Y-VISP Student Life

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TOC:

Extracurriculars

Y-VISP students will have access to a range of extracurriculars. If you have a particular extracurricular interest, mention it to your PLs and they can help recommend groups for you. You can also use the button below to explore Yale Student Organizations. Here are a few examples of extracurriculars in which Y-VISP students have participated:

Working on Campus

Y-VISP students' J-1 status allows them to work on campus up to 19 hours per week (each week) when school is in session and full-time during holiday and vacation periods. In the past, Y-VISP students have worked in a variety of Yale offices and departments, such as:

  • Residential College Butteries
  • Spanish and Portuguese Department
  • Sterling Memorial Library
  • Research positions with various Yale faculty members
  • The CIPE

You can check out the Student Employment database to see open positions on campus.

Y-VISP Events

In addition to weekly dinners with their Peer Liaisons and monthly lunches with the Program Manager, Y-VISP students enjoy a variety of activities. In the past, these events have included:

  • Trip to New York City
  • Trip to Washington D.C.
  • Dinner and a play in New Haven
  • Apple-picking
  • Volunteering at the Yale farm
  • Ice-skating
  • Farewell dinner

Summer Opportunities

Past Y-VISP students have taken advantage of Yale's abundant resources and have received summer internships in a variety or industries and sectors, including, but not limited to; business, government, NGOs and non-profits, tourism, communications and marketing, film, technology, and others. Y-VISP students have participated in internships in locations around the world through Yale, including: Louisville, Kentucky; Hollywood, California; Beijing; Singapore; Hong Kong; Boston, Massachusetts; New York City; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Kampala, Uganda; Sitka, Alaska; and more. Make an appointment with the Office of Career Strategy and begin your search early!

Y-VISPs are eligible for internships with Yale's preferred partners. Contact OCS if you have difficulty applying. Y-VISPs are not eligible for fellowships or funding through Yale.

You'll need to apply for Academic Training through OISS if you participate in a summer opportunity in the U.S., such as an internship or research with a professor. If you are working at Yale over the summer, it is up to the department that you work with to extend your building access and to work with ITS to have your credentials extended for any software you may need.

Campus Study Spots

While the PLs will have advice and you'll hopefully discover a few of your own, where to study is a common question we hear. Here's an article on hidden spots at Yale, several of which are conducive to studying. The Yale library also has a specific page of library study spots, several of which can be reserved. There are several cafes around campus, and each residential college has some nice study spots as well.

Quote: I worked as a part-time student research assistant to analyze library patrons’ user behaviors, preferences, and pain points, and to highlight areas of improvement for library services. In addition, I eagerly signed up for sports and fitness classes that Yale Campus Recreation offered to students; for me, learning ballet at the Payne Whitney Gymnasium was both enjoyable and stress-relieving... All these experiences reminded me of the importance of taking the initiative and staying open to new things.

Katrina Zhang
2021-22 Y-VISP student
Berkeley College
International Business and Global Management and Economics major
The University of Hong Kong