Frequently Asked Questions

Safe Return to Campus

last updated: September 2, 2020

Can the affidavit only be attested by a Commissioner of Oath? Or can it be attested by any officer who is Grade 17 or above?
I have not received a physical copy of my affidavit. What should I do? Can I submit this over email in order to meet the September 4th deadline?
Will students be charged for the COVID PCR test upon their return to the AKU campus? Or if the need arises during rotations?
I've been self-isolating for 5 months now and have no contact history with someone who has had COVID. Will I still need to be tested for COVID as a day scholar?
Would an at-home antibody test be enough for a student to classify as COVID negative?
If serious hospitalization is required on contracting COVID-19, will care/hospitalization be covered by student insurance? Will it cover the full costs?
Will AKU be responsible for providing students with appropriate PPE, especially when going into clinics?
Will students be assigned to high-risk areas in the hospital?
If a student contracts COVID-19 during a rotation, what protocols will be followed to ensure they complete their rotations and relevant exams in time?
What happens if students miss class because of the need to quarantine?
Will students be given a Contacts diary to keep track of movements or will they have to create and maintain one themselves?
There is a lot of information on how PCR tests sometimes indicate a positive even after infectivity is over (also due to remaining fragments of RNA). What happens if any students test false positive, symptomatically?
How will AKU manage the hostels?
How will AKU manage use of shared washrooms and showers?
Following completion of their isolation period, will hostelites be allowed to leave the university premises in order to purchase groceries, etc?
What if a student decides to not return to campus for any given reason?
Will AKU consider insuring day scholars’ families (at least in part) in case they take the infection back home and given it to vulnerable family members?

Can the affidavit only be attested by a Commissioner of Oath? Or can it be attested by any officer who is Grade 17 or above?

A Grade 17 officer can attest the document as well.

I have not received a physical copy of my affidavit. What should I do? Can I submit this over email in order to meet the September 4th deadline?

You should write to Mr Amin Keashwani (amin.keashwani@aku.edu) to request a blank affidavit to be sent to you over email. You may provisionally submit your completed and signed affidavit as an email attachment to student.records@aku.edu no later than September 4, 2020. Once you have submitted the electronic version of your affidavit you must also have it printed on Rs. 50 Stamp Paper, get it attested, and mail it to the Student Records Office at the Stadium Road campus.

Will students be charged for the COVID PCR test upon their return to the AKU campus? Or if the need arises during rotations?

No. AKU will cover the cost of the test in both instances.

I've been self-isolating for 5 months now and have no contact history with someone who has had COVID. Will I still need to be tested for COVID as a day scholar?

Yes, ALL students will need to be tested as per University protocol.

Would an at-home antibody test be enough for a student to classify as COVID negative?

No, it is not sufficient.

If serious hospitalization is required on contracting COVID-19, will care/hospitalization be covered by student insurance? Will it cover the full costs?

All students’ medical care is covered as per the insurance guidelines.

Will AKU be responsible for providing students with appropriate PPE, especially when going into clinics?

AKU will provide appropriate PPE as needed. All areas of the hospital have defined PPE regulations that students will be expected to comply with. Certain items, such as face-shields, will be provided once in a certain period of time (defined time period to be communicated later), and students (like all staff) will be expected to care for these items. If damaged or lost, PPE will be provided again, at a cost to the student.

Will students be assigned to high-risk areas in the hospital?

AKUH has been functioning under strict SOPs, under which no clinical provider can enter high-risk areas unless necessary. Medical students, although of great importance to the University, will have no access to high-risk areas.

If a student contracts COVID-19 during a rotation, what protocols will be followed to ensure they complete their rotations and relevant exams in time?

Each situation will be dealt as and when they arise, based on differences in the length of each rotation.

What happens if students miss class because of the need to quarantine?

We will decide on a case-by-case basis.

Will students be given a Contacts diary to keep track of movements or will they have to create and maintain one themselves?

No, AKU will not provide a contacts diary. Students will be expected to take responsibility for managing and tracking their own movements. It is important to be cognizant of the spaces and people with whom you spend time. This becomes important if you or someone you have been in contact with becomes COVID+. Rapid tracing and identification can prevent the infection from spreading. The University thus strongly requests students to maintain social distance and wear masks at all times, when on camps.

There is a lot of information on how PCR tests sometimes indicate a positive even after infectivity is over (also due to remaining fragments of RNA). What happens if any students test false positive, symptomatically?

There is more likelihood of asymptomatic positives than false positives. Based on our assessment of any affected students, AKU will follow internationally followed clinical protocols.

How will AKU manage the hostels?

AKU is developing detailed SOPs for use of student hostels. As with all guidelines, the salient factors are listed in the affidavit, and are the responsibility of students i.e. wearing masks, hand washing and physical distancing.

How will AKU manage use of shared washrooms and showers?

Students will be assigned washrooms. Further instructions will be given on return to campus.

Following completion of their isolation period, will hostelites be allowed to leave the university premises in order to purchase groceries, etc?

No, details will be communicated upon arrival.

What if a student decides to not return to campus for any given reason?

AKU will provide students with the option to defer the year if the risk of returning to campus is unacceptable to them. Terms for deferment have not yet been finalized, but can be visited if a student would prefer to sit out the year.

Will AKU consider insuring day scholars’ families (at least in part) in case they take the infection back home and given it to vulnerable family members?

No. AKU’s student health plan extends only to full-time current students actively engaged in academic study at AKU campuses.

Frequently Asked Questions | Students | The Aga Khan University

March 1983-2023

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe Return to Campus

​Frequently Asked Questions​​

​​​Safe Retur​n to Campus

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe Return to Campus