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 2018 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, formerly known as the ELI.
• 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.

Point: 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. The Certificate Programs for International Students (formerly the ELI) are each considered a full time program.

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:

Immigration Matters

Students will need to enter the United States on an F-1 Student Visa in order to attend Yale Summer Session. Individuals cannot study on a B-1, B-2, or tourist visa. All international students will be required to check-in with the Office of International Students and Scholars once on campus to confirm their visa status and register with the Department of Homeland Security. 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. Click here to learn more about it and to pay the SEVIS fee online. 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.

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 do not need visas to study or participate in an exchange program in the U.S. However, Canadian students do need to obtain an I-20 (or DS-2019) Certificate of Eligibility from the university, school or exchange program they plan to attend. Students also need to be full-time and enroll in 2 course credits. A science course plus a lab (1.5 credits) is also considered full-time. Click here to read more.

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.

F-1 Student Visa Issuance

Students should allow plenty of time for the visa issuance process after submitting the application. In addition to the time required to process the Yale Summer Session application, which is generally two to three weeks, a visa may take anywhere from three to six weeks or more to be approved. Check with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate for time frames. Click here to read more about the process of obtaining your F-1 student visa.

Once students are admitted to Yale Summer Session and have demonstrated that they have sufficient funds to cover the full cost of the program, Yale will send an I-20 form through courier mail such as FedEx or DHL.

Students must use the I-20 form to apply for an F-1 student visa. Some processing fees may apply. Students will also need to present the SEVIS fee receipt and an original financial certification letter from a bank at the embassy. Note: This step does not apply to Canadian citizens, who may present an I-20 form and proof of financial support at the point of entry to be issued F-1 status. Canadians must present the I-20 form at the border to avoid entering in visitor's status (B-2). Make certain that the Canadian authorities issue an I-94 card at the border.

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.

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

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, 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.

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!