Visiting International Students

The information on this page pertains to Yale Summer Session's 2024 programming. Details for 2025 will be available by mid-January 2025. The information provided below is for historical reference to assist with your planning.

We're excited you're applying to Yale Summer Session! Before you apply, read the application requirements and information for visiting international students below.

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Our application for Summer 2024 courses and programs is now closed. The 2025 application will open in mid-January 2025.

Application Requirements

Tip: Please refer to Dates & Deadlines for all of the relevant deadlines. All supporting documentation must be received on or before the application deadline. Below the requirement list, we provide further explanation about some of the requirements.

The following materials are required for visiting international student applications:

1. Online Application
2. University Transcript (in English): with Fall 2023 grades. If your fall grades are not available and you have no university level grades to submit, then you must submit your high school transcript.
3. Proof of English Proficiency: required for applications for Yale Courses for Credit. See below for the exams we accept. Not required for applications for an English Language Institute program.
4. If you are a student who has completed your university studies and you have already been working for more than 10 years: provide a university transcript or a resume/CV

If applying to attend in-person, there are additional requirements for your application:

1. Financial Documentation (in English) with your name listed in the document. You must provide proof that you have sufficient financial resources to pay for the program expenses such as tuition, room and board, fees, and living expenses. Such proof must be less than six months old and must be one of the following. If it is your parent's bank account, you should include the financial documentation plus a letter from your parent or guardian stating they will cover your fees and the letter must include your name. Items that you can submit: a.) An original letter from your bank stating specifically that you have sufficient resources to meet all expenses for the program, b.) A bank statement showing that you have sufficient resources to meet all expenses for the program, or c.) An original letter from a scholarship organization that will pay your expenses.
2. Identity page of your passport
3. Immunization records: for students who will study in-person with us and live on or off campus.

Note: Be sure to read about Yale Summer Session's immunization requirements for students applying to take in-person courses or be on the Yale campus. This requirement will need to be fulfilled after admission but before arrival to Yale.

Additional Requirements for Pre-College Applicants

If you are in high school and entering your senior year (your final year), you are eligible to apply. You also must be 16 years of age or older by your program start date.

1. High School Transcript (in English): must include at least 2 1/2 years of grades.  Pre-college applicants must be entering into their senior year of high school [summer after junior (3rd) year] or entering their first-year of college [summer after senior (4th) year].
2. Two Letters of Recommendation: one or two from a current teacher, or one can be from a guidance counselor

Academic Information for Visiting International Students

1. You'll select your courses for credit or program in the online application. Before selecting courses for credit in your application, we suggest you read the course descriptions here so you can select the best course for you.
2. If you are applying to the English Language Institute, you may not also apply to courses for credit. The ELI program, if in-person, is a full-time program.
3. Once admitted to a course(s) or program, you are considered enrolled in Yale Summer Session.
4. If you do not wish to attend after you have been admitted, you'll need to withdraw from Yale Summer Session by filling out an online withdraw form.
5. Two courses (totaling 2 credits) for credit per session is considered full-time study and is the maximum enrollment.
6. If you are applying to attend online courses for credit and will be taking them remotely, from your home country, you may choose one or two courses per session.
7. Non-U.S. citizens taking only online courses from their home country will not be issued an I-20. You should not be physically present in the U.S. using a visitor visa (B-1/B-2 or ESTA) for the duration of the YSS session in which you will be enrolled. Studying is not a travel purpose permitted on visitor visas.
8. For in-person study, per the requirements of the F-1 student visa, you must maintain full-time status by selecting two courses per session totaling 2 credits. You may select two courses that meet in-person or select one in-person course and one online course. Those wishing to take a science course plus its corresponding lab course (1.5 credits total) will need to enroll in an additional 1 credit course (for a total of 2.5 credits) to meet the F-1 visa requirement.

What kind of transcript do I submit?

An unofficial transcript or academic record in English is required as part of your application to Yale Summer Session. The online application enables you to upload an unofficial copy of your academic transcript.

• Currently enrolled university students: submit a transcript of your current university and/or any colleges/universities you attended
• Pre-College students: submit your high school transcript
• Students who have completed their university studies (beyond college): submit a college transcript or resume/CV if out of college for more than 10 years

Tip: All academic transcripts must show the name of the institution, dates of enrollment, and the subjects or courses taken, together with the units of credit or time allotted to each subject and the final grade.

Applications are evaluated holistically, therefore, we do not have a GPA requirement. Students should be academically strong students and be prepared to undertake rigorous academic study in Yale Summer Session.

What can I submit for Proof of English Proficiency?

