Covid-19 Testing for Undergraduate Students in Columbia Residential

A new COVID-19 testing protocol will go into effect for GS students living in Columbia Residential starting the week of February 15, 2021. This protocol will closely align with the testing requirements for undergraduates in residence across Columbia’s campus.

February 08, 2021

Students will be required to undergo weekly COVID-19 PCR (nasal swab) testing and will need to schedule a test each week at a University testing center, using the Columbia Health Online Patient Portal. Testing appointments are generally available Monday through Friday, 10-14 days in advance, so students are encouraged to book early to find the appointment time that best works with their schedule. Please do not wait until Friday to book your appointment for that week, as same-day appointments are not guaranteed. 

Repeated failure to attend your scheduled tests could result in disciplinary action and removal from University housing. Review the full policy.

Testing is available by appointment only; walk-ins are not accepted.

  • If you arrive more than 10 minutes early you will be directed to wait outside the building until your scheduled time.
  • If you arrive more than 10 minutes late you will be directed to leave the building and schedule a new appointment using the Columbia Health Online Patient Portal.
  • Appointments cannot be scheduled by phone.
  • If the date you prefer at a given location is not displaying options, it indicates testing is not available at that location on that day or all appointments are fully booked. 
  • If the date and location is an available testing date and fully booked you should check other sites or the portal periodically to see if more capacity has been added or there have been cancellations. 
  • It is not possible to add to a fully booked schedule.
  • If you are unable to schedule through the Online Patient Portal, email [email protected] for assistance.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  • To schedule your appointment, go to the Columbia Health Online Patient Portal.
  • Sign in with your UNI and UNI password.
  • Select "Appointments" from the main menu and select "schedule an appointment."
  • Select “COVID-19 testing” by location .
  • Answer the question regarding symptoms (these locations are for asymptomatic testing only.)
  • Provide your callback number if prompted.
  • Select the appointment day and time.
  • Once your appointment is scheduled, the system will display a QR code. We encourage you to save the QR code to your phone as a screenshot or print it out. You can always access the code by logging back into the Online Patient Portal. The QR code is a touchless way to check in for your testing appointment.
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