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Graduate Student Organizations

As a graduate student at Yale, you have many opportunities to get involved in the community, make and build relationships, learn leadership and professional skills, serve others, and have fun. Over 60 graduate student organizations are currently registered through McDougal Graduate Student Life (GSL) - GSAS. 
 
Are you looking for people who share one of your interests? Want to start a new group or publicize your organization’s upcoming event? We can help you.

Connect with Yale on Yale Connect - Find Events & Student Organizations

All registered graduate student organizations are listed online in Yale Connect, Yale’s campus community platform powered by Campus Groups. Yale Connect has an online version and free Mobile Apps for Apple and Android.

In addition to over 60 GSAS student organizations, you’ll find more than 900 other Yale community groups, many of which invite graduate student participation, and dozens of Yale student-serving or student engagement offices for you.

How to Register a Graduate Student Organization in Yale Connect

Officers of groups need to register or renew your graduate group’s registration every year in Yale Connect with the office of Graduate Student Life at the McDougal Center - GSAS (or other Yale unit if appropriate). Once approved or renewed, GSAS-registered student organizations will then be eligible for the following general resources and services:

  • Request funding from McDougal GSL-GSAS and other Yale offices. GSAS group funding information for officers is online in Yale Connect; List of other Yale Funding sources is in last section on this page.
  • Request use of Yale classrooms and facilities for group events. Information on Yale Connect. 
  • Use Yale Risk Management’s information, Yale liability insurance coverage and travel policies.
  • Get advice and support from McDougal GSL-GSAS staff. Email mcdougal.center@yale.edu if you have student organization questions or concerns, or send a chat in Yale Connect.

Renew an Existing Graduate Student Organization

Registered organizations must renew their registration annually, usually in July-August. To renew, please have one representative of the group follow these steps:
  1. Log into Yale Connect with your NetID.
  2. Go to your organization’s home portal - you should see an orange “Attention Needed” banner across your home page, prompting you to click to start the renewal form.
  3. Completed forms will be reviewed by McDougal GSL staff to approve renewal for the year, or to register a group provisionally, if needed.

TOOLKIT - Guidelines and Resources for Officers of GSAS Graduate Organizations (coming Jan. 2021)

As a GSAS group officer and leader, you have access to the Graduate Student Organization Leaders’ Toolkit for the resources, forms and guidelines you need to run your group effectively, responsibly, and legally.

GSAS Group Membership Guidelines

  • Groups should be open to all relevant graduate and professional students, postdoctoral fellows, and spouses/partners/affiliates who meet any membership criteria. 
  • A majority of the members should be GSAS students. If membership is spread among numerous schools and no single cohort is in the majority, GSAS students must constitute a plurality (35-50%) of the membership. If the group is open to undergraduates, they may not comprise a majority or the membership or hold a majority of the leadership positions.

Starting a New GSAS Graduate Student Organization 

In your initial application, you must provide evidence of prospective membership, such as a sign-up sheet or group email distribution list, GSAS nationality statistics (from OISS), or a list of field-related departments/schools.
 
We encourage members of very small new organizations to join with similar groups in an association or to broaden their criteria for membership to encourage wider participation.
  • Provisional registration: Organizations whose membership is very small (i.e., fewer than 15 GSAS students) may register provisionally for one year as they seek to increase membership. 
  • Small groups: Organizations that have a defined but relatively small size, such as a 16-member chorus or a ten-person bible study fellowship, may register if their membership is varied and sustainable over time.

Requesting Funding from GSAS-McDougal GSL Student Organization Fund

Only GSAS graduate student organizations formally registered with GSAS in Yale Connect may request funds from the McDougal Graduate Student Life Student Organization Fund. This Fund is the main GSAS funding source for GSAS student groups, so any group or event requests to GSAS Deans and other GSAS offices will be redirected to the McDougal GSL Student Organization Fund.

If your organization is registered and approved by McDougal GSL-GSAS and you want to request funding, group officers can access the guidelines and forms found in:

Graduate Student Organization Leaders’ Toolkit & Resources – GSAS-McDougal GSL

Funding Sources for GSAS Student Groups

McDougal GSL Student Org Fund in GSAS is one source of funding for graduate student groups, but there are many other sources of funding for your organization, including: