Accessibility

Old Campus Seating

Old Campus is a mostly level, grassy area with accessible entrances on College, High, and Chapel streets. Guests requiring accessible seating and those who may need extra assistance, along with their accompanying family members, are invited to use a specially marked gate along High Street at Elm Street, near the Yale Post Office, to enter Old Campus. This entrance is closest to the accessible seating area.

Registration

To ensure everyone can be accommodated, we are asking families requiring accessible seating to pre-register. When securing Commencement tickets, students will specify if their guests need accessible seating during the ceremonies.
 
Students with a guest who has one or more of the following accessibility requirements have registered to sit in our High Street and Elm Street Accessibility Seating Area:
 
  • uses a wheelchair, walker, scooter, or other mobility device
  • needs an assistive listening device
  • uses ASL interpretation

Accessible seating for all Old Campus ceremonies for these guests can be accessed through the specially marked gate on High Street near Elm Street. This area is restricted to those needing accommodations and the other members of their party.

In the accessibility section, there is: 

  • Ample space for those with mobility devices
  • A jumbo screen with closed captioning 
  • An ASL interpreter  
  • Assisted listening devices 
  • Accessible portalets  

This area is staffed with volunteers who are happy to assist you.   

Students with a guest who has the following accessibility requirements have registered to enter Old campus through Whitman Gate:
 
  • Students with a guest who has limited mobility but does not use a mobility device
 
The best way to access Old Campus on Sunday and Monday is via the Whitman Gate on High Street near Chapel Street. Guests with limited mobility, along with their accompanying family members, may be dropped off at the corner of Chapel Street and High Street before the ceremonies.
 
This gate offers a flat walk and ample seating in either shade or sun near a jumbo screen. This location is also near restrooms, a hydration station to refill water bottles, and a hospitality table for any questions. Guests may also watch the livestream from nearby Linsly-Chittenden Hall (LC), which is air-conditioned.
 
Further information on registration will be provided once commencement ticket registration opens.
 

Please note that tickets are required for all guests attending the University Commencement Ceremony on May 19, 2025. Each guest must present a QR code ticket upon entry on Monday. Graduates in regalia do not need a ticket to access Old Campus.

Baccalaureate, Class Day, and Diploma Ceremonies are not ticketed events.

Accessibility Drop-off Near Campus

There are designated accessibility drop-off areas for Sunday’s Baccalaureate and Class Day and Monday’s Commencement. Drop-off for guests with limited mobility can be made at the intersection of Elm and High streets and High and Chapel streets, which are closest to the reserved accessible seating area.  No special sticker is needed for drop-off, and ushers are available to assist.

Please note that street parking is extremely limited near the accessibility drop-off areas.

For Commencement Day, drop-off should be no later than 9:20 a.m. Streets surrounding Old Campus will be closed shortly after 9:20 in preparation for the academic procession, which begins promptly at 10 a.m. 

Please budget 30 minutes to drop off guests, park your car, and return to Old Campus. You can access paid parking downtown in the York Street or Temple Street public parking garages. On-street parking during Commencement weekend is scarce and usually limited to two hours or less.

Map

Assistive Listening Devices are available for guests attending ceremonies on Old Campus. An interactive Yale Campus map includes information about accessibility in Yale buildings. Click on the map or use the search navigation bar to find information about a building or area on campus. After selecting a building or area, choose the drop-down tab labeled “Accessibility” for details.

Shuttle Service to Campus

Wheelchair-accessible vans and other transit vehicles are on-call 24 hours a day on Commencement Weekend. To schedule a pick-up, call 203-281-5470, prompt 1. Please call at least 30 minutes prior to your desired pick-up time. Let the dispatcher know if you need an accessible van for a wheelchair or can be accommodated by a sedan or SUV.

Although shuttles are available to take Commencement guests to some diploma ceremonies, the streets surrounding Old Campus will be extremely congested. Guests of colleges and schools that are far from Old Campus may find it useful to bring a wheelchair for family members who have difficulty walking long distances.

Some professional schools reserve buses to take their Commencement guests to diploma ceremonies. They will communicate this information directly to their students. These buses will be parked on College Street, facing north.

Assistive Listening Devices

Assistive listening devices are available for guests who are attending ceremonies on Old Campus. Attendees can request an assistive listening device from a volunteer in the accessible seating area.

Wheelchairs

The university does not have wheelchairs to loan. We urge guests with limited stamina or reduced mobility to bring a wheelchair to campus. Wheelchairs make it easier to cover distances from parking to the University Commencement, diploma ceremonies, and other events.

Old Campus Seating

Old Campus is a mostly level, grassy area with accessible entrances on College, High, and Chapel streets. Guests requiring accessible seating and those who may need extra assistance, along with their accompanying family members, are invited to use a specially marked gate on High Street at Elm Street, near the Yale Post Office, to enter Old Campus. This entrance is closest to the accessible seating area.

There will be a jumbo screen in front of the accessible seating section at High Street that provides a clear picture of the ceremonies and in-person ASL interpretation. Guests can also ask a volunteer in this area for an assistive listening device.

Accessible Restrooms

Accessible temporary restrooms will be available near the accessible seating area for the convenience of guests. They will be identified on the Commencement program map.

Ceremony Livestreams 

Some guests may be more comfortable viewing the ceremonies indoors via livestream.

Baccalaureate, Class Day, and Commencement will be livestreamed from the Yale YouTube Channel. Recordings of major ceremonies will be posted on the Commencement homepage.

All ceremonies will also be live-streamed at indoor locations on Old Campus, providing a more comfortable seating option. These locations are wheelchair accessible as well.

Guests without tickets for the University Commencement ceremony can also enjoy the event via live stream at designated hospitality viewing locations.

Rain 

Unless weather conditions are dangerous or severe, Baccalaureate, Class Day, and the University Commencement Ceremony will take place outside on Old Campus, although processions and programs may be shortened.

In the event of inclement weather, diploma ceremonies in some residential colleges and schools may be moved to indoor locations. Information will be posted in a timely manner, and residential colleges and schools will update their graduates directly.