Advising

What students ultimately take away from their four years at Yale largely depends on the careful planning they apply to their programs of study. Entering students are not expected to map out a schedule of courses for the subsequent four years, but they should think ahead and make plans for the terms to come. There will be time and opportunity for students to revise such plans as their academic ideas develop. 

As students shape their educational goals, they should seek informed advice. For incoming students, Yale College offers summer advising sessions and a constellation of advising linked to their residential college. As students progress in their studies, they may select as their adviser a member of the faculty in an intended or potential major to guide their course selection. For students who have declared a major, advising is coordinated by the office of the director of undergraduate studies in the major. 

In addition to these advisers, students often seek advice about academic matters, internship and research opportunities, student life, study abroad, and post-graduation options from other offices on campus. Staff at the University Libraries, the Yale College Dean’s Office, and the cultural centers are ready to support students in a variety of endeavors, and the staff in the Study Abroad Office, Fellowship Programs Office, the Office of Career Strategy (including the Health Professions Advisory Program), and Yale Summer Session is available to provide focused advising.

Residential Colleges

There are fourteen residential colleges: Berkeley, Branford, Davenport, Timothy Dwight, Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin, Grace Hopper, Morse, Pauli Murray, Pierson, Saybrook, Silliman, Ezra Stiles, and Trumbull. Leading each one is a resident head of college, and in each college a resident dean advises students on both academic and non-academic matters. Associated with the head and the dean as fellows of the college are other members of the University drawn from different departments and schools, many of whom serve as advisers to first-year students and sophomores in the college. In addition, a group of seniors in each residential college, known as first-year counselors, serves as peer advisers to first-year students. Additional information about advising resources in the residential colleges may be found on each college website and the Advising Resources website.

Academic Departments

In each academic department and for every undergraduate major, a director of undergraduate studies (DUS) oversees the curriculum, placement matters, and advising resources for the major. In small majors, the DUS also typically serves as the primary adviser for all students in the major; in large majors, other members of the faculty often assist the DUS in providing advice to students. Much information about course placement and prerequisites, as well as requirements for each major, may be found in Chapter III. Additional information about advising resources and faculty in a department or program may be found on the relevant department website.

Academic Resources

Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning

The Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning (the Poorvu Center) provides an array of teaching, tutoring, writing, and technology-enabled learning programs distributed across the University. The center supports student learning and provides opportunities for students to develop as teachers, mentors, and leaders. Located in Sterling Memorial Library, the Poorvu Center includes community study space and a media studio. More information is available on the Poorvu Center website.

Writing tutors and writing partners

The Poorvu Center provides several ways for students to get help with their writing. Each residential college has its own dedicated writing tutor. Residential College Writing Tutors meet with students to discuss rough drafts of work in progress, research techniques, revision strategies, or other matters relevant to effective writing. They offer free one-on-one help with any writing project, including senior essays, course papers, applications, or anything intended for publication. The Writing Partners, another resource, are undergraduate and graduate students who offer peer tutoring for writing and revision. Operating out of the Yale College Writing Center (second floor of the Poorvu Center in Sterling Library) and Poorvu North (Concourse Level of Kline Tower), Writing Partners offer in-person and online drop-in writing support seven days a week (exact hours can be found on their website). Finally, the Poorvu Center website offers resources, includingwriting handouts, model papers, a list of student publications, a guide to writing with Turnitin, and information on using sources effectively.

Stem tutoring & programs

The Poorvu Center provides quantitative reasoning (QR) and science tutoring (SC) for most relevant fields in Yale College. Several courses provide their own Course-Based Peer Tutors (CBPTs) and Undergraduate Learning Assistants (ULAs) who may help students as they work on problem sets or study for exams, who may review returned assignments, and who are there to provide more support for students with difficulties. Information about CBPTs and ULAs is available on individual course syllabi and the Canvas website. If a particular course does not have a CBPT/ULA, or if a student requires more help, the Residential College Math/Science Tutors offer drop-in hours that cover most science and QR topics. Finally, students who need more individual attention, in courses without CBPTs or ULAs, may apply for small-group tutoring. More information on all of these programs may be found on the Poorvu Center website.

