Congratulations Graduate School Degree Candidate!

Go to Commencement Checklist

Plan to Attend Yale Commencement May 25-26, 2008
Congratulations on your upcoming degree. We encourage all degree recipients to march and enjoy the festivities at the annual commencement ceremony this May.

Graduate School Commencement Convocation Sunday May 25, HGS
On Sunday May 25 at 1:00pm, the Graduate School has its Commencement Convocation, with the awarding of student and faculty prizes, and remarks from a noted alumnus/a. All degree candidates and guests are welcome to attend. A light reception follows in the McDougal Common Room at HGS.

University Commencement Ceremony Monday, May 26, 2008 (Memorial Day Holiday)
The University commencement ceremony will take place on Monday, May 26, 2008, at 10:30am on the Old Campus (no tickets are required). The diploma ceremony for the Graduate School will take place in Woolsey Hall immediately following the ceremony on Old Campus; a separate diploma ceremony is held at Macmillan Center for several MA programs (IR, IDE, ERS, EAS, AS). A reception follows at HGS (and at Luce Hall). You and your family, friends and guests are welcome to attend all of the Commencement celebrations. No tickets are required for students or guests, but degree candidates who march must wear academic attire (cap and gown, hood), which can be rented or purchased. See the Commencement website for details and order forms.

Graduate School Response Card by Monday May 1 By May 1 all degree candidates should have completed the online Graduate School Commencement Response Card, indicating whether or not they will be attending the ceremony. See http://www.yale.edu/commencement/html/schedule.html#Grad for the link to the online attendance card. There is no paper version of the form, so please use the online form as required.

The Office of the Secretary, in cooperation with the Graduate School, coordinates Commencement activities at Yale. The main University Commencement website at www.yale.edu/commencement contains the University and Graduate School schedule of events, order forms for academic attire, accommodations lists, commencement photographs and videos orders, parking and other information, including the Graduate School Response Card, so please visit that site immediately.

Even if you do NOT plan to attend the commencement ceremonies, you also must fill out the GS Commencement Attendance Card by May 1. On the card, you may request to have your diploma mailed to you in mid-June. Or you may also request to pick up your diploma in person after Commencement, beginning May 29 from the University Secretary’s Diploma Office (see http://www.yale.edu/secretary/programs/diplomas.html)

With congratulations on your accomplishment,
GS Commencement Office
www.yale.edu/commencement
gscommencement@yale.edu ph. 203-432-2583

CHECKLIST FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT 2007

Submit: Submit your dissertation and/or degree petition and celebrate!
Notification: You will receive official notification of the award of your degree several months after submitting the petition (January for December degrees, and May for March petitions); if you have petitioned for a degree in March, you should plan to attend Commencement in May, unless you receive other information from your department or the Graduate School registrar.
Get Information: Get the Commencement 2008 information: schedules, cap and gown rental/purchase, photos, etc. See www.yale.edu/commencement.
Travel & Accommodations Plans: Make travel plans and hotel reservations for yourself and/or out of town guests as soon as possible, as hotels fill fast with 16,000 people attending Commencement; See the University commencement website or www.newhavencvb.org for information.
No Tickets Required- Tickets are NOT required for the University Ceremony, Graduate School Commencement Convocation or GS Diploma ceremony, or for the May 26 luncheon at HGS. However, all degree candidates must fill in the attendance card, stating if they will attend or not, and giving the number of persons attending the HGS lunch (see below).
Complete Response Card by May 1: All graduates must fill out the online GS Commencement attendance card to let us know if you will be attending, or if not, where to send your diploma. If you do not return this card by May 1, you may not be able to receive your diploma in person at the Ceremony on May 26 or afterwards in the mail. The attendance card is available ONLY online at http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/news/commencement.html
Get Academic Attire: Pre-order your rental academic cap, gown and hood from the Yale Cap and Gown agency www.yale.edu/commencement/html/caps.html
Rental Forms Due March 30; Accepted until April 11 with late fee; Orders received after April 11 will NOT be processed. Last minute rentals will be available at Payne Whitney Gym May 22-26; see the website for times and fees; additional late fee applies. Purchase academic attire from www.oakhalli.com
Websites: Check the Commencement websites for information:
University www.yale.edu/commencement
Graduate School http://www.yale.edu/graduateschool/news/commencement.html
or for further information email gscommencement@yale.edu

ENJOY COMMENCEMENT 2008