---
title: Remote or In-person Classes? What 100 Top Colleges Have Decided for the Fall 2020 Semester
description: Most colleges are implementing a hybrid model with additional safety measures.
image: https://8139278.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/8139278/Imported_Blog_Media/c01a26bf-original.jpe
---
# Remote or In-person Classes? What 100 Top Colleges Have Decided for the Fall 2020 Semester
[ ](https://ripplematch.com/insights/author/kate-beckman)
Kate Beckman
Jul 15, 2020
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Spring 2020 was an unprecedented time in higher education. Thousands of campuses across the country took their classes online to adhere to social distancing measures, policies which persisted for the remainder of the semester and culminated in virtual graduations for the Class of 2020.
Now, as the fall semester approaches, the status of in-person classes is constantly shifting. Many universities agree that packed 300-person lectures won’t be feasible, but aren’t sure about smaller, in-person classes. A few universities are taking proactive measures to cancel in-person teaching altogether, while many are establishing a mix of in-person and online classes, leaning heavily on additional safety measures such as social distancing guidelines or mask mandates. Based on our analysis of 100 top colleges, from the overall U.S. News Top 50 schools to public universities to HBCUs, it appears that many universities are planning to bring students on campus in some capacity. However, 'in-person' varies widely from college to college. For some colleges, it means that only freshmen will be brought to campus for the first semester. For other colleges, it means that classes requiring in-person work – like lab work – or small classes will take place in person.
The variance in guidelines along with the shifting COVID-19 hotspots makes it a challenge to pin down the status of universities with certainty. Every month, we’ll be updating this article to reflect the decisions made by colleges and universities regarding on-campus, in-person classes this fall to serve as a resource for students, administrators, and university recruitment teams seeking updates. As of mid-July, these are the decisions of 100 schools below.
*This article was last updated on July 15th, 2020. *
**Top 50 Colleges in the U.S. (A-Z)**
Below, we’ve listed the status of fall classes for the U.S. News Top 50 Colleges and Universities in alphabetical order.
**Boston College **
[Status:](https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/sites/reopening-boston-college/students.html#student-faq) Resuming on-campus classes in-person in the fall.
**Boston University**
[Status:](https://www.bu.edu/back2bu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and virtual classes in the fall.
**Brandeis University**
[Status:](https://www.brandeis.edu/fall-2020/) Resuming a mix of in-person and virtual classes in the fall.
**Brown University**
[Status:](https://healthy.brown.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and virtual classes in the fall with a “de-densified” campus.
**California Institute of Technology**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.caltech.edu/) Planning to resume on-campus classes in-person in the fall, but monitoring the situation.
**Carnegie Mellon University**
[Status:](https://www.cmu.edu/coronavirus/news-and-communications/communications-archive/2020/july/information-to-guide-your-fall-semester-planning.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Case Western Reserve University**
[Status:](https://case.edu/studentlife/healthcounseling/health-serviceshealth-updatescovid-19-campus-communications/july-8-message-undergraduates-our-plans-fall-semester) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**College of William and Mary**
[Status:](https://www.wm.edu/news/announcements/2020/wms-covid-19-response-important-updates-for-the-remainder-of-the-semester.php#june12) Resuming on-campus classes in-person in the fall.
**Columbia University**
[Status:](https://covid19.columbia.edu/news/columbia-alerts-undergraduates-fall-2020-plans) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Cornell University**
[Status:](https://covid.cornell.edu/updates/20200630-reactivate-campus.cfm) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Dartmouth College**
[Status:](https://news.dartmouth.edu/covid-19/academic-year-2020-21-return-campus-plan/email-president-hanlon-and-provost-helble) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall with a “de-densified” campus.
**Duke University**
[Status:](https://today.duke.edu/2020/06/return-campus-price-provides-update-fall-semester) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Emory University**
[Status:](https://www.emory.edu/coronavirus/emory/messages/index.html?m=message-all-update-fall-2020-july-7) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall, but monitoring the situation.
