Student Life
Family Life
The Graduate School welcomes the participation of spouses, partners and children at many of its activities and events, and the University extends a number of resources to them.
Yale Health Plan Basic Coverage is provided at no cost to students enrolled at least half-time in M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. programs. Students may enroll their spouses, same-sex domestic partners and dependent children in the Yale Health Plan and the CO-Health Group dental/vision plan. Eligible Ph.D. students receive a Health Award, which covers the full cost of single-student Yale Health Plan Hospitalization/ Specialty Coverage, half the cost of two-person coverage, and the full cost for family coverage.
The Graduate School seeks to support graduate students with children through its parental leave and relief policies, as well as events, services and parenting networks developed by the Family Life Fellows at the Graduate School’s McDougal Center. Students with children may subscribe to the McDougal Center’s Kids and Family Notes to receive announcements about these offerings. Information regarding University-sponsored childcare options and the New Haven Public School System is available through the Living in New Haven website. Parents may also wish to explore the resources described in the Connecticut Kids Directory.
Spouses or same-sex partners of Yale Graduate and Professional students are eligible for a Student Affiliate ID Card which confers certain privileges with regard to the campus shuttle services, athletic facilities, and library, museum admission (incluidng the Peabody, Art Gallery and Center for British Art), film society screenings, discounts at the Yale Repertory Theatre and Yale athletic events, among others. Students in the Graduate School should bring a valid ID and proof of marriage (copy of license) or domestic partnership (e.g., joint lease, civil union, joint banking statement) to the Office of the Graduate Registrar. Pending approval of the documentation, the Registrar will issue a card permitting the spouse or same-sex partner to obtain an affiliate ID from the University’s ID Center.
Spouses and partners of full-time degree candidates in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may without charge audit courses informally in Yale College and the Graduate School. Those who wish to audit courses in Yale College should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Yale offers specific resources, but does not issue Yale IDs, to non-married heterosexual partners of graduate and professional students. Please contact the office below to access these services.
Yale graduate and professional students seeking a shuttle bus and mini-bus guest pass for their partners must go to the Office of Parking and Transit at 2 Whitney Avenue and comple the requisite form. Fees may apply.
Yale graduate and professional students may purchase a membership for their unmarried heterosexual partners at Payne Whitney Gymnasium and the Yale Golf Course at the same rates as employees and affiliates. When purchasing such a membership, the student will need to show a Yale ID card and some form of documentation indicating shared residence.
A registered graduate or professional student in good standing with the Yale University Library may purchase borrowing privileges for a partner at the rate of $50 per semester or $100 per year, with the same level of privileges provided to affiliates. The student and partner must appear together at the Library Privileges Office to sign a form and present documentation of shared residence (e.g., apartment lease with both names, valid passports or driver’s licenses, or recent bank statement, credit card bill, or utility bill). As is required for all persons for whom Library privileges are extended who are not current employees or students, the partner will be required to provide a credit card number and sign an authorization that all financial obligations incurred to the Yale University Library may be charged to the credit card.
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