yale university phd admission requirements

• Admissions - Frequently Asked Questions

Please read our Frequently Asked Questions before contacting us. Answers to many common questions can be found here.

• PhD/Master's Application Process

Application FAQs (18)

Questions in this category relate to the application process and topics associated with the process.

Admission Decision FAQs (9)

Questions and answers in this category relate to the process of communicating admissions decisions and responding to those decisions.

Letter of Recommendation FAQs (10)

Questions in this section relate to letters of recommendation.

All letters must be submitted by your provider online. There are no exceptions to this policy.

Standardized Test FAQs (18)

Questions in this section relate to standardized tests that are required as part of the application process. We urge you to review these questions and the answers to them.

Please note that the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences does not accept paper score reports for any Standardized Test.

Transcript FAQs (19)

Questions in this section deal with transcripts.

All academic records uploaded to your application must be in English or accompanied by a translation to English.

We do not accept transcripts in any form sent via post or email during the initial application review process.

Department of Psychology

You are here, applying for admission, important information for applicants .

• The deadline for graduate program applications is Dec. 1st
• Due to the pandemic, offers for virtual interviews are being conducted in a rolling manner. Final decisions regarding offers of admission will be completed by mid-February
• Information regarding the Pyschology Graduate program and the application process is included on this website.  If you have a specific question about the application portal that is not covered here, you may contact the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences .  If you have specific questions in regard to the requirements for our graduate program, or the process of applying, please contact our Department Registrar, Fredericka Grant .  For questions about whether a particular faculty member is accepting new students, you may reach out to them directly (and some faculty include this information on their lab websites).

Completed applications should be received at Yale by Dec. 1st. A record of your academic performance (“unofficial transcript”) is required and should be “uploaded” to your on-line application. An official grade transcript is neither required nor necessary for the review of your application. Students must submit three letters of recommendation and are encouraged to submit samples of their research work. Providing scores on the GRE Aptitude Test is optional, as are scores on the GRE Psychology Subject Test.  It is especially advisable to begin the application process early. A common problem in reviewing applications is that some are incomplete in some respect at the time the review begins and are therefore temporarily set aside. If these applications remain incomplete, they may never be reviewed by the departmental admissions committee. Accordingly, it is important to allow sufficient time for the independent information (transcripts, letters) to arrive at Yale in time to be processed. 

Applicants should indicate primary faculty members in the department with whom they would be interested in working in their applications.  Because of the emphasis on close contact with faculty members in research, as well as effective student participation in small class groups, only about fifteen new students out of about seven hundred applicants can be admitted each year. Applicants should realize that the total number of applicants is many times larger than the number that can be admitted, and, further, individual feedback on applications is not possible. A fine academic record, evidence of research experience and potential are weighed together in the admission decision process.

To apply: Online Application to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

By filling out the form supplied in the Graduate School application, applicants will automatically be considered for all Yale financial awards for which they are eligible. A complete Bulletin of the Graduate School, which describes all graduate programs and provides general information, is available from the Graduate Admissions Office.

Department of Chemistry

Application process.

Thank you for your interest in pursuing doctoral studies in Chemistry at Yale University. Below is information regarding application deadlines and requirements.

Program Information

Please review the Chemistry section at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) Programs and Policies . Note the graduate program at Yale Chemistry is strictly a Ph.D. program. A master’s program is not offered at this time.

Application Requirements

Please note, the  electronic application   to start graduate program for Fall 2025 will be available in mid-August of 2024. 

The application is due December 1, 2024 , along with supplemental information: transcripts, GRE and TOEFL scores, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement of purpose.  Applicants may find the Training in Teaching information helpful as they consider their application .  Note the application can be saved and reopened multiple times before final submission.

Some Ph.D. applicants may be eligible for a  fee waiver . Please review the instructions, eligibility factors, and required documents. We recommend doing this far in advance of the December 1 application deadline.

Once you submit your fee waiver request form, you will receive an email from the GSAS admissions office ( graduate.admissions@yale.edu ) within 2-3 business days indicating if you have been granted a waiver. 

