You are eligible to apply as a first-year applicant if: you have attended college for less than an academic year (e.g. only for one semester or two quarters). Students entering as first-years must take classes full time. On-campus housing is available for all four years, though students older than 21 may opt to live off-campus.
You are eligible to apply as a transfer applicant if: you have completed the equivalent of an academic year at another college. Transfer students are required to pursue their bachelor’s degree on a full-time basis. On-campus undergraduate housing for transfer students is available, though students older than 21 may opt to live off-campus
You are eligible to apply to the Eli Whitney Students Program (EWSP) you will have been out of high school for at least five years by the time of your intended Yale enrollment. The Eli Whitney Students Program provides adults with the flexibility to take classes full-time or part-time while being immersed in the Yale community. EWSP students have up to seven years to graduate. Undergraduate on-campus housing is not available to Eli Whitney students, but they may apply for graduate housing. Most Eli Whitney students live within walking distance of Yale. Eli Whitney students take the same classes, graduate with the same degrees, have the same research and study abroad opportunities as other Yale undergraduates, but it is a program designed specifically for adult students. Many of the EWSP advisors have experience guiding students who may have followed less traditional paths.
Some students may be eligible to apply to Yale College through more than one of the admissions pathways, but applicants may not apply to more than one program in an academic year. You may email patricia.wei@yale.edu to discuss which admissions pathway is the best route for you.
SAT and ACT scores are optional for applicants to the Eli Whitney Students Program. Standardized test results shared with the admissions office will be taken into consideration in the application review process, but these test results are not required. You may self-report any test results on the application form. If you are admitted and choose to matriculate, you will be asked to send official score reports to Yale from the testing organization. For more information regarding SAT results, please visit the College Board website or call 866-756-7346 (212-713-7789 from outside the US). To contact ACT, visit the ACT website or call 319.337.1000.
Yes. You will need to submit your GED results as well as any high school transcripts from ninth grade onwards. Please have the GED testing agency send your official results electronically to transfer.documents@yale.edu or mail to Yale Undergraduate Admissions// PO Box 208234 // New Haven, CT 06520-8234
Yes, you are eligible to apply to the EWSP even if you have not taken any recent classes. However, if your earlier academic record is not a good indication of your academic potential, we recommend completing additional college classes prior to applying. If you have never taken any college courses since high school, please email eliwhitney.students@yale.edu for instructions on filling out the academic history portion of the Common Application.
Eli Whitney students do not live in undergraduate housing. Most rent or share apartments in New Haven, often within walking distance of the Yale campus. A few live in nearby suburbs, and some live in graduate housing.
Eli Whitney students have access to the same courses, majors, facilities, extracurricular activities, research and study abroad opportunities as all Yale undergraduates. Although Eli Whitney students do not live in Yale’s residential colleges, every Eli Whitney student is affiliated with a residential college. They receive advising from their residential college dean and may participate in activities in their residential college. Eli Whitney students are well integrated into the broader Yale community.
Transcripts can be ordered from the Academic History section of the Common Application. Alternatively transcripts and application materials for Eli Whitney applicants may be sent electronically to transfer.documents@yale.edu, via postal service to Yale Undergraduate Admissions//P. O. Box 208234//New Haven, CT 06520-8234, or sent via courier (e.g. UPS, FedEx, DHL) to Yale Undergraduate Admissions//38 Hillhouse Avenue//New Haven, 06511-3407.
You should pursue coursework at a fully accredited post-secondary institution, such as a public or private college/university that grants bachelor’s degrees or a community college that grants associate’s degrees. Many Eli Whitney students took courses at 2-year colleges prior to enrolling at Yale.
Eli Whitney students may choose to take up to nine course credits each year (roughly the equivalent of nine semester courses) and must take at least three course credits each year to remain in good standing. Eli Whitney students may take up to seven years to complete a bachelor’s degree. International students who hold F-1 status as Eli Whitney students must register as full-time students taking at least three Yale course credits per term.
In certain circumstances, yes. Please review the detailed information on transferring credit.
Yes. Yale offers generous need-based financial aid for Eli Whitney Students, with the goal of making a Yale College education affordable for everyone. Review the detailed information about financial aid for Eli Whitney Students.
Please contact Yale’s Student Accessibility Services at sas@yale.edu or 203-432-2324.
International students applying to the EWSP follow essentially the same procedures and have the same application requirements as other students. Students applying from abroad or who are not U.S. citizens should review this information for international Eli Whitney applicants.
No. If you have already received a bachelor’s degree, you are not eligible to apply to undergraduate degree programs at Yale, including the Eli Whitney Students Program. This policy applies even if the degree is in a different field or from a university outside the United States. Learn more about admission to Yale’s graduate and professional schools.
Consider taking rigorous liberal arts courses in the humanities, social sciences, foreign languages and natural or physical sciences. Take courses in math (preferably through at least Pre-Calculus) as well as classes that focus on writing skills. Yale recommends taking in-person classes. However, if this is not feasible, synchronous (i.e. in real time) courses are an alternative.
Yes. Applicants must submit an official transcript for the high school from which they graduated, as well as official transcripts from all colleges attended.
Contact your high school and/or college registrar to request that transcripts be sent to Yale Undergraduate Admissions. If your high school or college has closed, contact the state Department of Education where you attended school. In the rare instance that you are unable to submit official transcripts, please use the Additional Information section of the application to explain your circumstances.
Yes, but you must submit a new application for admission in a subsequent year. A new application fee is also required. Individuals may apply to Yale College no more than three times.
The Undergraduate Admissions Committee considers many factors and uses a holistic approach when reviewing applications. Academic strength is an especially important factor. While many Eli Whitney students have demonstrated consistently strong academic performance throughout their educational careers, it is not unusual for our successful applicants to present weaker high school or earlier college records. The Committee, however, expects such candidates to show strong recent performance. Most successful applicants have recent grades mostly in the A range.
Beyond academic strength, Yale looks for candidates who demonstrate intellectual depth and curiosity, strong motivation, leadership, and potential to make a positive impact on the Yale community. As admissions officers review every application, two questions guide the evaluation: “Who is likely to make the most of Yale’s resources?” and “Who will contribute most significantly to the Yale community?”
No. Yale College offers only in-person instruction. Online, evening, and weekend classes are not available for undergraduate students.
No. The EWSP offers adult students the flexibility to take classes full or part time. Some Eli Whitney students pursue their entire Yale education on a full time basis, while others are strictly taking classes part time. Some students may be part time for a few terms and full time during other semesters. International students, however, must register as full time students taking at least three Yale course credits per term, to meet F-1 visa requirements.