Frequently Asked Questions

What is Commencement?

All university degrees are formally conferred during the Commencement ceremony on Old Campus. The name of every degree candidate has been submitted to the Yale Corporation earlier for approval; during the Old Campus ceremony, the dean of Yale College and deans of the Graduate and professional schools formally present their approved candidates to the president. The president, in turn, confers the degrees and admits new graduates to each degree’s “rights and responsibilities.” Student marshals from each residential college and school accept symbolic diplomas from the president on behalf of their colleagues.

Candidates for honorary degrees are presented to the president by the provost.

By tradition, the identity of Yale honorands is kept a secret until the day of Commencement. Read more about Yale honorary degrees

What is the date of Commencement?

Yale’s Commencement takes place on the Monday before Memorial Day. 

Where is Commencement held?

Commencement takes place outdoors, regardless of weather, on Yale’s historic Old Campus. Guests may enter Old Campus through gates on College, High, Chapel, and Elm Streets. 

What time does Commencement start? End?

Streets surrounding Old Campus are closed to traffic at 9:45 a.m. for the Commencement procession, which leaves from Cross Campus promptly at 10:00 a.m. (Cross Campus is the area in front of Sterling Memorial Library, bordered by Wall, College, Elm and High Streets. The Commencement procession is composed of all graduating students and faculty.) Seniors process through the New Haven Green and enter Old Campus through Phelps Gate on College Street. Graduate and professional school degree candidates enter Old Campus through gates on Elm Street and High Street. The ceremony on Old Campus begins at 10:30 a.m. and lasts until about noon. Diploma ceremonies follow immediately in the residential colleges and the graduate and professional schools and last until approximately 1:30 p.m.

Who participates?

All degree candidates—undergraduates, as well as candidates from the Graduate School and the university’s professional schools—participate in the ceremony on Old Campus on Monday. The ceremony is outdoors, rain or shine, in order to accommodate the more than 15,000 friends and family members who wish to attend. A more intimate atmosphere—under cover if the weather is bad—exists in the separate diploma ceremonies for each residential college, the Graduate School, and the professional schools. These diploma ceremonies follow the Old Campus ceremony and typically start at noon.

What is the difference between Commencement and the diploma ceremonies?

Degrees are conferred upon all candidates during the Commencement ceremony, but students do not receive individual diplomas. At the Old Campus ceremony, symbolic diplomas are presented to student marshals, who accept them on behalf of fellow degree candidates. The official Latin diplomas are distributed at a separate ceremony in each residential college and professional school. Diplomas for the Graduate School are presented in Woolsey Hall and Horchow Hall.

Diploma ceremonies in some colleges and schools may last until 1:45 p.m., so lunch could be later than usual for many guests. A packed snack might be prudent, especially for younger or older family members.

If you are not planning to attend Commencement or for degrees conferred mid-year, you may elect to have your diploma mailed or schedule a pick up time by completing the Diploma Request Form. A sample translation is available on the Diplomas Website.  If you require an official translation, please complete an Application for Translation.

Suggested guest attire?

It can be mild and sunny or cold and rainy in Connecticut in May. Recent Commencement weekends have had both weather extremes, so flexibility and practicality are good planning principles. Dress with an eye to the weather and comfort. Low heels or flats are appropriate for navigating the grass and mulched pathways of Old Campus. Rain gear, including water-impervious footwear, is important; and rain ponchos are preferred over umbrellas so sightlines are not blocked. Sunglasses and hats may also be useful. A jacket and tie or collared shirt and sports jacket is appropriate men’s attire for most events.

Do I need tickets for Commencement weekend ceremonies?

Tickets will be required to gain entry to Old Campus for Yale’s 323rd Commencement Ceremony on Monday, May 20, 2024.

Each student graduating from Yale College will receive four (4) guest tickets.

Each student receiving a degree from the Graduate School or one of the professional schools will receive two (2) guest tickets.

Graduating degree candidates do not need tickets to attend Commencement. Graduating students, along with faculty and fellows, must wear academic regalia to participate.

Children ages 3 and under do not require a ticket. However, they cannot occupy a seat and must sit in the lap of a ticketed guest.  

The sale of Commencement tickets is strictly prohibited. If the University becomes aware of tickets being sold or purchased, it may result in a student’s forfeiting of all guest tickets.  

Please note: Class Day, Baccalaureate, and Diploma Ceremonies are not ticketed. 

Guests who do not have tickets for Old Campus can watch the ceremony on screen as it takes place. The event will be livestreamed to locations across campus and available on the Yale YouTube Channel.

If you have questions about the University Commencement Ceremony, please contact us via email at university.events@yale.edu

 

Who is the Commencement speaker?