Letters of Recommendation

A minimum of three letters of recommendation is required. These letters should be from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s academic work, intellectual ability, or academic potential for graduate work. The letters should address one’s motivation for conducting research in this field; ability to take initiative, think critically, and engage in experimental design, data acquisition and analysis (if applicable); and perseverance in working towards an academic or research goal. The most effective letters originate from faculty members of the last institution you attended as a full-time student, research advisors in laboratories, or supervisors in work environments. It is generally most beneficial to choose recommenders who know the applicant well and can speak about their performance and approach with concrete examples. For other information, please review the  FAQs on Letters of Recommendation .

Statement of Academic Purpose

This statement of 500 – 1,000 words explains the decision to apply to Yale for graduate study, research interests, and preparation for the intended field/s of study, including prior research and other relevant experiences. This statement gives the admissions committee an idea of who the applicant is, what motivates them for chemistry graduate study, and how Yale’s faculty, research, and resources would contribute to their future goals. A successful personal statement provides a substantive description of prior research, puts background into context, indicates enthusiasm for research at Yale Chemistry, and shows how the candidate would enrich the intellectual community at Yale. Concrete and specific statements are more useful than broad generalities, though, of course, one does not need to know their future career plans in detail.

Personal Narrative

We are dedicated to fostering a community where students with diverse backgrounds and experiences are included and feel they belong. In 300 words or less, tell us about the personal experiences, interests, or perspectives that you would bring to the community at Yale. This narrative should demonstrate your perspectives on diversity, why it is important, and how you have contributed to or will contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

For this year’s application, the GRE General is recommended but not required. Scores for these examinations must be officially released to the Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (institution code 3987). These scores are used as components of a holistic evaluation of an applicant’s qualifications, with due consideration of the limitations of the GRE score. More information is available at GSAS’s FAQs . Students from the USA with financial need can apply for the  GRE Fee Reduction Program  or request a Fee Reduction Voucher from  Graduate Academic Support.

Transcripts

A record of the applicant’s academic performance is required for each institution they list in the Prior Study section of the application. This academic record (a scanned copy of a transcript from the institution’s Student Information System Portal, an “issued to student” transcript, or a certified electronic transcript in PDF form) must be uploaded to the online application.

TOEFL or IELTS Academic tests

Students whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic. Scores from the TOEFL examination must be officially released to Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (ETS code 3987). For the IELTS Academic test, please specify Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. The address in the IELTS system, is Warner House, 1 Hillhouse Avenue, room 302, New Haven, CT 06511.

The examination results must be officially released to Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Scores released to other schools of Yale University cannot be transferred to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

The requirement for the TOEFL can be waived only for applicants who will have received a baccalaureate degree, or its foreign equivalent, from a university or college where English is the primary language of instruction before matriculation at Yale. Applicants must have studied in residence at the baccalaureate institution for at least three years to receive the waiver.

Admissions Decisions and Campus Visit

Applicants are typically notified of decisions regarding their applications before the end of January. Official notification that a decision has been made is by email from the GSAS only. Actual decisions are posted within the online application only.

Official campus visits for accepted students are held in March. An invitation to attend one of our visiting days will be sent to all accepted students.

• Application Procedures

Prospective applicants can apply to the Ph.D. Program in Economics online using the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website. Paper copies of the application are no longer accepted, and hard copies of materials will not be mailed.

The application deadline for the Economics Department Ph.D. program is December 1 each year.

Note: Please do not request materials from the Department of Economics. Please refer to the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. website.

Official score reports must be submitted for all required examinations. Ask the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to report your scores to the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, code 3987.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE).  The General Test is required of all applicants. Applicants should take the GRE no later than November. Applicants are strongly encouraged to register early to schedule test dates and times. For registration forms, test dates, test centers and general information, visit GRE.org .

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL is required of all applicants whose native language is not English. This requirement is waived for applicants who have received a baccalaureate degree or its foreign equivalent prior to matriculation at Yale, from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction. A one-year or two-year MA degree does not qualify for the waiver. If you do not qualify for a waiver but have taken the TOEFL within the last two years, you will need to have your TOEFL scores released to us (code 3987). If your scores are older than two years and can no longer be released, you will need to retake the examination. The test should be taken as early as possible to ensure that your scores are received in time to be incorporated in your file.

International English Language Test System (IELTS). You may substitute IELTS for TOEFL.

If you are still not sure if you must submit TOEFL scores, please review this flowchart (start with the question “Is your native language English?”).

