If you’re travelling to the UK from overseas you must follow the guidance for entry to the UK, this can differ depending on where you have travelled in the 10 days before you arrive in the UK and whether you are an English or Irish National. Check the information on the government website before you travel.
You may be eligible for Test to Release to reduce your quarantine period on entry to the UK.
While our on-campus Lateral Flow antigen tests and our KCL TEST PCR saliva tests do not qualify for Test to Release, we are able to support students with a financial contribution of £100 towards the cost of your private test. More details on claiming this contribution is available on Student Services Online
It is also important that students travelling from overseas consider the travel advice in place from their home country, including whether or not the country has closed their borders to departures to and arrivals from the UK. More information is available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) travel advice page.
You should follow local restriction guidance before you travel to university to minimise the risk of contracting or transmitting coronavirus (COVID-19).
More information on getting to campus is available on our travel webpages.
It is important that all students register with a medical practitioner (GP/Doctor) in the UK. At King’s we have our own NHS GP Health Centre which all students can join for free and you can register with online. More information is available on Student Services Online.
We expect students and staff to take COVID-19 tests before attending campus for the first time in 2021 and then regularly, ideally twice a week, if you are attending campus or living in our residences.
We have testing available on campus. You can register for KCL TEST here.
If you are going on a clinical placement, please ask your placement lead to confirm which type of COVID-19 test (Lateral Flow or PCR) is acceptable to your placement provider. If a Lateral Flow test is required, free tests can be booked here or you can take a test at a local test centre.
All our buildings have designated entrances and exits which are clearly marked.
Hand sanitiser stations are available at all our entrances for you use when you enter the building and hand wash stations are also available in our larger receptions.
Remember to sanitise or wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds regularly throughout the day.
When you enter our buildings, please use the hand sanitiser provided.
Unless you are exempt, you must wear a face covering inside our buildings including in teaching spaces and common areas.
Exemptions include:
- People who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
- Where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
- If you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate
A full list of exemptions can be found on the UK Government website.
Follow UK Government guidance on how to wear a face covering and how to keep a face covering maintained.
Because face coverings are mainly intended to protect others from COVID-19 they are not a replacement for safe distancing and regular hand washing.
Safe distancing must be observed in all areas of the campus. Signs and floor tape are in place to help you maintain a 2m distance from others.
Where possible furniture will have been removed or marked to show where you can safely sit to maintain the correct safe distance.
In some laboratories and offices, 1m+ safe distancing will be in place providing additional safety measures required for 1m+ are in place.
To help maintain as safe an environment as possible, it is important that you follow the signs and floor markings. This will help you to maintain a 2m safe distance from others.
Where possible use the stairs, our lifts will have a limited capacity and should be reserved for those that need them most. Signs will show if stairs are ‘up’ or ‘down’ only, or ‘Keep Left’ or ‘Keep Right’.
High contact surfaces such as door handles and lift buttons will be cleaned regularly throughout the day but as a precaution you should avoid touching them where possible.
The national vaccination scheme is designed to protect the most vulnerable people and most of our community can expect to be offered vaccination as part of this prioritised national approach throughout the coming months. More information on COVID-19 vaccinations is available here.
If you have been vaccinated (in the UK or overseas)
You will still need to follow any national or local restrictions in place and our health and safety measures when you are on campus or in our residences:
- respect safe distancing
- wear a face covering unless exempt
- wash your hands regularly
- take a regular COVID-19 test, information is available on our KCL TEST webpage.
If you are using KCL TEST, you should let them know you have been vaccinated through the monthly questionnaires that you will receive as part of the KCL TEST study.
If you test positive for COVID-19 you should self-isolate and fill in our self-isolation reporting form so we can support you.
We expect students to take COVID-19 tests before coming to campus for the first time or to use any on-campus services and then take tests regularly, ideally twice a week throughout the term.
There will be a 30 minute gap between classes to allow you to arrive and leave safely.
Please keep a 2m safe distance whilst queuing for your class and when you are in the classroom. You will be expected to wear a face covering in classrooms unless you are exempt.
Please sanitise your desk and chair before you leave the room.
