Yale Eli Whitney Student Society (EWSS)

The Eli Whitney Student Society (EWSS) is dedicated to fostering connection and community among non-traditional students at Yale College. Through regular meetings, social events, and partnerships with Yale’s residential colleges, the EWSS provides a space to discuss academic and social topics unique to Eli Whitney students. From welcoming new students each fall to advocating for the legacy and integration of Eli Whitney students within the broader Yale community, the EWSS is committed to supporting its members and enhancing their experience on campus. The Eli Whitney Students Program (EWSP) is a unique undergraduate program tailored for adult learners, offering flexibility to pursue a Yale education full- or part-time. Students earn the same Bachelor of Arts or Science degrees as other undergraduates, attend in-person classes, access all majors and courses, and participate in Yale’s extracurricular activities. Eli Whitney students come from diverse backgrounds and include military veterans, entrepreneurs, artists, social activists, and caregivers. Eli Whitney students are part of Yale College, Yale University's liberal arts undergraduate college, enrolling about 6,200 students. With access to nearly 2,000 courses and 80 majors, students benefit from a 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and small class sizes, as 75% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students. Yale boasts the second-largest university library in the U.S. and over 1,200 laboratories, preparing graduates for leadership across all fields. The EWSP offers a flexible path to complete the 36 credits required for a Yale bachelor’s degree, with up to seven years for completion. Students meet the same distributional requirements as all undergraduates, covering humanities, arts, sciences, social sciences, quantitative reasoning, writing, and foreign languages.