If you choose to take Yale Courses for Credit you must be able to express yourself fluently in spoken and written English. If you are not a native English speaker and have not had at least two years of secondary education or university instruction where English is the medium of instruction, we require taking any one of the proficiency tests listed below. English proficiency scores are not required if you will be participating in the English Language Institute.

1. Duolingo English Test (DET). Applicants may submit the Duolingo English Test, which combines an English proficiency test with a brief video interview. Duolingo’s technology and format allows applicants to complete the test at any time or place with internet access. Yale’s most competitive applicants have DET scores of at least 120.

2. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This test requires pre-registration for available testing dates. Yale Summer Session requires a 100 or better on the internet-based TOEFL iBT. The results must reach Yale Summer Session by the application deadline date relevant to the program. Yale Summer Session will not accept TOEFL's "My Best Scores".

3. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This test requires pre-registration for available testing dates. Yale Summer Session requires applicants to have an IELTS score of 7 or higher.

4. Pearson Test of English (PTE). This test requires pre-registration for available testing dates. Yale Summer Session applicants must have a Pearson Test score of 70 or higher.

For In-person Study: Insurance, Student Visa & Vaccinations

FAQ: Required Travel Health Insurance

If you receive an I-20 from our office, Yale Summer Session will purchase and bill you for U.S.-based health insurance for the duration of your Yale Summer Session program. This will be required if you live on or off campus. The health insurance fee can be found here.

Yale Summer Session students who are U.S. citizens (traveling to the U.S.A on a U.S. passport) whose primary residence is outside of the United States may purchase our health insurance during your in-person study at Yale Summer Session whether you live on or off campus. If you meet these qualifications and you'd like to request purchasing our insurance, please indicate so in our online application.

If you will be traveling with a spouse or dependent child/children, and you'd like them enrolled by the same insurance company, you may contact us to inquire about this too after you are admitted.

FAQ: Required F-1 Student Visa

Studying with us in-person generally requires entering the United States on a valid F-1 visa. You may not attend Yale Summer Session on a B-1 or B-2 (tourist visa). If you are in the United States on another visa category, you will need to upload your current US entry documents with your Summer Session application, and we will review it to determine whether you need to apply for an F-1 visa.

Upon admission to Yale Summer Session, our office will process the Form I-20 and email it to you with instructions for proceeding to obtain your F-1 visa. You will receive the emailed I-20 about 3 weeks after you are admitted to the program.

After receiving the I-20, you'll need to pay the SEVIS fee online and make an appointment to visit the local US embassy or consulate for the F-1 visa. Visa appointments in some countries have a wait time of a few weeks. All new students on an F-1 immigration status, other than those already studying in the US, must pay a SEVIS fee at least three days prior to the visa interview. Students will have the opportunity to print out their receipt at the end of the payment process. Students must bring one of the SEVIS receipts to the visa interview. Click here to learn more about it and to pay the SEVIS fee online. Please apply early so that you have plenty of time to get your visa and book your flights. Summer is a time of high demand for the airlines, too.

When you arrive on campus for Summer Session, you are required to check in with the Office of International Students & Scholars to be registered with the SEVIS Department of Homeland Security.

Canadian citizens require an I-20 to participate in Summer Session, so their application process is the same as other international students, and they are required to be in a full-time course of study (2 course credits). But they do not need to get a visa stamp on their passports. Click here to read more.

Students who decide to withdraw their Yale Summer Session application must inform Yale Summer Session immediately so that Yale can cancel the I-20. Check the Office of International Students and Scholars website for more information about visas.

Fees for Visiting International Students

A visa processing fee is required at the time of application submission to Yale Summer Session. Please note that the SEVIS and visa processing fees are two different fees. There will also be a separate visa fee for the F-1 visa. Read more about applying for an F-1 student visa. The visa processing fee is nonrefundable unless you receive a denial letter.

FAQ: Required Vaccination & Immunization Records

After admission, you will be required to upload proof of vaccinations if you will be attending classes in-person or living on campus. After admission, you will be emailed a link and information about where to upload your vaccination records (this process is managed by another office at Yale). Click here to review all vaccination information and the relevant deadlines to submit your information and be verified so that you can successfully attend Summer Session in-person. Any delay in providing this information may cause you to have to withdraw from Yale Summer Session if you cannot be verified in time. Your I-20 will be cancelled if you are non-compliant by the deadline.

For International Pr​e-College Students

Please visit our pre-college page for further information and requirements for international high school students.

Question: Please contact us if you have further questions about attending Yale Summer Session!

I'm Ready to Apply!

Our application for Summer 2024 courses and programs will open on January 16.