In order to gain teaching experience, all graduate students are required to serve as a teaching assistant for two terms during their first three years of study. Teaching performed in order to meet the obligations of financial aid packages can also be used to satisfy this requirement. Students who perform teaching not required by a financial aid package may receive additional compensation. (See Graduate Financial Aid.)
The Graduate School requires that a Ph.D. student spend a minimum of three years in residence; and that tuition must be paid for four years. If the student graduates in fewer than four years, with no leaves of absence, then any additional tuition is waived.
Whether a student is in good standing is independent of whether there are funds to support him or her.
If a student's Advisor leaves Yale, then what happens depends on the student's state of progress toward a Ph.D. A student who has not completed the three-year residency requirement and been admitted to Candidacy will normally be expected to find a new Advisor or go with the departing faculty member and enroll in another Ph.D. program. An advanced student normally finishes his or her Dissertation while continuing under the technical supervision of the departed Advisor and receives a Yale degree. In this case, the Graduate School may require that a current Yale faculty member agree to act as official Advisor. Such a student will have two years to finish his or her Dissertation before the Department will no longer be bound to accept it. The Thesis Defense must still be held at Yale, according to the usual rules.
Students can expect to have office space in Arthur K.Watson Hall, subject to availability, for their first six years.