Affordable. For everyone.
All undergraduate financial aid at Yale is awarded on the basis of financial need, with the goal of making a Yale education affordable to all students and families. Yale's financial aid resources meet the full demonstrated need of every undergraduate—regardless of citizenship or immigration status—without relying on student loans, for all four years.
- Estimate your cost in three minutes with the Quick Cost Estimator.
- Get a more detailed estimate with the Net Price Calculator.
- See who receives financial aid.
Qualifying for aid.
Applicants from a range of income levels qualify for need-based aid. Because every family’s financial circumstances are unique, financial aid officers perform a holistic review of each application for aid. Every Yale College financial aid award meets 100% of a student’s Demonstrated Financial Need based on the Estimated Cost of Attendance and a calculated Expected Family Contribution.
All financial aid for Yale College is awarded in the form of grant aid, which includes the need-based Yale Scholarship and/or funds from external sources including entitlement grants (Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant/SEOG, and state grants) or merit-based scholarships a student may have earned from outside organizations. Yale does not award any merit-based scholarships, but funds from external scholarships may reduce or replace the Student Share.
Families with annual incomes below $75,000 and typical assets qualify for a "zero parent share award" — Yale's most generous financial aid package. These awards cover the full cost of tuition and fees, housing, the meal plan, and travel with a Yale Scholarship, and qualifying students receive a $2,000 grant their first year and hospitalization insurance coverage.
The Student Share is a fixed estimate of what students should anticipate contributing from term-time and summer job earnings. Because the Student Share is equal to the standardized annual estimate for books and personal expenses, Yale does not expect students to contribute towards billed expenses, such as tuition, housing, the meal plan.
Meeting financial need - without loans.
Yale does not expect students to finance their college education with debt, and loans are not included in the Yale financial aid award. Some students and families prefer to cover some or all of their Expected Family Contribution with loans. Upon request, Student Financial Services can help guide students and families through the process of applying for and receiving a loan.
Who receives financial aid?
Every family's financial situation is unique, but the table below can give you an idea of typical awards. The table shows median financial aid awards for families of first-year students in the Class of 2023 who applied for financial aid.
| Annual Income Range | Median Net Cost* | Median Scholarship | Percentage Who Qualified 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% |
| Greater than $250,000** | $43,704 | $28,881 | 25% |
*Net Cost is the difference between the Estimated Cost of Attendance (tuition, room, board, books, travel expenses and personal expenses) and a student's scholarship grant(s) from all sources.
** Most who qualify have multiple children in college.