Y
#5 Best Colleges in America

Yale Admission Requirements

New Haven, Connecticut

 2 Reviews

Chances of getting into Yale University

Acceptance Rate

Admitted 
5%
Admission Difficulty for Yale University
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Elite 
Applicant Competition Extreme 
How hard is it to get into Yale and can I get accepted?

The acceptance rate at Yale is 5%.  It ranks #1 in Connecticut and #8 in the nation for lowest rate of acceptance. Yale is extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades. Last year, 2,509 out of 47,240 applicants were admitted.

The school has exceptionally high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 2 percent on standardized admission tests. Yale University typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.95. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class. Of those applicants who were admitted, 71% enrolled. With over half of admitted students enrolling, acceptance by Yale University is a prized outcome for many students.

The Yale application fee is $80 and applications are due by Dec 31.

Admission Requirements in Brief

To have the best chance of getting into to Yale University you should:

  • Have a high school GPA of 3.95 or better
  • Earn A- grades in high school
  • Score 1530 on the SAT
  • Score 34 on the ACT
  • Graduate in the top 10% of your high school class
  • Submit letters of recommendation from your teachers

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Yale University. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 54% of students submitted SAT scores and 35% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

Yale SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 
1480-1580
Applicants Submitting SAT 
54%
SAT Scores for Yale University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 730
SAT Math 25th 750
SAT Composite 25th 1480
SAT Scores for Yale University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 780
SAT Math 75th 800
SAT Composite 75th 1580
Average SAT Score 1530

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Yale University?

Yale University is a test optional school meaning applicants are not required to submit SAT scores with their application. The position on SAT scores from the school is "considered but not required".

Students who get into Yale University score in the top 1 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1480-1580.

Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Yale University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1580 and Above Good >9%
1530 to 1580 Avg + 5%-9%
1480 to 1530 Avg - 3%-5%
1430 to 1480 Reach 1%-3%
Less than 1430 Low <1%
Calculate My Chances 

Yale ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 
33-35 
Applicants Submitting ACT 
35%
ACT Scores for Yale University
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 35
ACT Math 25th 31
ACT Composite 25th 33
ACT Scores for Yale University
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 36
ACT Math 75th 35
ACT Composite 75th 35
Average ACT Score 34

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Yale?

Yale University is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".

Yale regularly accepts students who score 33 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 2 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 33-35.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Yale University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
35 and Above Good >9%
34 to 35 Avg + 5%-9%
33 to 34 Avg - 3%-5%
32 to 33 Reach 1%-3%
Less than 32 Low <1%
Calculate My Chances 

Yale GPA

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 
3.95*
Typical High School Grades 
A-

What GPA do you need to get into Yale University?

Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Yale. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Yale University was 3.95 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #1 in Connecticut for highest average GPA. Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Yale extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 3.95 GPA. The school should be considered a reach even if you have a 3.95 GPA.

 What do these ratings mean?

Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements

*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.95 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

High School Class Rank

97% of Yale University freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Yale University students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 97%
Top 25% of class 99%
Top 50% of class 100%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Yale University admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 26,799 20,441 47,240
Accepted 1,339 1,170 2,509
Acceptance Rate 5% 6% 5%
Enrolled 987 799 1,786
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 74% 68% 71%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

Applications were Due
Dec 31, 2022
Days left to Apply
None

The application deadline for Fall 2023 has passed. Applications were due on Dec 31, 2022.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Yale University is $80.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Yale University and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Yale University Application Requirements
Test Scores Considered but not required
High School GPA Recommended
High School Class Rank Recommended
Completion of College Preparatory Program Neither required nor recommended
Recommendations Required
Demonstration of Competencies Recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Yale University
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit No
Credit for Life Experiences No
Other Colleges to Consider 

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=130794 IPEDS survey data for Yale University.

FAQs

Does Yale University prefer SAT or ACT?

54% of students submit their SAT scores to Yale. 35% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Yale University?

5% of those who apply are granted admission to Yale. Admission competition is extreme and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Yale University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1480 and 1580. 54% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Yale University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 33 and 35. 35% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.