Financial Aid Policies

Yale University recognizes one Federal Pell Grant recalculation date per term.

Undergraduate Financial Aid recalculates a student’s Federal Pell Grant anytime there is a change in the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI), enrollment status, or Cost of Attendance (COA).

A student must start at least one day in each enrolled course in order for it to count toward their enrollment and must attend after the recalculation date of each term to prevent an award adjustment. If the student completes a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after the recalculation date, Undergraduate Financial Aid will use the enrollment at the point federal eligibility is confirmed, even if it is after the original recalculation date.  The recalculation date used will be the published midterm date for Fall and Spring.  Summer recalculation is the start date of Session B.

If, as a result of the recalculation, the student has received more than their award amount, then the student has received an overpayment. The University will return the over award or overpayment on behalf of the student to the appropriate funding source and/or will reduce or adjust any future payments.

Summer Pell Grant and Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant Policy

Undergraduate Financial Aid will review a student’s federal eligibility prior to awarding the Federal Pell Grant and the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) for summer terms. Students who have eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant/IASG over the summer will be awarded the grant based on their eligibility as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) belonging to the academic year. For example, the FAFSA for 2024-2025 will be used to determine eligibility for Summer 2025. At least half-time enrollment is required for students eligible to utilize the 150% Federal Pell Grant/IASG award.

Please contact veteranresources@yale.edu. 

Additional information coming soon. 

For students on financial aid, outside merit scholarships may reduce or replace a student’s Student Share portion of a financial aid offer - in most cases $3,700. If an outside scholarship exceeds the standard Student Share, Yale Scholarship is reduced dollar-for-dollar, but a student may make a one-time technology purchase of a computer, laptop, or tablet, with related accessories, up to $2,500 using the outside scholarship. 

Important information about one-time technology purchase:

  • The (up to) $2,500 technology purchase can include:
    • Laptop, Desktop Computer OR Tablet (only one device is permitted)
    • Extended warranty for the laptop, desktop computer or tablet
    • Case/protector for the laptop, desktop computer or tablet
    • External Hard Drive
    • External Monitor
    • Keyboard and Mouse
    • Earphones or Headphones
    • Printer/Scanner
    • USB cable
    • Consumables such as ink, paper, the cost of internet connection, etc. are NOT allowed
  • Technology purchases must be made out-of-pocket using your own funds, and then receipts of the purchase should be submitted to our office for processing by using this weblink. 
  • If the technology purchase is less than the student’s eligibility in a given academic year, the student cannot request the difference in a subsequent academic year. 
  • Examples of one-time technology purchase eligibility:
    • Example 1: $5,000 outside aid would reduce a $3,700 standard student share to $0 and the remaining $1,300 would replace Yale Scholarship dollar-for-dollar, or, the student could use the excess $1,300 towards a technology purchase.
    • Example 2: $10,000 outside aid would reduce a $3,700 standard student share to $0 and the remaining $6,300 would replace Yale Scholarship dollar-for-dollar, or, if utilizing a technology purchase, the student would have eligibility up to $2,500, with the excess replacing Yale Scholarship.
    • Example 3: $1,500 outside aid would reduce a $3,700 standard Student share to $2,200, with no Yale Scholarship being displaced and no eligibility for excess funds to be put towards a technology purchase.

Other Helpful Information:

Some merit scholarships, such as the Gates Millennium Scholarship and NCAA Grant, may also cover the cost of Yale Health Hospitalization & Specialty Care coverage. If allowed by the awarding agency, a merit scholarship may also cover the cost of a computer for incoming students whose outside aid exceeds the Student Share. 

Yale is required to establish Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policies and standards that govern students’ eligibility for Federal financial aid. SAP is the measure of each student’s progress toward program completion as well as a measure of their ability to meet the minimum academic standards set by their institution. All Yale College students must meet SAP requirements to remain eligible for Title IV financial aid which includes:

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
  • Federal Work-Study 
  • Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Federal Direct PLUS Loans

It is important to note that Yale College also maintains a separate and distinct Promotion and Good Standing policy that sets the school’s expectations for Yale College student’s academic advancement. Yale College’s Promotion and Good Standing requirements often align with the requirements of Yale’s Satisfactory Academic Policy, but in several significant places, there are differences for which Yale College students should take note.   

Qualitative Measure

Students enrolled at Yale College must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better at each evaluation point. At the end of each student’s second academic year (i.e., fourth semester), students must have a GPA consistent with Yale College’s graduation requirements. 

Quantitative Measure

Students enrolled in a Yale College program of study must maintain an annual course completion rate of 67%. While Yale College’s academic policy excludes courses dropped after the add/drop period and before midterm from a calculation of students’ academic standing and may not appear on a student’s transcript, Yale’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy includes all courses a student is enrolled in beyond the add/drop period when assessing a student’s quantitative progress towards completion.