By tradition, Yale does not have a Commencement speaker, although an exception is made when a sitting president is awarded an honorary degree, as was the case in 2001. Yale College Class Day, which takes place the Sunday before Commencement, features a notable speaker chosen with undergraduates’ input. Class Day speakers have included Senator Cory Booker; television journalists Fareed Zakaria, Barbara Walters, and Anderson Cooper; Permanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power; authors Christopher Buckley, Thomas Wolfe, and Chimamanda Adichie; Secretaries of State John Kerry and Hillary Rodham Clinton; actors Jodie Foster and Tom Hanks; Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein; and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden. A list of previous Class Day speakers can be found here.

What happens if it rains?

Rain, unfortunately, is not an infrequent occurrence in Connecticut in May. Unless weather conditions are dangerous or severe, Commencement and Class Day will take place outside on Old Campus, although processions and programs may be shortened. Diploma ceremonies in some residential colleges and schools may be moved to alternative locations, which are posted to the website in spring; other diploma ceremonies will take place under courtyard tents or in previously announced interior locations. Ponchos are the rain gear of choice, both for unimpeded sight lines and for the comfort of guests who would otherwise be on the receiving end of umbrella runoff.

Baccalaureates, Class Day and Commencement, in addition to the Graduate School Diploma ceremony, are available to stream live from the Yale YouTube Channel. Livestreams of major ceremonies will also be posted to this site’s homepage on the weekend of Commencement.

Baccalaureate ceremonies will be livestreamed in:

  • Levinson Auditorium, 127 Wall Street
  • Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall, 1 Prospect Street

Class Day will be livestreamed in:

  • Battell Chapel, 400 College Street
  • Linsly-Chittenden Hall, 63 High Street
  • Levinson Auditorium, 127 Wall Street
  • Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall, 1 Prospect Street

Commencement will be livestreamed in:

  • Battell Chapel, 400 College Street
  • Linsly-Chittenden Hall, 63 High Street
  • Levinson Auditorium, 127 Wall Street

Should I reserve rooms for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday or Saturday, Sunday, and Monday?

Commencement events for Yale College seniors begin Saturday afternoon, with the President’s Reception for all seniors and their guests. Sunday’s events for Yale College seniors include back-to-back Baccalaureate services in the morning and Class Day in the afternoon.

Monday’s ceremonies, which include all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at approximately 1:30 p.m.

Yale College seniors are permitted to stay in their rooms until noon on Tuesday. Guests reserving rooms in dormitories on campus may stay Saturday, Sunday, and Monday evenings. See the Accommodations page for more information. 

Though Commencement exercises on Old Campus do not take place until Monday, campus is bustling with activity all weekend long. Beginning Friday evening with the Yale Symphony Orchestra concert and the Yale Dramat musical, there are many performances and events for you to enjoy no matter when you choose to arrive. The Graduate School and some professional schools also host events throughout the weekend. New Haven, home to great food trucks and restaurants, shopping, museums, historic places, and more, offers a wealth of fun places to explore. 

What happens at Baccalaureate?

Since Yale’s first century, Yale College seniors and faculty have gathered on the Sunday before Commencement for the Baccalaureate ceremony, a ceremony with a Baccalaureate sermon at its heart. The sermon of days past has given way to an address by Yale’s president, although religious overtures remain with the participation of the university chaplain and the singing of hymns and an anthem. Of the three main events of Commencement weekend – Baccalaureate, Class Day, and Commencement – Baccalaureate is the most formal.

What is Class Day?

Yale College Class Day originated in the 19th century, when the entire graduating class—fewer than 100 students—gathered in a circle on Old Campus to share memories of their time at Yale. Today, the ceremony includes speeches and reflections by members of the class; the awarding of top academic, artistic, and athletic prizes; and the celebration of longstanding traditions including the Class Ivy, the clay churchwarden pipe, and the singing of  “Bright College Years.” Class Day, which takes place the Sunday before Commencement, features a notable speaker chosen with undergraduates’ input. Class Day speakers have included Senator Cory Booker; television journalists Fareed Zakaria, Barbara Walters, and Anderson Cooper; Permanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power; authors Christopher Buckley, Thomas Wolfe, and Chimamanda Adichie; Secretaries of State John Kerry and Hillary Rodham Clinton; actors Jodie Foster and Tom Hanks; Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein; and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden. A list of previous Class Day speakers can be found here.

If I have questions about on-campus dining, where can I find more information?

Yale Dining will offer brunch in various residential colleges on Sunday and lunch in residential colleges following the diploma ceremonies. Please see the Dining page for more information.

If I have a question regarding my diploma, whom should I contact?

Information about diplomas can be found on the Diplomas website. You may also email diplomas@yale.edu with questions.

Where is the lost and found located?

If you lose an item during Commencement weekend, please call the Yale Security Department at 203-785-5555. A dispatcher will assist you in finding the proper lost and found location. 

Whom may I contact for additional Commencement information?

Please email university.events@yale.edu or call 203-432-5573 with all Commencement inquiries.