Commencement Information for Guests

All Yale Law School degree candidates are invited to participate in Commencement activities. 

The Class of 2025 will be celebrating on Monday, May 19.

There are two distinct ceremonies that comprise Commencement. The University Commencement takes place on Old Campus in the morning and the Law School ceremony is held in the Lanman Center at Payne Whitney Gymnasium beginning at 1:00 p.m.

Tickets are required for the University Commencement, the Law School Diploma Ceremony and Reception. Graduates must register their guests through the Yale Law School Commencement platform.

University Commencement

Class of 2025: Monday, May 19 at 10:30 a.m.
Old Campus
All university degrees are formally conferred during the Commencement ceremony on Old Campus. During the ceremony, the deans formally present their approved candidates to President Salovey. The president, in turn, confers the degrees and admits new graduates to each degree’s “rights and responsibilities.” Student marshals accept symbolic diplomas from the president on behalf of their colleagues. The ceremony lasts approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

Law School Diploma Ceremony 

Class of 2025: Monday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. 
Payne Whitney Gymnasium
The diploma ceremony for Yale Law School takes place immediately after the University Commencement. The ceremony includes a few speeches including remarks by the dean and a faculty member selected by the class. This ceremony lasts approximately one and a half hours.

Reception

After the diploma ceremony, we will host a reception in the Baker Hall Courtyard at 100 Tower Pkwy. This is an opportunity to mingle with faculty, members of the administration, family and guests, and to take lots of photographs! 

The 2024 Yale Law School diploma ceremony was live streamed and recorded. Watch the Commencement video.

The 2025 Yale Law School diploma ceremony will be live streamed and recorded. Details to follow. 

To request disability accommodations, please contact Joseph Bleehash.

Please find information on accommodations on the Yale Commencement website.

All university parking lots are open on Commencement day, but parking will be at a premium, and meters will be monitored. Traveling and parking within the city of New Haven is always challenging on Commencement Day. Please plan ahead and allow plenty of time to travel to and around campus that day.

Additional information can be found here:
http://commencement.yale.edu/transportation

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. The University ceremony is held outdoors; the Law School ceremony is held indoors. 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. 

All bags will be checked at gates and no bags larger than 12x12 will be allowed.