A reminder of the safety guidance will be provided at the start of each class.
Study spaces are available on campus for you to use. You must follow the guidance in place and sanitise any shared equipment using the wipes provided before and after use to protect yourself and the next person who uses the space.
Information on the study spaces available for you to use can be found on Student Services Online.
In line with government guidance, the King’s gyms are not currently open. Please see the King’s Sport website for information on virtual classes and staying fit and healthy.
Where possible, our restaurants and cafes will be open with limited capacity to maintain safe distancing. We ask that you sanitise your hands before touching any food and drinks before you purchase them.
We have an Order Ahead service so you can pick up your favourite food, contact-free.
Whether you are living in a King’s Residence or Private Accommodation you must abide by UK Government guidelines, these measures are in place to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. You have a personal responsibility to protect your health and the health of those around you including your fellow students and our staff members who you will interact with when you come on to campus.
Please familiarise yourself with the restrictions in place across London and much of the UK.
If you live in a King’s residence your flat is classed as your household.
Repeated non-compliance with the safety guidance or serious allegations relating to health and safety on our campuses and in King's Residences will be treated as misconduct.
As part of the safety measures, which have been developed in line with the latest UK Government guidance, we ask that you do not bring visitors to campus or our residences. This includes parents or guardians, unless you are under 18.
We want you to enjoy living in London and all that the capital has to offer. As a multi-cultural and diverse city there may be people particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. We ask that you respect the guidance in place and follow UK Government guidance at all times.
It is important for everyone to follow these guidelines to protect themselves and others. We are confident that each student and member of staff will want to do the right thing to protect their own and each others health. It is ok to politely remind people of the guidelines if they are not following them. If you do want to report a concern, please see the information on Student Services Online.
Repeated non-compliance with the safety guidance or serious allegations relating to health and safety on our campuses and in King's Residences will be treated as misconduct.
Our COVID secure measures, including safe-distancing, hygiene, cleaning and the expected use of face coverings, have been designed and implemented to minimise the likelihood of transmission even in the instance of a positive case.
Information on what to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus is available on our webpages.
Walk or cycle if you can. If you do need to use public transport, wear a face covering unless you are exempt and try to maintain a safe distance from others.
If you’re on public transport and you feel your safety is being compromised, make the choice that’s right for you which may mean getting off at the next available stop and waiting for the next service or taking an alternative route.
More information on getting to campus is available on our travel webpages.
We expect students and staff to take COVID-19 tests before attending campus for the first time in 2021 and then regularly, ideally twice a week, if you are attending campus or living in our residences.
We have testing available on campus. You can register for KCL TEST here.
If you are going on a clinical placement, please ask your placement lead to confirm which type of COVID-19 test (Lateral Flow or PCR) is acceptable to your placement provider. If a Lateral Flow test is required, free tests can be booked here or you can take a test at a local test centre.
All our buildings have designated entrances and exits which are clearly marked.
Hand sanitiser stations are available at all our entrances for you use when you enter the building and hand wash stations are also available in our larger receptions.
Remember to sanitise or wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds regularly throughout the day.
When you enter our buildings, please use the hand sanitiser provided.
Unless you are exempt, you must wear a face covering inside our buildings including in offices, teaching spaces and common areas.
Exemptions include:
- People who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
- Where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
- If you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate
A full list of exemptions can be found on the UK Government website.
Follow UK Government guidance on how to wear a face covering and how to keep a face covering maintained.
Because face coverings are mainly intended to protect others from COVID-19 they are not a replacement for safe distancing and regular hand washing.
Safe distancing must be observed in all areas of the campus. Signs and floor tape are in place to help you maintain a 2m distance from others.
Where possible furniture will have been removed or marked to show where you can safely sit to maintain the correct safe distance.
In some laboratories and offices, 1m+ safe distancing will be in place providing additional safety measures required for 1m+ are in place.
To help maintain as safe an environment as possible, it is important that you follow the signs and floor markings. This will help you to maintain a 2m safe distance from others.
Where possible use the stairs, our lifts will have a limited capacity and should be reserved for those that need them most. Signs will show if stairs are ‘up’ or ‘down’ only, or ‘Keep Left’ or ‘Keep Right’.
