Texas A&M System to provide free COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff

Registered nurse Keith M. takes a sample from Jerri at a drive-through COVID-19 test site at Austin Emergency Center in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday July 8, 2020.(Jay Janne)/Austin American-Statesman via AP) (Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman)

HOUSTON – Texas A&M System will provide free COVID-19 testing for students, faculty and staff at all 11 campuses in Texas, the university system announced Tuesday.

“Ensuring the health and safety of our students is our top priority,” said John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. “Facilitating increased accessibility and availability of COVID-19 testing will help us mitigate the spread and help to protect each other by taking preventative and proactive measures.”

Recommended Videos



About 15,000 mouth swab test kits will be provided to each campus every month, officials said.

The university encourages students, faculty and staff to get tested if they experience COVID-19 symptoms, or suspect they have been exposed to someone with the virus.

While the tests are free, those who have insurance are encouraged to use their primary care physician to get a test so that their test can be paid for by insurance. The on-campus tests will not be available to the general public, according to a release.

To get tested, patients must sign up online, which will be established at each campus. Meanwhile, Texas A&M has created a “Return to Campus” guide for all students ahead of the Fall 2020 semester. Read the guide below:


About the Author:

Award-winning journalist, mother, YouTuber, social media guru, millennial, mentor, storyteller, University of Houston alumna and Houston-native.