Estimated Cost to Attend Yale

The first section of a student’s offer letter reflects a personalized estimate of the cost to attend Yale College for the upcoming academic year. Although most costs are fixed, a student’s estimated cost to attend Yale may differ based on the following:

1. Travel expenses, which vary based on the student’s home address
2. Supplementary allowance - a one-time startup grant offered to students with the highest need
3. Full-time vs. part-time enrollment (Eli Whitney Students Program)
4. Full academic year vs. single semester enrollment

This section is divided between Billed Expenses and Estimated Unbilled Expenses.

Because Yale uses standardized estimates for unbilled expenses, your actual costs for travel, books, supplies, and personal expenses may differ. Yale does not adjust offers in response to actual costs being higher or lower than the estimates. 

Gift Aid

The Gift Aid section of the offer letter shows the grants and scholarships you will receive to help cover your Estimated Cost of Attendance. Multiple sources of aid may appear present in this section, including:

1. Yale Scholarship
2. Entitlement Grants
3. Outside Resources

Gift aid is equal to the difference between your total estimated cost to attend Yale at the top of the award letter and your estimated net cost to attend Yale near the bottom. 

Special Notes about Your Offer

This section provides context about how the offer was calculated. It may contain notes about special circumstances, adjustments made since a previous offer letter was generated, and future situations that could change the offer substantially. Review this information carefully. 

Estimated Net Cost to Attend Yale

This section shows the estimated costs that remain after gift aid is applied. This reflects Yale’s assessment of a family’s ability to contribute financially towards a Yale undergraduate education. Think of this section as the “bottom line.” Net cost is divided between parent and a student share. These are a suggestion for dividing expenses based on Yale’s assessment of your family’s ability to pay. The estimated net cost to attend Yale is equal the expected family contribution. 

Options to Pay Net Cost

This section includes financing options for families to meet their net cost. Learn more about Financing Options. 

Estimated Yale Term Bill

This section shows your expected billed expenses and gift aid to estimate of the amount you will pay directly to Yale prior to the beginning of each term. This does not include estimated unbilled expenses, such as books and travel expenses. 

In addition to tuition, housing and food, a Yale term bill may include charges for:

1. Student Activity Fee
2. Yale Health Coverage
3. Late Fees (administered by Student Accounts for past due balances)