Home » Incoming Students’ Guide » Spouses/Partners or Families

Students With Spouses/Partners or Families

Note: Yale University recognizes marriages (opposite- and same-sex) as well as civil unions or legal partnerships created by states, regardless of name.

ID cards, gym access, library access and other privileges

Legally married spouses of Yale students are eligible for a Yale Student Affiliate ID Card, which confers these and other Yale privileges:

To Get a Yale Student Affiliate ID Card

  1. YSE students who would like to IDs for their spouses need to contact the YSE Registrar’s Office (registrar.yse@yale.edu) for instructions and document needs.
  2. Go to the Yale ID Center to have photo ID made.

*Note: the ID Center will not make IDs for newly arrived student spouses until after Sept. 15 each year. Yale Security does not activate affiliate cards for access to any Yale buildings.

Yale offers specific resources, but does not issue Yale Affiliate ID cards, to non-married domestic partners of graduate and professional students. Your partner can contact the offices below to access certain services:

  • Yale Shuttle Bus: Member of the Yale community and their affiliated family members can use the free Yale shuttle system. For nighttime shuttle/safe ride, you need to know the student's Yale NetID when calling for a ride. Download the Doublemap App to track shuttles in real time.
  • Athletic Facilities: Unmarried partners can purchase a Yale Gym membership at the same rate as student spouses. Visit the membership office with the student, show the Yale Student ID card and documentation indicating shared residence.
  • Yale Athletic events: Buy discount student guest tickets for football, hockey and other home games.
  • Library Borrowing Privileges: Domestic partners of registered graduate and professional students may qualify for library borrowing privileges—please review the Library's guidelines.

Child Care

If you have a child who you want to enroll in a part-time or full-time childcare program, we encourage you to identify and commit to a center as soon as possible as many fill quickly. For a comprehensive list of child care centers and programs in New Haven and towns surrounding, please turn to Yale’s Childcare Directory. 
 
Students and Postdocs also have access to Yale’s Babysitting Services.

Schools

Many New Haven public schools offer Pre-Kindergarten or Early Childhood Education programs for children 3-5 years of age. There are also many private schools in the New Haven area.

Classes

As a spouse or partner of a full-time student, you may, without charge, audit or sit-in on courses in Yale College and the Graduate School.  

  • Audit Yale College classes 
  • Audit Graduate School classes. Ask permission from the instructor and the relevant academic department.
    • To receive a transcript for any courses audited you must complete an application for non-degree study and, if admitted, pay tuition fees per course. GSAS Visiting Student FAQs

Other New Haven area Colleges and Universities have listings for classes or employment.

Employment

  • Yale Human Resources STARS application system is open to spouses and partners of graduate students. Each September, McDougal Graduate Student Life and Yale HR co-host a welcome and information session on Yale job searching for new graduate student spouses/partners. 
  • New Haven Works offers a jobs pipeline program people living in the City of New Haven. Registering with New Haven Works provides special access to area employers.
  • New Haven area job resources

LBGTQ Couples

Dining on Campus

Yale Hospitality's dining on campus is open to students and their partners and spouses, children and guests. You can pay with graduate meal plans, Eli Bucks points, University charge or credit card.
Home » Incoming Students’ Guide » Spouses/Partners or Families