Office of Educational Opportunity

The Office of Educational Opportunity (OEO), launched on July 1, 2023, helps students more easily access the programs and resources that can foster their success at Yale. This office's core programs include Academic Strategies, FGLI Thrive, STEM Navigators, and the Disability Peer Mentor Program. For questions about any of these programs, contact Karin Gosselink, Assistant Dean for Educational Opportunity in Yale College.

Academic Strategies Program

The Academic Strategies Program provides information, workshops, and individual mentoring to all undergraduate students to help them thrive as students at Yale. Strategies discussed include time management, cultivating faculty mentorship, managing a heavy reading load, exam study strategies, and more. Peer academic mentors are also available to help individual students develop and adopt skills central to active, empowered learning. Students may request to be matched with a mentor by emailing academicstrategies@yale.edu. Faculty and staff also may directly refer students to Lynda Paul, Associate Director.

FGLI thrive for First-generation/lower-income students

Yale FGLI Thrive offers peer-to-peer networking, personal & professional development, insight into Yale's "hidden curriculum", and a welcoming community to first-generation and/or low-income (FGLI) students at Yale. We invite all FGLI students to engage in our FGLI Thrive programming through our Peer Mentorship Program and Community Ambassadors. FGLI Thrive staff aim to foster mutual support throughout the Yale FGLI community and increase engagement with the resources and opportunities available at Yale through weekly mentorship meetings, workshops and info sessions, and all-community-wide events. For more information, contact Joshua Faires. 

STEM Navigators

STEM Navigators is a program that consists of workshops and light-touch mentoring that helps inform students about success strategies and opportunities in STEM. This program is designed to help any Yale undergraduate navigate their STEM courses, professional development, research, and other opportunities. Each week, participants receive an email from their STEM Navigator mentor that highlights STEM-related activities, workshops, and advice. Students may also request to meet one-on-one with their assigned mentor. For more information, contact Karin Gosselink.

Disability Peer Mentor Program

The Disability Peer Mentor Program offers students with disabilities and neurodiverse students peer mentorship and access to professional learning support and community. It offers academic, social, and other support programming for students with disabilities, including physical disabilities, learning differences, temporary disabilities, chronic illness, mental illness, and sensory disabilities. Students can meet with our staff Learning Specialist, Geoffrey Canales, to discuss how to adjust their existing learning strategies to the demands of pursuing college-level work with a disability. We also offer discussion groups for students with ADHD and chronic illness, and one-on-one peer mentoring through the Disability Peer Mentor Program. For more information or to refer a student to disabilities support, please contact Geoffrey Canales. 

Center for Language Study

The Center for Language Study (CLS), provides resources for language study at Yale. The CLS also provides support for speakers of other languages through its English Language Program. For undergraduates enrolled in a language course, the CLS offers peer tutoring in the target language. Students who seek to demonstrate advanced- or native-level proficiency in a language not taught at Yale may contact the CLS for a proficiency assessment, ideally during their first year. For students in Yale College and in the graduate and professional schools, the CLS offers specialized language programs such as Directed Independent Language Study (DILS) for the study of languages not taught at Yale, and the Fields program for discipline-specific language study at advanced levels. For professional school students, the CLS offers courses in language for special purposes, such as Spanish or Chinese for medical professionals. For more information, including hours, a list of resources, and information about Yale’s foreign language requirement and placement testing, see the Center website.

Student Accessibility Services 

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) supports students with disabilities in having equitable opportunities to engage fully in their Yale education. SAS engages with students to identify and implement individualized accommodations that reduce disability‑related barriers in academic and campus life activities. SAS is dedicated to fostering a campus environment of community, inclusion, and respect.

Students seeking disability related accommodations are encouraged to complete an Accommodation Request form to begin the interactive process. Engagement with SAS is confidential. Students who use accommodations typically renew them at the start of each term and are encouraged to do so once their course schedule is finalized. Students who experience a newly diagnosed condition or a recent injury at any point in the term are welcome to contact SAS to discuss available accommodation options. SAS can be reached at sas@yale.edu or (203) 432‑2324.