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 (344 College Street)
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 McInnis. 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 (70 Tower Parkway)
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 (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 entrance to the reception will be on Tower Parkway. Be mindful that GPS may point you to a different entrance to Baker Hall.

The 2025 Yale Law School diploma ceremony will be live streamed³ and recorded. 

To request disability accommodations, please contact Joseph Bleehash.

Please find hotel and lodging information on the Yale Visitor Center⁴ website.

Many campus lots and garages will be available throughout Commencement Weekend. These parking areas open on Friday, May 16 at 5:00 p.m. and close on Tuesday, May 20 at 12:00 p.m. The specific locations of available campus lots and garages will be provided closer to Commencement Weekend. A full list of university lots can be found here.⁵ City of New Haven parking information may be found here⁶.

Additional information can be found here:
http://commencement.yale.edu/transportation⁷

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. The following items are prohibited:

• Signs or flags larger than 8.5” x 11”
• Banners
• Balloons/inflatables
• Any objects larger than 12” x 12” x 12”
• Laser pointers or similar items
• Wireless speakers and sound amplification of any kind including bullhorns
• Drones
• Noisemakers and compressed air devices

Items not permitted will be confiscated. Graduates or guests may be asked to leave.