COVID-19 Testing for the UCSF Community

The information on this page is directed to UCSF faculty, staff and learners and Benioff Children's Hospitals faculty. For patient information, visit UCSF Health’s COVID-19 Information for Patients & Visitors or COVID-19 Vaccines at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals websites.

Updated April 1, 2024

UCSF COVID-19 Testing Policy

Review the UCSF Return-to-Onsite Work Guidelines for COVID-19 Symptoms, COVID-19 Exposures and COVID-19 Positive Test results.

Keep in mind:

All current UCSF Return-to-Work Guidelines allow for Home Antigen Testing. Some insurance plans may cover the cost or provide Home Antigen Tests.
Before you throw out "expired" tests, check FDA's website to see if your COVID-19 tests' expiration dates have been extended.

COVID tests are available via:

UC Health Insurance Plans
- For UCSF faculty, staff and learners, learn more about how to get access to rapid antigen test kits through your UC Health plans.
- Additional details can be found at UCNet or on the individual UCNet health plan pages. For questions, contact your health plan directly at the number on your insurance card.
Non-UC Health Insurance Plans
- Your insurance may provide you with free home antigen test kits. Check with your insurance provider.
UCSF Occupational Health Services
- For workplace exposures, complete the Digital Screener and contact UCSF Occupational Health Services-COVID Response Team at 415-514-7328 to discuss where to get test kits.
Primary Care Provider
- Contact your Primary Care Provider to assist with testing and treatment.
Community-Based Retailers / Pharmacies (e.g., Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Costco, Grocery Stores, Amazon and others)
Urgent Care Clinics / Emergency Department

Home-based Rapid Antigen (ie. BinaxNOW, iHealth, Abbott Now, FlowFlex, QuickView) 
Reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) PCR 
Nucleic acid amplification (NAA) 
Non-Abbott ID Now nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) 
Transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) 
Loop-mediated amplification (LAMP)