Yale University will eliminate tuition for families earning under $200,000 a year starting in the 2026–2027 academic year. For students from families earning up to $100,000, the university will fully cover all costs, including housing and meals. At the current cost of a year of study — about $90,000 — this decision will significantly expand access to one of the leading universities in the United States.
According to the university, the new rules make a Yale education accessible to roughly half of American households with school-age children. Financial aid is currently received by about 56% of students, and about a thousand are already studying for free. The new policy covers virtually the entire middle class and some families with higher incomes.
Yale will also maintain a system of additional grants to support students with disabilities, overseas internships, and unexpected expenses. The university emphasizes that the key criteria for admission and study should remain ability and academic achievement, not a family’s financial situation. Similar steps were previously taken by Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Pennsylvania, reflecting a broader trend toward expanding access to elite education in the United States.