**Georgetown University**
[Status:](https://www.georgetown.edu/coronavirus/fall-2020/faqs/main-campus-students/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Georgia Institute of Technology**
[Status:](https://health.gatech.edu/coronavirus/students) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Harvard University**
[Status:](https://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Johns Hopkins University**
[Status:](https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Lehigh University**
[Status:](https://www2.lehigh.edu/news/71020-important-updates-and-reminders-for-phased-campus-re-opening-open-iii) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Massachusetts Institute of Technology**
[Status:](https://covid19.mit.edu/further-decisions-about-the-fall-semester) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes—only rising seniors will be allowed on campus in the fall.
**New York University**
[Status:](https://www.nyu.edu/about/leadership-university-administration/office-of-the-president/communications/nyu-returns-looking-ahead-academics-and-student-life-2020-2021.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Northeastern University**
[Status:](https://news.northeastern.edu/coronavirus/reopening/frequently-asked-questions/) Resuming on-campus classes in-person in the fall.
**Northwestern University**
[Status:](https://www.northwestern.edu/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/campus-return/steps/step-4-5-6.html) Resuming in-person classes for most undergraduate and graduate students in the fall.
**Princeton University**
[Status:](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2020/07/06/princeton-announces-plan-fall-2020-guidelines-undergraduates-returning-campus) Resuming on-campus classes in-person for one semester in the fall.
**Rice University**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.rice.edu/news/message-undergraduate-students) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Stanford University**
[Status:](https://healthalerts.stanford.edu/covid-19/students-postdocs/) Resuming on-campus classes in-person for one semester in the fall.
**Tufts University**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.tufts.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Tulane University**
[Status:](https://tulane.edu/covid-19) Resuming on-campus classes in-person in the fall.
**University of California -- Berkeley**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.berkeley.edu/fall-2020/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of California -- Davis**
[Status:](https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/uc-davis-plans-welcome-students-back-campus-fall) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of California -- Irvine**
[Status:](https://uci.edu/coronavirus/faq/index.php#returning) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of California -- Los Angeles**
[Status:](https://covid-19.ucla.edu/information-for-students/) Expected to have a mix of in-person and virtual classes in the fall.
**University of California -- San Diego**
[Status:](https://returntolearn.ucsd.edu/return-to-campus/fall-2020-plan/index.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of California -- Santa Barbara**
[Status:](https://chancellor.ucsb.edu/memos/2020-06-18-covid-19-update-fall-planning#undergraduate-instruction) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Chicago**
[Status:](https://coronavirusupdates.uchicago.edu/jun-30-email-update/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Florida**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.ufl.edu/media/coronavirusufledu/Reopening-Plan.pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Illinois -- Urbana-Champaign**
[Status:](https://news.uillinois.edu/view/7815/809664) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Michigan -- Ann Arbor**
[Status:](https://campusblueprint.umich.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of North Carolina -- Chapel Hill**
[Status:](https://carolinatogether.unc.edu/instructional-delivery/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Notre Dame**
[Status:](https://here.nd.edu/academics/course-instruction/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Pennsylvania**
[Status:](https://fall-2020-planning.upenn.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Rochester**
[Status:](https://www.rochester.edu/coronavirus-update/restart-and-recovery/#academics) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Southern California**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.usc.edu/2020/06/02/6-2-message-from-president-folt-about-the-2020-2021-academic-year/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Texas -- Austin**
[Status:](https://protect.utexas.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Virginia**
[Status:](https://returntogrounds.virginia.edu/academic-life) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Wisconsin -- Madison**
[Status:](https://smartrestart.wisc.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Vanderbilt University**
[Status:](https://www.vanderbilt.edu/coronavirus/fall-2020/fall-2020-undergraduate-students/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Villanova University**
[Status:](https://www1.villanova.edu/university/student-life/june-24-message-from-rev--john-p--stack--osa-vice-president-for-.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Wake Forest University**
[Status:](https://prod.wp.cdn.aws.wfu.edu/sites/384/2020/06/OUR-WAY-FORWARD-Web-Version-June-30.pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Washington University in St. Louis**
[Status:](https://covid19.wustl.edu/items/fall-semester/) No decision confirmed yet.
