Getting Started
Get set up with Yale’s technology essentials! We highly recommend completing all six steps in this section.
Get set up with Yale’s technology essentials! We highly recommend completing all six steps in this section.
Yale assigns all members of the community a unique identifer called a NetID, which you’ll use to access many of the university’s online resources and accounts. You must activate your NetID before accessing any other Yale systems. Make sure you keep your NetID password safe; do not share them with anyone else!
All Yale students receive an “@yale.edu” email account. Accounts for Yale College and most GSAS students are provided via EliApps, Yale’s version of Google G Suite, which includes: Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Calendar. Some GSAS students in HIPAA-covered programs or programs affiliated with the Schools of Law, Management, Global Affairs, or the Environment may recieve an Office 365 email account instead of an EliApps account.
After activating your NetID, you can access your email account here. If you have an EliApps account, you can also access your email by visiting gmail.com and entering your Yale email address when prompted to log in.
If your preferred first name differs from your legal first name, you may request that your preferred name be used. If you do so, you’ll also need to separately request that your preferred name be used as an alias—or alternative—for your university-provided email address.
You can find more information about this process here: How to change your preferred first name and email alias.
To change your preferred last name, contact the Help Desk for assistance.
Multifactor Authentication (MFA) protects your intellectual data and personal information in the event that your NetID password is compromised. Yale implements MFA via the DUO Everywhere service; this service is required for all Yale students. Complete your MFA-DUO enrollment and request 10 back up codes now.
Some events will be conducted via Zoom. All Yale students have a Yale enterprise Zoom account; you will need to download and install Zoom on your device, then use the “Sign In Via SSO” option to access your Yale Zoom account.
Visit the Zoom Quick Guide for setup instructions and more information.
Yale Hub enables academic processes such as registration, financial aid, and transcript orders. Information such as your emergency contacts and mailing address need to be added to the system by you. Log into Yale Hub, then follow the automatic prompts to get started.
Some of Yale’s digital resources are only available while connected to YaleSecure wifi on campus. If you are away from campus, you can obtain access to these resources by connecting to Yale’s Virtual Private Network, or VPN.
Follow these instructions to download VPN on your device:
Once installed, you can connect to VPN at any time using these instructions:
Please note that VPN should only be used when accessing Yale applications that require it; VPN is not required or recommended to access Canvas, Zoom, or email. Most students will only need to use VPN when accessing Library Resources, using MyApps Virtual Desktop, and remoting in to Yale computer labs.
Complete these four tasks to make sure your computing environment is set up for a successful semester!
It is highly recommended that all Yale College students have a personal laptop* to attend class, complete assignments, and participate in campus life. If you are looking to buy a new laptop, check out these tips for choosing a new laptop. Yale College students with demonstrated financial need may be able to request emergency funding support through the SafetyNet program.
*Recommendations for Graduate Students will vary; check with your department for more details.
The Yale Software Library provides a range of free and discounted software for students, including:
To keep your computer safe, Yale highly recommends having antivirus software installed on your computer and running the most up-to-date version of your operating system. Antivirus software recommendations are available at cybersecurity.yale.edu/malware.
It is highly recommended to keep your files safe by regularly backing up your data in case your computer becomes damaged, lost, or compromised. You can choose from several methods to keep your work safe:
Get acquainted with these five important resources, which you will use frequently while at Yale!
Canvas is the digital hub for your Yale classes. Through Canvas, you’ll attend Zoom classes, turn in assignments, see grades, and more. Read more about Canvas.
You can browse and select Yale courses via Yale Course Search. Visit Yale Course search.
YaleConnect allows you to stay up to date with events and announcements from departments, organizations, and centers on campus. Events and deadlines for incoming students are currently posted on YaleConnect as well. Visit YaleConnect.
Yale provides you with a wide variety of online educational materials. Students have unlimited access to Yale’s Library Resources. In addition, free subscriptions to online news publications (such as The New York Times , Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post) are available with your university email address. Students also receive a free subscription to LinkedIn Learning, (previously known as Lynda) providing access to instructional skill-building video courses taught by industry experts in software, creative, and business skills.
MyApps at Yale is a comprehensive desktop and app virtualization service. It provides access to a Windows based environment containing Yale licensed software from both personal and Yale owned devices.
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Note: All students with an active Yale email address will be licensed to access the MyApps at Yale service via their personal devices.