High contact surfaces such as door handles and lift buttons will be cleaned regularly throughout the day but as a precaution you should avoid touching them where possible.
The national vaccination scheme is designed to protect the most vulnerable people and most of our community can expect to be offered vaccination as part of this prioritised national approach throughout the coming months. More information on COVID-19 vaccinations is available here.
If you have been vaccinated (in the UK or overseas)
You will still need to follow any national or local restrictions in place and our health and safety measures when you are on campus or in our residences:
- respect safe distancing
- wear a face covering unless exempt
- wash your hands regularly
- take a regular COVID-19 test, information is available on our KCL TEST webpage.
If you are using KCL TEST, you should let them know you have been vaccinated through the monthly questionnaires that you will receive as part of the KCL TEST study.
If you test positive for COVID-19 you should self-isolate and fill in our self-isolation reporting form so we can support you.
You must sanitise any shared equipment using the wipes provided before and after use to protect yourself and the next person to use the space.
Please make sure your classes start and end on time. There will be a 30 minute gap between classes to allow students and staff to arrive and leave safely.
Teaching staff will need to remind students of the safety guidance at the start of each class and to use the sanitiser wipes to clean their chair and desk before they leave.
Students and teaching staff are expected to wear a face covering in classrooms unless exempt, teaching staff may use a visor instead if there is a 2m distance between them and the students.
Where possible, our restaurants and cafes will be open with limited capacity to maintain safe distancing. We ask that you sanitise your hands before touching any food and drinks before you purchase them.
We have an Order Ahead service so you can pick up your favourite food, contact-free.
In line with government guidance, the King’s gyms are not currently open. Please see the King’s Sport website for information on virtual classes and staying fit and healthy.
It is important for everyone to follow these guidelines to protect themselves and others. We are confident that each student and member of staff will want to do the right thing to protect their own and each others health. It is ok to politely and sensitively remind people of the guidelines if they are not following them. If staff are concerned that the guidance is not being followed, they can report their concerns using the Staff & Student Coronavirus Report Form.
Our COVID secure measures, including safe-distancing, hygiene, cleaning and the expected use of face coverings, have been designed and implemented to minimise the likelihood of transmission even in the instance of a positive case.
Information on what to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus is available on our webpages.
In protecting the health and wellbeing of our community of staff and students and those around us, we currently are not able to invite visitors onto our campuses.
When restrictions permit, there are a limited number of exceptions to this policy and where visitors have been permitted special access by Heads of Faculties/Directorates in order to fulfil activities that are critical to education, student activities, research, regulatory and other business specific functions. In these instances, the visitor will need to complete an individual risk assessment and while on campus, adhere to our safety measures.
- If you have received a letter from one of our research teams inviting you onto campus, please follow the instructions on that letter
- Please wear a face covering (unless you are exempt from doing so)
- You will be met at the entrance of the building and escorted around the campus by a member of the research team
- You will be asked to provide contact details to help support the NHS track and trace system
- You will be advised whether this is being rearranged virtually or still due to take place on campus, as deemed critical activity by the relevant Head of Faculty/Directorate
- If you are to attend campus, please refer to the University Return to Work Measures during COVID-19 Emergency and familiarise yourself with our COVID secure measures prior to your visit
- You will be asked to complete an individual risk assessment
- Please wear a face covering (unless you are exempt from doing so)
- You will be met at the entrance of the building and escorted around the campus by a member of the relevant team
- No. All events and meetings should continue to be organised virtually via Microsoft Teams
- In very limited and exceptional circumstances where this is not possible, Head of Faculties/Directorates will have to assess how critical it is that this takes place. If agreed, King’s Venues will then help to identify appropriate space
- The organiser of the meeting/event will need to ensure that each external attendee has completed an individual risk assessment
- They are also asked to keep a temporary record of any external visitors for 21 days after the activity takes place to support the NHS Test and Trace system
- We would ask that another location away from campus is used instead and/or whether the interview could take place virtually
- If this is not possible and if the activity is deemed of high importance by the relevant Department/Faculty, please contact comms@kcl.ac.uk for advice