**Yale University**
[Status:](https://covid19.yale.edu/announcements/fall-2020) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Top 30 Public Schools (A-Z)**
Below, we’ve listed the status of fall classes for the U.S. News Top 30 Public Colleges and Universities in alphabetical order, excluding public schools listed previously above.
**Auburn University**
[Status:](http://ahealthieru.auburn.edu/?ref=hpslider) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Binghamton University -- SUNY**
[Status:](https://www.binghamton.edu/restarting-binghamton/restarting-binghamton-plan.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Clemson University**
[Status:](https://alerts.clemson.edu/2020/06/26/presidents-update-important-details-on-fall-semester-special-commencement-ceremonies-set-for-october/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Colorado School of Mines**
[Status:](https://www.mines.edu/coronavirus/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Florida State University**
[Status:](https://www.flbog.edu/the-state-university-system-of-florida-blueprint-for-reopening-campuses-fall-semester-2020/) Planning to resume on-campus classes in the fall, but monitoring the situation.
**Indiana University -- Bloomington**
[Status:](https://president.iu.edu/speeches/statements/2020/05-27-resuming-instruction.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Miami University -- Oxford**
[Status:](https://miamioh.edu/coronavirus/campus-announcements/index.html) Planning to resume on-campus classes in the fall, but monitoring the situation.
**Michigan State University**
[Status:](https://msu.edu/coronavirus/latest-updates/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**New Jersey Institute of Technology**
[Status:](https://digitalcommons.njit.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1009&context=prp) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**North Carolina State University -- Raleigh**
[Status:](https://studentservices.ncsu.edu/your-resources/covid-19/fall-2020-information/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Ohio State University -- Columbus**
[Status:](https://news.osu.edu/ohio-state-announces-plans-for-an-autumn-semester-return-to-campuses/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Pennsylvania State University -- University Park**
[Status:](https://news.psu.edu/story/624580/2020/06/30/academics/course-delivery-details-will-continue-evolve-coming-weeks) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Purdue University -- West Lafayette**
[Status:](https://protect.purdue.edu/students/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Rutgers University -- New Brunswick**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.rutgers.edu/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Stony Brook University -- SUNY**
[Status:](https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/comingback/student-faqs-academics.php?accordion=panel-d13e109) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Temple University**
[Status:](https://www.temple.edu/coronavirus) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Texas A&M University -- College Station**
[Status:](https://www.tamu.edu/coronavirus/may-29-message-to-students-on-plans-for-in-person-fall-semester.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University at Buffalo -- SUNY**
[Status:](https://www.buffalo.edu/coronavirus/bulletins/announcement-host.host.html/content/shared/www/coronavirus/previous-bulletins/b-7-2-1.detail.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of California -- Riverside**
[Status:](https://campusreturn.ucr.edu/planning-framework) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of California -- Santa Cruz**
[Status:](https://news.ucsc.edu/2020/06/planning-for-academic-year-2020-2021.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Connecticut**
[Status:](https://reopen.uconn.edu/#) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Delaware**
[Status:](https://www.udel.edu/home/coronavirus/return/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Georgia**
[Status:](https://www.uga.edu/coronavirus/messages/archnews-2020-06-23.php) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Iowa**
[Status:](https://coronavirus.uiowa.edu/fall-2020) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Maryland -- College Park**
[Status:](https://umd.edu/virusinfo/emails/052920) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Massachusetts -- Amherst**
[Status:](https://www.umass.edu/coronavirus/sites/default/files/2020-06/Fall-2020-Reopening-Plan_1.pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Minnesota -- Twin Cities**
[Status:](https://safe-campus.umn.edu/return-campus/university-planning-response) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Pittsburgh**
[Status:](https://www.coronavirus.pitt.edu/return-campus/teaching-and-learning) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Washington**
[Status:](https://www.washington.edu/coronavirus/learning-task-force/) Planning to resume on-campus classes in the fall, but monitoring the situation.
