.edu for an electronic copy.
If you have not yet been to Sint Maarten and do not have a resident permit, make sure you have proof of a return flight (e.g., roundtrip ticket), have submitted all relevant documents to Admissions (admissions@aucmed.edu) and have a copy of your AUC acceptance letter. Please email Admissions if you need an electronic copy of your letter.
If you received a resident permit but misplaced it, please email SEllis-Singh@aucmed.edu for an electronic copy.
Sint Maarten’s borders are currently open to international travelers and many airline carriers are operating flights to Princess Juliana Airport. At this time, the government no longer requires travelers to be tested prior to travel if they are fully vaccinated* or to quarantine on arrival but has instituted several safety protocols to help protect the island and other travelers from COVID-19.
All required travel forms and paperwork are managed through the country’s EHAS portal (short for Electronic Health Authorization System). Your application must be submitted and approved prior to boarding a flight so please bookmark and closely monitor the EHAS portal as you prepare for travel. The portal will also notify you of a change to any current entry protocols (see below).
Entry Requirements as of April 1, 2022:
- Fully vaccinated* travelers: Pre-authorized Electronic Health Authorization System (EHAS) application form (printed copy or QR code) and proof of vaccination.
- Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated travelers: Pre-authorized EHAS application form (printed copy or QR code) and a negative COVID-19 test: rt-PCR/Ag within 48 hours or antigen test within 24 hours before departure. For the age category of 5 up to 10 years, an oropharyngeal swab will also be accepted.
- Travelers who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 9 months: Pre-authorized EHAS application form (printed copy or QR code) and proof of recovery. One of the following will be accepted:
- A government/public health authority-issued proof of recovery (Digital COVID Recovery Certificate or letter)
- A lab-issued positive COVID-19 PCR test result also indicating a Ct value of 35 or higher.
- A signed and stamped COVID-19 recovery letter from a physician accompanied by the positive COVID-19 PCR test result.
- All non-fully vaccinated and those with a past COVID-19 infection older than 9 months: Required to have a negative COVID-19 test in accordance with the required type of test.
*Fully vaccinated means you have completed the full regimen of a WHO-approved vaccine at least 14 days prior to travel.
Please monitor the government EHAS website and the travel requirements page for updates and more details, and be sure to check back frequently as we know entry protocols can swiftly change.
Please reach out to AUC's Office of Student Affairs at studentaffairs@aucmed.edu to discuss your individual situation.
If your arrival to St. Maarten has been delayed and you will not be able to complete campus check-in by the end of the first day of classes, please fill out an Excused Absence from Medical Sciences Not to Exceed 15 Days Request form and submit it to the link on the form. To request a late fee waiver, please complete the Late Fee Waiver Form and upload it here. Late fee waiver forms will be accepted for consideration until the end of week 2 (Friday, September 9). Any forms submitted after that date will not be reviewed for a waiver.
All students are expected to physically check in on campus by the end of the first day of classes. For the September 2022 term, this is Tuesday, August 30 at 4:00 pm AST, to be considered on time. This is a required activity separate from class registration/enrollment that you’ll need to complete every semester.
Students who are immunosuppressed or have a pre-existing medical condition should contact AUC’s Office of Student Affairs at studentaffairs@aucmed.edu to discuss support options.
Please visit http://www.sintmaartengov.org/government/VSA/Health-Updates/NOVELCORONAVIRUS/Pages/Current-Situation.aspx for more information.
AUC’s plans continue to be guided by two principles: protecting the health and safety of our community and supporting students' goals to become globally-minded and socially accountable physicians. We have a shared responsibility to each other and ourselves to minimize the risk of COVID-19 in the communities where we live and work. In addition to our policy requiring students to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, we continue to evaluate and modify COVID-19 safety protocols as needed while keeping your health and safety our priority.
Please note that our standard procedures remain in effect for campus community members who feel unwell and/or test positive for COVID-19:
If you are experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19, do not come onto campus. Call the Sint Maarten Ministry of Health's COVID-19 hotline at 914 or +1-721-542-1570 and notify AUC via the contacts below:
- Student Affairs: StudentAffairs@aucmed.edu
- COVID-19 Mitigation Team: CovidMitigation@aucmed.edu
- Safety and Security: Security@aucmed.edu or 721-588-4018 (WhatsApp enabled)
In the event you test positive for COVID-19 before arriving on island, please reach out to your admissions advisor (new students) or StudentAffairs@aucmed.edu (continuing students).
If you experience any flu-like or COVID-19 symptoms, call the Sint Maarten Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 hotline at 914 or +1721-542-1570 and do not come onto campus. We also ask that you inform AUC by contacting Dr. Scott Rinker, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, at studentaffairs@aucmed.edu; AUC’s Office of Safety & Security at security@aucmed.edu, and AUC’s COVID-19 Mitigation Team at COVIDMitigation@aucmed.edu.
