Undergraduate Financial Aid communicates directly with students regarding their financial aid status through email and updates to their YaleHub portal.
While parents are welcome to contact our office, staff may be limited in what can be shared without the student’s prior authorization. We strongly encourage students to remain informed and to communicate regularly with their parents to ensure timely sharing of financial aid information.
If a student’s outside resources exceed the Student Share, students are permitted to make a one-time technology purchase of up to $2,500 using excess outside scholarship funds instead of those funds reducing Yale Scholarship.
An outside resource that exceeds the Student Share will first reduce Yale Scholarship when reported, and reimbursement will only be processed upon receipt review and confirmation of eligibility. Receipts should be shared to this weblink.
Financial aid – including Yale Scholarship, outside resources, and loans – is disbursed each semester directly to the student’s YalePay account to cover billed charges such as tuition, housing, food, and fees.
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.
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.
If your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, it means your application has been flagged for a review process to confirm the accuracy of the information you submitted. Selection may be random or based on discrepancies or missing data in your FAFSA.
If you are selected for verification, the Undergraduate Financial Aid office may request additional documentation from you. These requirements will be listed in your YaleHub portal and may vary depending on the verification group you are assigned to:
Once all required documents are submitted, Yale will review them and compare the information to your FAFSA. We will make corrections if necessary to ensure your application is accurate and up to date.
Please note: Verification must be completed before any financial aid can be disbursed.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. At Yale College, FERPA governs how the Undergraduate Financial Aid office collects, uses, and shares student financial aid information.
Students can authorize Yale to share financial aid information with specific individuals by completing a FERPA release form through Yale Hub.
To learn more, visit Frequently Asked Questions.
The Chapter 35 benefit policy follows Yale College’s Outside Resources policy that states for students receiving need-based financial aid, outside resources are first used to reduce or replace the Student Share portion of the financial aid offer. In most cases, the standard Student Share is $3,700 per academic year. If the total value of the outside resource(s) exceeds the Student Share, the remaining amount will reduce the Yale Scholarship on a dollar-for-dollar basis. More specifically, a $11,837* Chapter 35 benefit will reduce a $3,700 student share to $0, and the excess $8,137* will reduce Yale scholarship dollar-for-dollar.
*Based on rates for October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026 in effect at the time of publication.
For assistance, email: veteranresources@yale.edu
Additional policy information coming soon.
Students may need to update their legal name for various reasons. If so, please be sure to update both your Yale records and your information with the U.S. Department of Education if you receive federal financial aid.
To update your legal name at Yale, contact the Yale College Registrar’s Office at registrar@yale.edu.
If you receive federal aid (e.g., Pell Grants, Direct Loans, Work-Study), follow these steps:
Yale College is committed to affordability and access for all students, regardless of citizenship or immigration status. Financial aid is offered solely based on demonstrated need, and all admitted students receive aid that meets 100% of that need—without loans.
Aid eligibility is based on a thorough evaluation of each family’s financial situation. Factors for determining a student’s eligibility include, but are not limited to, total taxed and untaxed income, assets, family size, number of children in college, and special circumstances.
To determine eligibility for financial aid, a completed financial aid application must be submitted. To learn more, visit Apply for Aid.
Yale’s financial aid program reflects its mission to ensure that cost is never a barrier to a Yale education.
For students receiving need-based financial aid, outside resources are first used to reduce or replace the Student Share portion of the financial aid offer. In most cases, the standard Student Share is $3,700 per academic year.
If the total value of outside resources exceeds the Student Share, the remaining amount will reduce the Yale Scholarship on a dollar-for-dollar basis. However, any excess funds may be applied towards a one-time computer/technology purchase. See Computer/Technology Purchase policy for more information.
Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are required to reapply for financial aid each academic year. Because financial need may change annually based on factors such as family income, assets, or household size, Yale reviews each student’s aid eligibility annually to ensure the most accurate and equitable offer.
Required documents, deadlines and additional information can be found at Apply for Aid.
International students apply for financial aid only once at the time of admission. The financial aid offered at that time is renewed in subsequent years, provided no changes to the number of children enrolled in an undergraduate degree seeking program.
However, if a family’s financial circumstances change significantly (e.g., loss of income), students may reapply for aid by following the instructions provided at Apply for Aid.
Refunds of credit balances are administered by Student Accounts. To learn more, please visit the Student Accounts Refunds page.
To learn more, visit Request for Review.
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:
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.
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.
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).
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.
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 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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
To learn more, visit Year or Term Abroad.
To learn more, visit Summer Aid.
For students receiving financial aid, tuition benefits reduce Yale Scholarship dollar for dollar.
The Yale Student Hospitalization & Specialty Care coverage is administered by Member Services. Please be advised that this charge may result in an increase to your billed expenses in YalePay.