During the academic year visitors are welcome to attend a Yale course. The admissions office creates a list of recommended courses open to visitors, which is available at our reception desk. Please understand that due to schedule constraints, there may not be a course available in your field of interest during the time of your visit. In that case, be open minded! Consider attending a class in a subject with which you are unfamiliar. To find the location of your selected class, please see the list of building abbreviations in the Yale College Programs of Study (a.k.a. the “Blue Book”).
If you would like to attend a class not on the recommended courses list, you may use the link below to search for current Yale College courses. Some courses will not be open to visitors, and a professor’s permission is required before visiting any class not on the recommended courses list. Please either email the professor beforehand or arrive at least five minutes early to ask if you may sit in. It is important to be mindful of classroom procedures and decorum. If you would like to speak to a professor, please wait until the lecture is over and the enrolled students have asked their questions.
Please note: Classes are closed to visitors during the first two weeks of each semester and the last two weeks of each semester due to shopping period and preparation for final exams. Check the Yale College academic calendar for Yale’s fall and spring semester start and end dates.
Visiting During Summer Months and Yale Recesses
During the summer months and Yale recesses, regular Yale College courses are not in session. We recommend sampling from the dozens of courses available online through Open Yale Courses. Check the Yale College academic calendar for the dates of Yale’s fall, winter, spring and summer recesses