Yale University scholarships are need based financial aid that ensures education is affordable for students from all backgrounds. The the ivy-league university satisfies 100% financial need of all the admitted students. Around 3,440 students of the university, constituting 23% of the total student body are eligible to receive need-based financial assistance in 2023 to commence their chosen programs at Yale University.

Yale University scholarships can vary from a few hundred dollars to 70,000 USD (57.22 lakhs INR) per annum. The average need-based Yale University scholarships are over 50,000 USD (40.87 lakhs INR) per year, depending upon the financial need. In the past few years, the university has consistently increased its overall scholarships and financial aid budget. Students eligible for merit based scholarships can avail various external merit based scholarships to study in Yale University.

Yale University financial aid is available to international students at all levels of study. Incoming undergraduate students at Yale receive better funding opportunities in comparison to the graduate students. Students receive a combination of Yale Scholarship, parent contribution and student contribution, collectively known as the Yale Financial Aid. Yale University alumni and friends offer Area Yale Club awards, endowed scholarships, and other gift aid as grants for eligible students.

Yale University Scholarships for Undergraduate Students

Yale University undergraduate scholarships are awarded based on the financial need of the students. Yale University meets 100% financial need of all the admitted students irrespective of their citizenship or immigration status. Students with undocumented residency status in the USA with or without DACA status are also eligible for the undergraduate scholarships. Students are not encouraged to avail education loans for admission to Yale University.

The Yale Financial Aid is a combination of the Yale Scholarship, contribution from family, and a little student contribution. Families with an annual income between 75,000 to 200,000 USD (61 lakhs to 1.63 crores INR) need to contribute between 1% to 20% of their total income towards the education of the student. If the gross income of the student’s family is less than 75,000 USD (with typical assets), they do not need to contribute towards the Yale education of their child. These students qualify for "zero parent share award", covering tuition and fees, accommodation, meal plan, and travel expenses. The award also provides students with 2,000 grant for their 1st year and hospitalization insurance coverage. 

The median scholarship grant awarded to the first-year students of the class of 2023, based on the family annual income, are tabulated below:

Annual Income Range (USD) Median Net Cost (USD) Median Scholarship (USD) Percentage of Qualified Students for Aid
Less than $65,000 2,850 76,925 100%
$65,000-100,000 5,701 70,217 99%
$100,000-150,000 15,528 60,295 99%
$150,000-200,000 29,721 46,326 95%
$200,000-250,000 42,964 31,196 79%
Over $250,000 43,704 28,881 25%

The estimated cost of attendance – gift aid (Yale Scholarships) = Net cost. 
Students can meet the net cost with their personal contribution and family contribution. Students can earn for themselves through summer employment and term time. Students are expected to earn around 3,700 USD. This equals to the estimated cost of books and personal expenses according to Yale University.

Check out: Yale University Scholarships (Spanish)

Yale University Undergraduate Scholarship Application

To apply for undergraduate Yale scholarships, students are asked to complete an online College Board CSS Profile (Yale’s CSS Code: 3987). The step-by-step procedure is given below:

  • Sign in using your College Board username & password or sign up for a new account
  • Complete the application by answering required questions
  • Recheck the completed application and submit it
  • Review your dashboard and make the application fee payment of 25 USD (2,045 INR)

Along with the CSS profile, students are required to submit signed Tax Returns of Parent & Students. To receive a provisional decision on financial aid, students are recommended to submit their applications at the earliest. There is no specific deadine to apply for the financial aid. The university recommends submission of the documents before March 1 of the year of applying.

Note: Additional information may be required depending on your financial situation.

Yale University Graduate Scholarships

Yale scholarships and financial aid for graduate program students vary for all Yale University schools. There are also faculties which do not offer any scholarships. For instance, Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not offer any internal scholarships to incoming students. However, students are entitled to various stipends, fellowships, and assistantships.

Yale University scholarships and financial aid for a few other schools are discussed below:

  • School of Management: The school offers merit-based and admission-based scholarships for programs like Masters in Global Business and Society and Master of Advanced Management. But, there are no Yale University scholarships for MBA programs.
  • School of Law: Annually, more than 65% of incoming students receive Law school Yale Scholarships, awarded wholly on the basis of financial need. The maximum scholarship grant offered to a student is the tuition fees, approximately 43,000 USD (35.15 lakhs INR).
  • School of Architecture: The school offers two types of Yale scholarships- Individual-Resource Scholarship and Family Resource Scholarship. To apply for the Architectural program scholarships, students need to complete an online application form.
  • School of Medicine: Majority of School of Medicine scholarships are awarded based on financial requirements. These internal Yale University scholarships are offered in partnership with endowment funds.
  • School of Arts: The school solely offers need-based scholarships which largely cover tuition fees for a year. The application deadline for aplying to the scholarships was on March 1, 2023. Students applying after this date are not guaranteed with scholarships.

Unlike the undergraduate scholarships at Yale, there is no set financial aid grant for postgraduate students. However, the general application process for graduate Yale scholarships is similar to UG scholarships and includes the completion of CSS profile and International Certification of Finances.

Yale University External Scholarships

Yale University scholarships are more beneficial for undergraduate students as compared to graduate students. Nonetheless, international students can still pursue their chosen graduate program at Yale with various external scholarship opportunities. Some of the external scholarships available to Indian students to pursue Yale University graduate programs are:

Scholarship Name Eligibility & Selection Benefits
Fulbright Scholarships India Minimum 55% in UG degree | At least 3+ years of work experience |
Enrolling in an eligible graduate program
Varies
National Overseas Scholarship Indian students | Minimum 55% in bachelor program | Below 35 years of age; English language proficiency 15,400 USD
Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarships Minimum 60% in undergraduate program | Below 30 years of age Interest free loan
JN Tata Endowment for Higher Education At least 60% in UG degree | Below 45 years of age | Enrolling in a 2-year program Loan scholarship 1,318 USD and 13,189 USD | Additional gift of 1,000 USD (student specific)
Lady Meherbai D Tata Trust Scholarships Indian women | Minimum 2 years of work experience | Personal interview 3,957 to 7,915 USD

To apply for the external scholarships at Yale University, Indian students receive confirmation of admission from Yale. Once they have the offer letter, they can proceed and apply for the scholarship program of their choice.

With Yale’s need-blind admission and financial aid support system, international students can pursue studies at the university and build a future they desire. The institution aspires to invest more in Yale University scholarships and grants to attract academically qualified students from different parts of the world.