For additional information and the latest updates on the TOEFL and TSE, please visit TOEFL.org .

Test of Spoken English (TSE). All international applicants who accept offers of admission to the Ph.D. program and whose native language is not English are strongly encouraged to present scores on the Test of Spoken English by the time of enrollment in the fall. The TSE is administered in the United States and abroad. Students who do not demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English may be retested and/or asked to take courses in English for speakers of other languages. A high level of proficiency is required for students to serve as teaching fellows. For further information, please visit TOEFL.org .

More information about standardized testing requirements can be found on the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

Doctoral and master’s degrees. Students may enter the Graduate Economics Program after earning a bachelors degree (or the equivalent) or a master’s degree. The Master of Philosophy is awarded to students who complete all requirements for the Ph.D. except the dissertation. The Doctor of Philosophy is awarded upon acceptance of the doctoral dissertation. The Economics Department does not accept students into a terminal master’s program. The Economic Growth Center offers a one-year MA program in International and Development Economics .

Full-time and Part-time Study. Doctoral students are expected to devote their full energies to course work and preparation for the qualifying examinations in the first years, and dissertation research and writing in the final years of graduate study. There is no part-time study available to applicants to the Department of Economics.

Nondegree Study. Qualified individuals who wish to study at the graduate level but not pursue a degree may be admitted to the Division of Special Registration (DSR) as “special students.” Admission to this program is for one term or one year only, and carries with it no commitment for further study. These students are not eligible for financial aid or loans. Applicants interested should apply in the same fashion as for full-time study.

Interdisciplinary Study. Students may apply for admission to only one department or program within the Graduate School per year. However, students may take one or more courses in a related department, and are often advised by faculty members from more than one department during their dissertation research. Students in the Graduate School, may, with permission, take advantage of course or research opportunities in Yale College and in the professional schools.

Joint-degree Programs. The Department of Economics offers a joint J.D./Ph.D. degree with the Yale Law School. Students must apply to and be admitted to the Yale Law School independently of the Graduate School. Applicants may apply to both schools at the same time or they may enter one school and apply to the second during their first year of study. A separate application is required for each school, and each makes its own admission decision. Students who apply simultaneously to two schools should indicate that they are doing so on both applications. For more information, visit the Yale Law School website.

Transfer Students. The Yale Graduate School does not admit transfer students. The presumption is that students who receive a Yale doctoral degree do their studies at Yale. Students currently enrolled in a doctoral program elsewhere who wish to apply to a Yale doctoral program may do so through the normal admissions procedure. They must meet all the application requirements, including the deadline for submission. Some very successful students have entered the Yale program in this way. Such students may petition the Economics Department and Graduate School to waive a portion of the Ph.D. course requirement (normally a maximum of three courses) in recognition of previous graduate-level work done at Yale or elsewhere. All other requirements, including the comprehensive examination, the economic history requirement, the oral examination, and the econometrics paper, must be completed at Yale. Students who enter the program from another doctoral program receive the full six-year financial aid package.

Those interested in transferring to Yale might also consider the Exchange Scholars Program as an alternative. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences has established formal exchanges with a number of institutions of higher education abroad. These partnerships allow Yale PhD students to study and conduct research at one of our international partners. Reciprocally, graduate students who are enrolled at our partner institutions are eligible to apply to come to Yale as Exchange Scholars with their school's nomination.

Length of Study.  Students are expected to complete the requirements for the degree in six years of registration. The first two years are generally spent taking courses full time; the third is spent preparing a dissertation prospectus within workshops and completing all requirements except the dissertation; the remaining years are spent pursuing and writing up a work of original research. The average length of time required to complete the program is five years. A small percentage finish in four years, although students are guaranteed registration for 6 years in which to finish their degree.

Residency Requirement.  Doctoral students in this program are required to be in residence in New Haven for at least three years.

Dissertation.  The doctoral dissertation is the climax of the graduate school experience. Every dissertation makes an original contribution to a student’s field of study by discovering significant new information, achieving a new synthesis of ideas, developing new methods or hypotheses, or applying established methods to new materials. A dissertation also demonstrates the student’s mastery of relevant resources and methods. Students work with two advisers throughout this process.

Financial information, including tuition and fees, can be found on the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

Ph.D. candidates are charged four years of full tuition. Thereafter, students are charged a modest continuing registration fee each term until the dissertation is submitted or the terminal date is passed.

