WESTWOOD — UCLA announced, August 21, that the university will move to “remote-only” instruction for the Fall semester. Housing will also be affected.

A limited number of in-person or hybrid courses necessary to train students for essential workforce positions will be the only exception, UCLA said.

Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Emily A. Carter said the school had been preparing for the “remote-only” scenario.

“I am sure you share in my disappointment at our inability to bring more students back to campus,” Carter said in a statement. “At the same time, the virus continues to pose a significant threat and mitigating health risks to our community must always be our overriding concern in any decision we make.”

UCLA had previously announced plans to return with a hybrid model of both online and in-person classes. The university was planning to offer “about 8% of classes in person or a hybrid mode and the return of 5,000 students to campus residence halls.”

Carter said the directives from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued last week “significantly curtail in-person instruction” and make it “clear that we will not be able to proceed as we had hoped.”

UCLA will limit housing to students who have no alternative housing options and whose current housing does not provide a safe and appropriate environment or does not provide sufficient ADA accommodations; Student-athletes participating in on-campus training and conditioning; and students enrolled in “essential workforce positions” courses who do not have alternative local housing options.

International students whose majors do not require “essential workforce positions” courses are encouraged to “stay in their home countries.” Newly admitted international students “are permitted to come to UCLA for the fall term only if they are enrolled in at least one on-campus course.” The university expects most of these students will not be able to meet the new criteria.

Carter added that the school does not expect further changes to the Fall plans, but said “it is still possible we may need to implement additional restrictions.”

The school will continue to work with health officials to determine whether in-person offerings can resume and to “welcome more students back to campus for winter quarter.”