Pace is calculated by dividing the number of credits a student attempts by the number of credits a student successfully completed at each evaluation point. (e.g. 18/24 = 75% pace).

Academic Considerations 

Special Grades

INC, TI, ABX, and other temporary grades neither count as attempted nor passed and must be converted to a letter grade 45 days after the end of the term or within 48 hours of the start of a new academic year. Unconverted temporary grades that extend beyond 45 days at the end of the term or into a new academic year will be counted as unsuccessful attempts at the next SAP evaluation point.  Audited classes do not count toward Satisfactory Academic Progress. CR and NM grades are not counted in the qualitative calculation but are considered attempts in the quantitative calculation of pace. 

Course Withdrawals

In contrast to the Yale College Academic policy, course withdrawals made after the add/drop period are tracked and counted as failed attempts in the pace calculation for Satisfactory Academic Progress policy standards. 

Course Repetitions

Course repetitions count toward a student’s cumulative GPA and are counted in the qualitative measurement of SAP. For the purposes of calculating a student’s GPA, only the higher grade resulting from a repetition will count in the cumulative GPA. 

Course repetitions also count as credits attempted in the quantitative measurement.  Both the original course and the repeated course will count as attempted for pace purposes.

Transfer Credits

Transfer Credits accepted by Yale College that count toward a student’s program will count in quantitative evaluation of SAP. Accepted credits will count as credits attempted and earned for pace purposes. 

Grade Changes

Grade changes that impact a student’s SAP status that are made after an evaluation point will not affect a student’s current SAP standing but will be included in the next SAP evaluation.  The student will maintain Title IV aid eligibility until the next evaluation period and their standing until the next evaluation period. 

Maximum Timeframe

A standard bachelor’s degree program consists of 36 credits. The Maximum Timeframe (MTF) within which all students must complete their given program of study is 54 credits which represents 150% of the published length of the program as expressed in credits. 

SAP Evaluation Frequency, Procedure, and Notices

Satisfactory Academic Progress evaluations will be performed by the Financial Aid office with support from the Registrar’s office. Evaluation will occur annually at the end of each spring term or until the end of a designated probation period. Additionally, a mid-degree SAP evaluation will be run for all students after their 4th term of full-time enrollment. The Financial Aid office will send SAP notices to all students after each evaluation point informing them of their SAP status.

SAP Statuses

Making SAP: Students in this status are meeting the qualitative and quantitative requirements of this SAP policy and are scheduled to complete their educational program within the specified Maximum Timeframe. 

Not Making SAP – Loss of Title IV Aid Eligibility: Students in this category are not making SAP and are ineligible for Title IV federal Student Aid. 

SAP Probation – Reinstated Title IV Aid Eligibility: Students who successfully appeal a SAP determination that resulted in a loss of federal financial aid eligibility will be reinstated for at least one semester on SAP probation. While on SAP probation a student regains their eligibility for federal student aid funds and is expected to make SAP by the end of the semester in which their aid eligibility is reinstated or by a period prescribed in an approved academic plan. 

Appealing Loss of Federal Financial Aid Eligibility    

Students who fail to meet the requirements to remain in good standing for Satisfactory Academic Progress at any evaluation point will lose federal aid eligibility for all subsequent semesters. Students may choose to appeal their loss of eligibility. 

Counseling

Yale College students must meet with the Registrar’s Office and Financial Aid before any withdrawal or leave of absence to discuss the impact on the student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress and federal aid eligibility.

Appeal Process

Students may appeal a loss of financial aid eligibility due to unsatisfactory academic progress. 

To submit an appeal, students must contact the Financial Aid Office within fifteen (15) days following any SAP evaluation resulting in their loss of federal aid. The appeal should include a plan for meeting SAP that extends no further than the end of the following academic year. Plans will be reviewed and approved by the Financial Aid Office, the Registrar’s Office, and a representative from the Yale College Dean’s Office. Appeals will be granted within forty-five (45) days and the results of any appeal whether successful or unsuccessful will be communicated to students no more than fifteen (15) days before the start of a term. Students who fail to meet the standards set in the approved plan and fail to meet SAP goals in the time allotted will lose eligibility for federal aid beginning at the end of the next financial aid term.  

Successful Appeal – Probationary Reinstatement of aid Eligibility 

Students who successfully appeal a loss of federal financial aid eligibility related to SAP purposes, will have their federal financial aid reinstated on a probationary period of at least one semester. During this probationary semester, students must follow any academic plan outline to ensure they can make SAP by a specific point in time. 

For student’s receiving financial aid, tuition benefits reduce Yale Scholarship dollar for dollar.