Life at Yale
Broaden your horizons
The School of Music and the University provide what students need: numerous opportunities for performance and learning, student groups and cultural activities, and resources for housing, dining, wellness, and safety.
Belonging at Yale
We come from many backgrounds and places. We have many perspectives, talents, and strengths.
Our differences and our commonalities help make Yale a great university—a place where each of us belongs and where we are free to explore the breadth of our intellectual curiosity, the depth of our humanity, and the potential of our scholarship, research, work, and practice.
Our sense of belonging is critical to the strength of our community and the quality of a Yale education. It makes it possible to ask important questions and offer new answers.
- Each member of the Yale community should expect:
- Equal opportunity to contribute, learn, grow, and succeed.
- Rejection of harassment or discrimination and accountability for actions.
- Open exchange of ideas across intellectual, historical, and social perspectives.
Office of International Students & Scholars
Student Governments and Organizations
Graduate students can stay active in the Yale community in a variety of ways. Yale is home to several cultural centers and hundreds of student organizations.
Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS)
All Yale Graduate and Professional students are automatically members of the larger Graduate and Professional Student Senate group. Each school also has at least two seats for representatives on the Senate. The Senate reps meet every other week and aim to build G&P community through professional development, community engagement, and social events. They also fund student initiatives open to the G&P community at large, and advocate for general G&P student interests to the university. In schools without their own student council, elections are run by the Senate and take place in the Fall. Contact the Office of Student Life for more information.
OutLoud
OutLoud is the LGBTQ+ student organization at the Yale School of Music. The group’s mission is to foster a safe and supportive environment for the School’s LGBTQ+ students.
versicolor
versicolor is a student-led new music group at the Yale School of Music, dedicated to playing both brand new works and monumental works of the last century, with the mission of promoting a diverse scope of contemporary music.
Student Advisory Council
Led by the Associate Dean for Student Life and Community Engagement, the student advisory council is comprised of students elected by their peers representing all areas of the School of Music.
Health & Wellness
Mental Health
The Yale School of Music is pleased to offer mental health counseling support for students through our Embedded Mental Health Counselor, Kalya Castillo, Ph.D. Students may book appointments with Dr. Castillo at this link. Dr. Castillo offers brief therapy (up to 6 sessions) and support in accessing Yale’s mental health resources, including long-term therapy. Counseling services are confidential and HIPAA-compliant.
Please note that Dr. Castillo does not offer emergency or crisis services; in case of emergency, please contact on-call services at Yale Mental Health & Counseling (203-432-0290).
Yale Health
The Yale Health Center, located at 55 Lock St., provides gynecological, mental health, and pediatric services, among others. The center has a pharmacy and various laboratories, including a Diagnostic Imaging department. All students are automatically enrolled in Yale Health Basic Coverage and can make free appointments at Yale Health in the Student Health, Gynecology, Student Wellness, and Mental Health & Counseling departments. Full-time students will be asked to waive or enroll in Yale Health Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage.
Yale Well
Yale Well provides many resources to keep your mind, body, and spirit in tip-top shape. This web-based guide to wellness at Yale includes information about healthy exercise, eating, sleeping, work, money, personal relationship habits, mindfulness practices, and links to religious and spiritual support networks.
Residential Life at Yale
Find out more about housing and dining options at Yale, transportation, and more.
Housing in New Haven is abundant and affordable. It’s easy to find a nice apartment in a great neighborhood within walking distance of the Yale School of Music or on one of Yale’s free shuttle routes. Some students choose to live in graduate dorms and others choose to rent apartments on- or off-campus. For general information about graduate housing options, visit the Yale Housing Office.
On-campus housing
Most YSM students who prefer living in a graduate dorm choose Helen Hadley Hall, located at 420 Temple St., due to its close proximity to the School.
Off-campus housing
Many YSM students who live off-campus live downtown, where they’re a 5- to 10-minute walk from campus, or in the East Rock neighborhood, which can be a 10- to 25-minute walk from campus and is serviced by Yale’s free shuttle lines. Helpful sites for finding apartments include University Properties and the Yale Off-Campus Housing Database.
