Getting Started

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 identifier 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 receive an Office 365 email account instead of an EliApps account.

Access Your Yale Email

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.

Add Your EliApps Account To Your Mobile Device

  1. Download the Gmail app onto your mobile device. Open the app.
  2. Tap the “Sign in” button at the bottom of your screen. If you already have an email account linked in the app and want to add another account, simply tap your profile icon in the top-right and then tap “Add another account.”
  3. On the next page, tap “Google.”
  4. Tap “Continue” to allow Google to sign into your account.
  5. When prompted to enter in your email, make sure to type it out fully (e.g. gil.phish@yale.edu). Hit next.
  6. You will be automatically redirected to CAS (Central Authentication Service). Log in using your NetID and password.

Change Your Preferred Name/ Email Alias

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 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. 

Installing VPN

Follow these instructions to download VPN on your device:

How To Use VPN

Once installed, you can connect to VPN at any time using these instructions:

  • Launch the Cisco AnyConnect application
  • Enter the Connect-To (server) address: access.yale.edu
    • If the address field has been changed or is blank, manually type the server name and select Enter
  • Enter your NetID and Password
  • Second Password is used for DUO MFA authentication. Follow the instructions in the Cisco AnyConnect window to authenticate with DUO via push, SMS, phone, or a passcode
    • Approve in DUO for ‘push’, answer the call and press 1# for ‘phone’ or enter ‘SMS’ code from DUO
  • You will then be connected to the VPN
  • When you are finished accessing resources via VPN, simply quit the Cisco AnyConnect application to end your session.

When To Use VPN

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.