Yale College’s connections to the military are long-standing, and the admissions office welcomes inquiries and applications from veterans of the U.S. armed forces. A Yale education is especially affordable for veterans, who may choose to apply for Yale’s generous need-based financial aid or use their Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and Yellow Ribbon benefits. Yale grants application fee waiver requests from candidates who are serving or have served in the U.S. military.
Watch below to hear from three members of Yale’s diverse undergraduate veteran community who share their stories of transitioning from the military to Yale College to pursue bachelor’s degrees.
Learn more about veterans at Yale:
- Yale student veteran profiles
- Interview with three student veterans on Yale President Peter Salovey’s Yale Talk Podcast
- CNN Champions of Change profile of former Navy Seal Jimmy Hatch by Anderson Cooper
- Profile of Yale student and Navy veteran RJ Hakes Yale Class of 2022
Depending on eligibility, student veterans may apply to Yale College through one of three undergraduate pathways listed below. Veterans often find that the Eli Whitney Students Program is the best fit because it is designed specifically for adult students who want to pursue a traditional undergraduate Yale education. All undergraduate classes are offered in-person on campus in New Haven.
Application options for veterans:
- As a first-year applicant
- As a transfer applicant
- Through the Eli Whitney Students Program
Resources for veterans at Yale:
- Yale Military Benefits and Financial Aid
- Yellow Ribbon Program
- Jack Beecher, Veteran Liaison
- Jennifer VanBrederode, Veteran & Military Student Resource Coordinator - contact for veteran certification.
- Yale Veterans Association
- Free Yale shuttle to West Haven VA Medical Center
Veterans and service members with questions about Yale College or the undergraduate admissions process should email Patricia Wei, Director of Veterans Outreach for the Undergraduate Admissions Office, at patricia.wei@yale.edu. Questions regarding Yale’s graduate programs or admissions should be directed to the admissions offices for the specific graduate or professional schools.
Service to School Podcast with Navy Veteran and Yale Alumna Hillary Browning
Hillary is an enlisted Navy Veteran, an Eli Whitney scholar, Yale University graduate, first generation college student and most recently the first female enlisted Veteran admitted to Yale Law School. She talked about the ups and downs of the college & law school admissions processes, owning her Veteran background, and more on the podcast Service to Schools Stories.