Prior to being on campus: Please contact studentaffairs@aucmed.edu.
While on Sint Maarten: Please call the Sint Maarten Ministry of Public Health’s COVID-19 hotline at 914 or +1721-542-1570 and do not come onto campus. Please contact Student Affairs at studentaffairs@aucmed.edu; AUC’s Office of Safety & Security at security@aucmed.edu; and AUC’s COVID-19 Mitigation Team at COVIDMitigation@aucmed.edu.
Each situation will be considered on an individual basis through conversation with Student Affairs. In order to be approved for a Leave of Absence (LOA), students will need to provide documentation of their illness from their healthcare provider to Student Affairs at studentsaffairs@aucmed.edu. Once approved for a LOA related to illness, AUC will work with you and your faculty to determine a makeup date for any mandatory activities that you may have missed.
Students are responsible for any costs associated with COVID-19 testing that is part of a government requirement for entry to Sint Maarten. We encourage you to work with your insurance provider to see what coverage they offer for COVID-19 testing.
Costs for campus-administrated COVID-19 testing will be managed by AUC.
To access confidential wellness counseling services, please reach out to the following contacts:
- Sint Maarten medical sciences and clinical sciences students: sxmwellness@aucmed.edu
If you have an urgent crisis after-hours, please call 721-587-6661. If you need more immediate assistance, please call 721-588-4018 for the On-Duty Security Supervisor.
UK TRACK
GENERAL QUESTIONS
The semester starts on 29, August 2022. A full academic calendar is available here.
AUC plans to deliver our medical sciences curriculum primarily in person for the September 2022 semester at our Preston, UK program site. While some academic content may be delivered online, our plan is to continue offering many live in-classroom lectures, along with in-person clinical skills training, small group sessions, and activities. Campus events including the White Coat Ceremony and Celebration of Academic Excellence are taking place in person, and we look forward to offering continued in-person learning and engagement activities.
Yes, UCLan is open and operating seven days a week.
TRAVEL - UKT
Given the changing nature of COVID-19 and each government’s response, travelers should regularly monitor the UK government website and the UCLan FAQ webpage, which contains helpful information about entry requirements. We also ask that you monitor your local government’s travel restrictions and any impact they may have on your ability to return to Preston for the September 2022 semester.
Please reach out to Dr. Andy Ginty, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs – UK Track, at aginty@aucmed.edu to discuss your situation.
HEALTH & SAFETY - UKT
As always, your safety and security remain our top priority. AUC and UCLan are taking precautions to lower the risk of exposure and do our part to curb the spread of the virus. For more details on UCLan safety procedures, visit UCLan’s Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).
Students who are immunosuppressed or have a pre-existing medical condition may contact Dr. Andy Ginty, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs – UK Track, at aginty@aucmed.edu to discuss their situation.
Any student who tests positive for COVID-19 should take the following actions:
- Inform the course administrative team by emailing crankin@uclan.ac.uk
- Review additional NHS guidance and UK government guidance on receiving a positive test result
If you need support from Student Services, please either email wellbeing@uclan.ac.uk or call 01772 893020. If you need urgent support, please contact Security on 01772 892068 or via the SafeZone app.
If you experience symptoms consistent with COVID-19, please inform the course administrative team by emailing Catherine Rankin at crankin@uclan.ac.uk. Please refer to UK government guidance by visiting their website at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus.
Complio Submissions (for Clinical Site Requirements)
Yes. Uploading your proof of vaccination to the AUC Safe App ensures you are in compliance with AUC’s vaccine policy, but the Complio requirement is a separate process to help facilitate your compliance with our clinical partners’ vaccine policies and requirements.
For privacy reasons, AUC is not able to transfer your proof of vaccination to our clinical partners/outside of the university.
An exemption from AUC’s vaccine policy only applies to AUC and does not guarantee an exemption from our clinical partners’ vaccination requirements. Please be aware that many of our clinical partners are not granting any exemptions for unvaccinated individuals.
Clinical partners that accept AUC’s vaccine policy exemptions as part of their own exemption determination procedures may require proof of your AUC exemption. If so, upload your exemption letter or email into Complio. We strongly encourage you to speak with your clinical advisor as soon as possible by emailing clinical@aucmed.edu to discuss the requirements of your clinical site(s) and alternative vaccine arrangements or clinical site options, if needed.
Students are subject to their clinical site requirements, which may include COVID-19 vaccination or testing. Students who do not comply with those site-specific requirements may not be allowed to access the site, which could lead to additional consequences as set forth in the Student Handbook and Academic Catalog.
Learn more about COVID-19 from the CDC: