Yale University acceptance rate, scores and deadlines

New Haven, CT · private · 6,758 undergraduates

Acceptance rate 4.8% Fall 2025 · ↑0.9 pts
SAT, middle 50% 1480–1560 Enrolled, Fall 2025
Tests, 2026–27 SAT/ACT required From the admissions site

Source: Common Data Set 2025–26 · deadlines from Yale's admissions site.

Chances at Yale
1500
unweighted, 4.0 scale —
Your odds · Regular decision Reach
1.2–4.5%
  • Your SAT 1500 is inside the middle 50% of enrolled students (1480–1560).
  • Yale admits 4.8% of applicants overall.
  • Under 15% admitted: a reach for every applicant.

Data: Common Data Set 2025–26 · SAT/ACT required for 2026–27

An estimate, not a guarantee. Save to my list

Acceptance rate

Yale acceptance rate by year

2,387 of 50,264 applicants admitted for Fall 2025, against 3.9% for Fall 2024.

0% 2% 4% 6% 8% 201520172019202120232025 4.8%
Show the numbers
Entering classAppliedAdmittedRateSource
Fall 202550,2642,3874.8%Common Data Set
Fall 202457,5172,2273.9%IPEDS
Fall 202351,8032,3324.5%IPEDS
Fall 202250,0602,2894.6%IPEDS
Fall 202147,2402,5095.3%IPEDS
Fall 202035,2202,2996.5%IPEDS
Fall 201936,8442,2416.1%IPEDS
Fall 201835,3012,2406.3%IPEDS
Fall 201732,8792,2776.9%IPEDS
Fall 201631,4451,9886.3%IPEDS
Fall 201530,2362,0346.7%IPEDS

2026–27 applications

Yale deadlines for 2026–27

Apply with Common App or Coalition App (Scoir) or QuestBridge. Checked October 24, 2026 on Yale's admissions site. Dates can change; confirm them there before you submit.

  1. Restrictive early action Apply by Decisions December 16
  2. Regular decision Apply by Decisions March 31
Every 2026–27 deadline, in date order

Early rounds

Early decision and early action at Yale

Yale offers restrictive early action for 2026–27. It does not publish separate early admit rates in its Common Data Set.

Scores and GPA

Test scores and GPA at Yale

Scores are for enrolled students who sent them, not for everyone admitted.

SAT, middle 50% 1480–1560
40067% sent a score1600
ACT, middle 50% 33–35
1Enrolled, Fall 202536

What counts

What Yale weighs

From section C7 of Yale's Common Data Set 2025–26.

Very important

  • Course rigor
  • Class rank
  • GPA
  • Essays
  • Recommendations
  • Activities
  • Talent or ability
  • Character

Considered

  • Test scores
  • Interview
  • First-generation status
  • Alumni relation
  • Where you live
  • State residency
  • Volunteer work
  • Work experience

Not considered

  • Religious affiliation
  • Demonstrated interest

Waitlist

Yale waitlist

944 students were offered a place on the waitlist for Fall 2025, 738 accepted it, and 32 were admitted from it (4.3% of those who stayed on).

Cost

What Yale costs

From the College Scorecard. For your own estimate, use Yale's net price calculator.

Tuition$69,900
Per year
Average net price$11,340
After grants, aided students
Open Yale's net price calculator

Compare

Colleges with a similar acceptance rate

Close to Yale's 4.8%, from the same official data.

FAQ

Questions about Yale admissions

What is Yale's acceptance rate?

Yale admitted 2,387 of 50,264 first-year applicants for Fall 2025, an acceptance rate of 4.8%. That is up from 3.9% for Fall 2024. Source: Common Data Set 2025–26.

Is Yale test-optional for 2026–27?

No. Yale requires the SAT or ACT from first-year applicants for 2026–27.

When are Yale's application deadlines for 2026–27?

Restrictive early action: November 1, 2026; Regular decision: January 2, 2027. Check Yale's admissions site before you apply, as dates can change.

What SAT score do you need for Yale?

There is no cutoff. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1480–1560 on the SAT (Fall 2025), and 67% of them sent a score. A score at or above 1560 is in the top quarter of enrolled students.

Where the numbers come from

Sources

Odds are estimates from public data, shown as a range. An estimate, not a guarantee.

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