**Virginia Tech**
[Status:](https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/07/fall2020-course-delivery.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Top 20 HBCUs (A-Z)**
Below, we’ve listed the status of fall classes for the U.S. News Top 30 Historically Black Colleges and Universities in alphabetical order, excluding schools listed previously above.
**Claflin University**
[Status:](https://www.claflin.edu/academics-research/fall-2020-reopening) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Clark Atlanta University**
[Status:](https://www.cau.edu/news/2020/07/Clark-Atlanta-University-Announces-Plans-to-Re-Open-Campus-for-Fall-2020-Semester%20%20%20.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Delaware State University**
[Status:](https://e.issuu.com/embed.html?backgroundColor=%2347c1eb&backgroundColorFullscreen=%2347c1eb&d=delawarestateuniversity_together_2020&hideIssuuLogo=true&u=delstateuniv) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Dillard University**
[Status:](https://dillard.edu/covid-19/reconnect.php) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Fisk University**
[Status:](https://www.fisk.edu/covid-19-communication-hub/) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Florida A&M University**
[Status:](http://www.famu.edu/coronavirus/Reopening%20Plan%20Version%205.27%20final(1)%20(1).pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Hampton University**
[Status:](http://docs.hamptonu.edu/student/pirate_on_course_fall_2020_reopening_plan_20200617182058.pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Howard University**
[Status:](https://home.howard.edu/reopen) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Jackson State University**
[Status:](https://www.jsums.edu/covid19/) Planning to resume on-campus classes in the fall, but monitoring the situation.
**Lincoln University**
[Status:](https://www.lincoln.edu/departments/health-services/coronavirus) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Morehouse College**
[Status:](https://mailchi.mp/8249df8d8546/important-message-regarding-reopening-of-morehouse-college-campus) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Morgan State University**
[Status:](https://www.morgan.edu/reopeningmsu) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**North Carolina A&T State University**
[Status:](https://www.ncat.edu/coronavirus/provost-memorandum---release-of-fall-2020-academic-calendar.pdf) Planning to resume a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**North Carolina Central University**
[Status:](https://myeol.nccu.edu/sites/default/files/2020-06/NCCU-Operations-Continuity-Plan-Fall-2020.pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Spelman College**
[Status:](https://www.spelman.edu/academics/path-forward-2020-21/plan-overview) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Tougaloo University**
[Status:](https://www.tougaloo.edu/sites/default/files/Fall%202020%20Return%20to%20Campus%20Plan%20for%20Students.pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Tuskegee University**
[Status:](https://www.tuskegee.edu/coronavirus-resources/return-to-campus-roadmap-faqs-fall-2020) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**University of Maryland -- Eastern Shore**
[Status:](https://www.umes.edu/uploadedFiles/_WEBSITES/RTC/Content/UMES%20Return%20to%20Campus%202020.%206.29.20.pdf) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Winston-Salem State University**
[Status:](https://www.wssu.edu/about/road-map-to-fall-2020/index.html) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
**Xavier University of Louisiana**
[Status:](https://preview-assets-us-01.kc-usercontent.com/fe4e660e-85ed-0023-f96f-6d77d24a5fdb/de07b9e2-1209-455a-a4c3-e0480ec3b8f6/Fall%2020%20Reopening%20Letter%20-%2005-06-201024_1.jpg) Resuming a mix of in-person and online classes in the fall.
These are just 100 of the academic institutions that are grappling with the decisions of whether or not to open up this fall. As shown above, many colleges and universities are adopting a hybrid model of instruction with additional precautions. However, the uncertainty sparked by COVID-19 means these decisions are subject to change as conditions evolve. We will continue to update this article as more and more institutions release or update their official decisions for fall classes.
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