International Students

Application Requirements

The following materials are required for visiting international student applications:

• Online Application
• For university students: your university transcript of grades with Fall 2019 grades.The transcript must be translated into English. If your fall grades are not available, then you must submit your high school transcript.
• For pre-college students only: your high school transcript must include three years of grades and must be translated into English.  Pre-college applicants must be entering into their senior year of high school (summer after junior year) or freshman year of college (summer after senior year).
• Proof of English Proficiency: required for students taking Yale courses. Not required for students taking part in the Certificate Programs for International Students.
• Financial Documentation: used to issue an I-20 for your F-1 student visa. Must be translated into English.
• Copy of identity page of passport 
• Pre-college students only: two letters of recommendation
• Health Insurance: See the note below about health insurance

Please refer to the Dates & Costs section of our site for all of the relevant deadlines. All supporting documentation must be received on or before the application deadline.

Tip: International students must enroll in a full-time course of study. For Yale courses, full time study is two course credits per session. A science plus a lab (1 1/2 credits) is also considered full-time study. For students living on campus, a minimum of one chosen course must be taken while in residence at Yale.

Note: The Certificate Programs for International Students are each considered a full time program and may not be taken with another course.

Academic Transcripts

An unofficial transcript or academic record is required as part of the application to Yale Summer Session.

• High school students should submit a high school transcript.

• College students should submit a transcript of colleges/universities attended.

• Students who are beyond college should submit a college transcript or resume if out of college for more than 10 years.

The application enables applicants to upload an unofficial copy of their academic records, and applications are reviewed based on those records. All academic records 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. International students, unless academic records and diplomas are routinely issued in English by the institution, the records in their original language must be submitted with an authorized, complete, and exact English translation.

Residential Information for Visiting International Students

The residential program during the summer is one of the highlights of Yale Summer Session! We hope that you choose to live on campus. In your online application you can select to live on campus. Yale students serve as residential counselors and provide support and assistance. There are also many fun activities and outings offered only for students living on campus.

TOC:

Student Visas

Our international students enter the United States on a valid F-1 or F-2 visa. Individuals 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 Form I-20 and mail it to you via courier service, with instructions for proceeding to obtain your F-1 visa. You will receive the package about 3 weeks after you are admitted to the program.

After receiving the I-20, students pay the SEVIS fee online and make an appointment to visit the local US embassy or consulate for their 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.

Tip: International students taking only online courses from their home country will not be issued an I-20. To waive the requirement of a statement of financial support, please contact us.

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, or one science course and a lab, 1.5 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 the Summer Session office immediately so that Yale can cancel the I-20.

    Link: Check the Office of International Students and Scholars website for more information about visas.

Fees for Visiting International Students

A non-refundable visa processing fee is required at the time of application submission. Please note that the SEVIS and visa processing fees are two different fees.

Proof of English Proficiency

Students choosing to take Yale courses for credit during Yale Summer Session must be able to express themselves fluently in spoken and written English.  For applicants who are not native English-speakers and who have not had at least two years of secondary education or university instruction where English is the medium of instruction, Yale Summer Session requires taking any one of the proficiency tests listed below. English proficiency scores are not required for students participating in a Certificate Program for International Students (formerly known as the ELI).

TOEFL (link is external)

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), is offered in two formats and requires pre-registration for available testing dates. Yale Summer Session requires:

• 100 on the internet-based TOEFL iBT
• 75 on the paper-and-pencil TOEFL Paper-delivered Test

Please note that results must reach Yale Summer Session by the application deadline date relevant to the program. Be sure to include Yale’s CEEB code on all test registrations. Yale Summer Session will not accept TOEFL's "My Best Scores".

IELTS (link is external) 

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) offer proficiency tests in locations around the world. Pre-registration is required. Yale Summer Session requires applicants to have an IELTS scores of 7 or higher.

Pearson Test of English (link is external)

The Pearson Test of English (PTE) offer proficiency tests in locations around the world. Pre-registration is required. Yale Summer Session applicants must have a Pearson Test score of 70 or higher.

Duolingo English Test (link is external)

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, as long as they have Web access. The interview portion of this test is not scored, but Yale Summer Session applicants should have a score above 75 in the multiple-choice answer portion of the test.

Financial Documentation

Students must include proof at the time of application that they have sufficient financial resources to meet the tuition and living expenses of Yale Summer Session. Such proof can be an original letter from a bank stating specifically that the student has sufficient resources, a current one-page bank statement issued by the bank (monthly transaction statements are not acceptable), or a letter from a scholarship organization that will pay for expenses. Students must upload a copy of the financial documentation with the application and keep the letter for the visa application. The dollar amount certified should meet or exceed the cost to attend Yale Summer Session.

Part-time study is generally not permitted for international students. However, students who already have F-1 or J-1 status and are currently studying at another U.S. college or university, may study either full or part time. Students must speak with their international student adviser or an adviser at Yale's Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) to determine whether they need to obtain a Yale I-20 form for study in Yale Summer Session.

Health Insurance

All visiting international students living on or off campus, who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and to whom we issue an I-20 will be charged an additional fee by Yale Summer Session for comprehensive U.S.-based health insurance with hospitalization coverage. Visiting international students who are US citizens and who will be traveling on their US passport will need to procure their own health insurance. The Office of International Students and Scholars has a list of possible providers.

Immunization Requirements 

Yale University requires all students who enroll at Yale to provide proof of immunizations. You will not be permitted to enroll in classes until all the forms are submitted and the immunization requirements are met. Please see our immunization requirements for information and instructions for admitted students.

International Pr​e-College Students

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

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