The Graduate School provides full tuition, health insurance and stipend fellowship for the first six years of study. Typically, the Department of Economics provides additional stipend support. There is a combined award policy that applies to students who obtain outside fellowships. This policy gives students a financial incentive to obtain outside awards.

Teaching Fellowships. Because the faculty considers teaching to be essential to the professional teaching of all doctoral students, they serve as teaching assistants in the third and fourth years of study.

Research Fellowships.  Department faculty often hire students as research assistants either part-time or full-time.  During this academic year there are seven students supported as full-time research assistants where this funding replaces the need to serve as a teaching fellow.  In the summer of 2020, twenty-five students were supported as part-time research assistants for faculty. 

Outside Fellowships.  All applicants for admission are strongly urged to compete for outside fellowships which can be used at Yale. These fellowships are sponsored by both public and private agencies and are often more generous than those awarded by the University. In addition to their financial advantages, distinction is conferred on a student who wins an award. The  McDougal Graduate School Center  maintains a library of fellowship information; incoming students seeking external aid are advised to consult it on arrival in New Haven.

Federal and Non-Federal Student Loans.  Loans administered by the University are available to citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. The types of loans and amounts a student is eligible to borrow are based entirely on financial need as determined by federal formula.

For more information on the types of funding for Ph.D. students, visit the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences website.

• Admitted Students
• Graduate Application FAQs

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Applying to yale.

Students are admitted to graduate study (only in the fall) by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) on the recommendation of the Department. Entering classes average five to ten students. Students must apply either to the six-year PhD program or the one-year Master of Arts program, although applicants who are accepted to the PhD may elect to complete a three- or three-and-a-half-year MPhil degree instead. (For further details on this alternative, please consult the Yale University Graduate School Programs and Policies . )

Special Admissions Requirements for English

Before contacting the department with any questions concerning applying to our program, please consult the information on this webpage and the information available from  GSAS . If you still have any questions after you read what is on the webpages, please write erica.sayers@yale.edu .  It is not necessary, nor do we recommend, that you write directly to the director of graduate studies or individual faculty members regarding your application.

Application should be accompanied by a statement of academic purpose, and a writing sample of up to twenty double-spaced pages. Selection is based on the applicant’s undergraduate record; evidence of motivation supplied in the personal statement; evidence of ability to do advanced work as expressed in the writing sample and supported by three letters of recommendation; and preparation in languages sufficient to satisfy the language requirement. We do not require or accept GRE scores. The committee would like to see a sample of your best writing in a literary critical mode. If that sample is more than a few pages longer than the suggested 20-page limit (excluding works cited), you can submit an excerpt, with a brief explanation of how it fits into the larger paper at the top.

The application deadline is December 1. Note: The deadline for those applying for a combined program (e.g., African American Studies) is always the  earlier deadline of the two individual programs. The application is available online through the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Admissions page . All application materials, supporting credentials and recommendations, and application fee must be received by the deadline to be considered by Yale for admission. Admissions decisions are announced by early March.

Combined Programs

The Department of English offers combined PhD with  African American Studies , Early Modern Studies ,  Film and Media Studies ,  History of Art , and   Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies .

General New Student Information, Questions,  and Referrals

The Office for Graduate Student Development and Diversity  is committed to building and maintaining a nurturing and caring community of scholars where students from diverse backgrounds and experiences are supported in their professional and intellectual goals and pursuits.

The McDougal Center serves as “information central” for incoming students. The Center can address new student questions about families, childcare, parking, travel, schedules, or other areas of life at Yale and in New Haven.

Living in New Haven  is a Yale-wide web page for all prospective & current students, faculty & staff. Pictures, video testimonials, neighborhood profiles and information links on community, housing culture, shopping, transit and services in New Haven are posted on the site.

The  Yale Visitor Center  offers tours, exhibits, attractions, lodging, directions, and more.

Gateway for New Students  provides information on Orientation and the New Student Checklist.

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Programs and Policies . “The Blue Book,” listing policies, programs and courses, is available online in August each academic year.

Our Graduate Housing office begins to accept applications for on-campus dormitories and apartments on April 22, and Off-Campus and  Yale University properties begin leasing apartments now for summer. Apply promptly, as space is limited.

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