Dining
Though most YSM students don’t purchase a meal plan, several meal-plan options are available for dining at on-campus locations.
Off-campus dining
New Haven is well known for its wide variety of cuisines and restaurants, but the local pizza is really what puts it on the map.
Transportation
Members of the Yale community have free access to Yale’s transportation services, which include the all-day shuttle system and the nighttime Safe Ride shuttle service.
The Yale Shuttle system runs seven days a week and provides easy and convenient transportation between the University, the East Rock neighborhood, and New Haven train stations. After 6 p.m., nighttime shuttles provide off-route drop-offs in addition to their scheduled stops.
Between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m., students can schedule rides with the Safe Ride door-to-door shuttle service by calling 203 432-6330 or using the TapRide app.
Campus Safety
The Yale Public Safety Department is dedicated to helping students stay safe around New Haven. Resources provided by the department include the Bulldog Mobile (LiveSafe) app, which allows students to use their phone as personal security devices and is downloadable from the Yale Public Safety website. Public safety officers can serve as walking escorts accompanying students, faculty, and staff over a reasonable walking distance from one area on campus to another.
In the case of an emergency, students can use Yale’s Blue Phones, which are located around campus and have bright blue lights on or above them. All phones are equipped with red emergency buttons for direct connection to the University Police for police, fire, or medical emergencies, and many also have a keypad for dialing campus numbers.
LiveSafe
LiveSafe is an app that gives students, staff, and faculty on campus an effective way to communicate with Yale Police (YPD) and complete their COVID-19 daily health check via a mobile device. With LiveSafe, you can use your smartphone as a personal security device to provide the YPD with accurate information about yourself and your GPS location. Your location and information are ONLY shared with YPD when you use the Emergency Options button or the Report Tips button within the app.
Nighttime Safe Rides
Nighttime Safe Rides are available from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am to take you door-to-door within the campus boundary. A University shuttle will be dispatched to your location and will drop you to your final on-campus destination. It is advisable to request the service at least 30 minutes prior to the intended departure time, and even earlier, during high-demand hours such as late nights or weekends.
Lock Out Assistance
Lockout services are provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are locked out, please call our Central Alarm Station at 203-785-5555. A uniformed security officer will be dispatched to your location to provide this service.
Campus Security Information
In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) as well as other applicable federal and state laws, the University publishes an annual campus security and fire safety report. This report contains three years’ worth of campus crime statistics concerning crimes committed within the geographical limits of the University as defined by the Clery Act; security policy statements; fire safety information; and a description of where students, faculty, and staff should go to report crimes. The fire safety section of the annual report contains information on current fire safety procedures and if any fires occurred within an on-campus student housing facility. You may request a copy from the Office of Administration, P.O. Box 208322, New Haven, CT 06520-8230, or by contacting Yale Public Safety at 203-432-4400.
Yale University's Nondiscrimination Statement
Yale is a community committed to fostering an environment of diversity, mutual respect, and intellectual discovery in which all students can thrive. Acts of discrimination and harassment are contrary to the community standards and ideals of our university. Yale does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, disability, or veteran status.
If you have experienced discrimination or harassment, been witness to a situation, or just need to talk, we encourage you to seek support. When you have concerns or questions, you have a wide range of choices for support.
You can reach out to a Discrimination and Harassment Resource Coordinator (DHRC) or can talk with others, such as the Dean of Student Affairs or the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility. DHRCs receive concerns and offer advice and guidance related to diversity and inclusion, discrimination and harassment, retaliation, and equal opportunity.
If you would like to talk with someone about sex- or gender- based discrimination including sexual misconduct, you can reach out to a Deputy Title IX Coordinator. Additionally, The Title IX at Yale website provides information on accessing support, reporting options, policies and definitions; and education and outreach including resources for pregnant and parenting students.
The DHRC and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the Yale School of Music is Albert Lee, who can be contacted at albert.r.lee@yale.edu.
SHARE Center
SHARE, the Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Education Center, is located on the lower level of the Yale Health Center and provides professional help to members of the Yale community who wish to discuss any experience of sexual misconduct involving themselves or someone they care about. SHARE has resources available for medical and health issues, as well as 24/7 counseling services.
