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Yale Young Global ScholarsYYGS

YYGS is Yale's two-week interdisciplinary residential program for 10th and 11th graders worldwide, with three sessions and three tracks each summer. It reported over 14,000 applications in 2026, and its need-based aid is open equally to domestic and international students.

Open to international students
Tuition · aid available

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Size and selectivity14,000+ applications

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Eligibility: Open to international students
Cost: Tuition · aid available
Latest deadline: Oct 15, 2026

YYGS at a Glance

Host: Office of International Affairs, Yale University
Field: Interdisciplinary, with three tracks: Innovations in Science & Technology (IST), Politics of Law & Economics (PLE) and Solving Global Challenges (SGC).
Grades and age: Current high school sophomores or juniors (or international equivalent) who are between 16 and 18 by July 18, 2027; first-time participants only
Citizenship and residency: Open to students from all countries who can take part in a rigorous curriculum taught in English; English test scores are optional. Need-based aid is offered equally to domestic and international students.
Cost: $7,500 for one two-week session, covering housing, meals and curriculum materials but not travel. Need-based aid is given as a tuition discount of up to 100%; in 2026, the program met 99% of admitted aid applicants' requests in full. The application fee is $85 for Early Action and $100 for Regular Decision, and can be waived for students with financial need.
Dates and format: Two weeks, residential, on the Yale campus in New Haven. 2027 sessions run June 20 to July 2, July 4 to 16 and July 18 to 30; students attend one session. The program includes Yale faculty lectures, small seminars and Capstone group research projects.
Application dates: Two rounds for 2027: Early Action closes at 11:59 pm ET on October 15, 2026, with decisions by December 11; Regular Decision closes January 6, 2027, with decisions by March 10. Early Action applicants who are not admitted are deferred to Regular Decision for further review.
Application materials: Activities list; one 400-word essay and one 200-word response; two 280-character 'fast take' responses; official transcript; one YYGS online recommendation form (letters are not accepted); application fee. English test scores such as TOEFL or Duolingo are optional.
Size and selectivity: YYGS does not publish an admission rate. Its news posts report over 14,000 applications in 2026, with nearly 2,000 students expected that summer, and over 10,000 applications in 2024, with 1,800 students on campus.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · globalscholars.yale.edu

About YYGS

Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) is run by Yale University’s Office of International Affairs for 10th and 11th graders from around the world. Each session lasts two weeks, with students living on the Yale campus in New Haven. Students choose one of three tracks, Innovations in Science & Technology (IST), Politics of Law & Economics (PLE) or Solving Global Challenges (SGC), and attend Yale faculty lectures, small seminars and Capstone group research projects. There are three sessions in 2027, the first starting June 20.

YYGS is large, and it does not publish an admission rate. Its news posts report over 14,000 applications in 2026, with nearly 2,000 students expected that summer. Tuition is $7,500 per session, not including travel; need-based aid covers up to the full tuition and is offered equally to domestic and international students, and in 2026 the program met 99% of admitted aid applicants’ requests in full.

For 2027, Early Action closes October 15, 2026 and Regular Decision closes January 6, 2027. YYGS states that it is not a feeder program for Yale. EDUBUS suggests preparing for it as an opportunity for interdisciplinary seminars and international exchange, with essays that describe specific experiences related to the chosen track.

How to Apply to YYGS

Early Action closes October 15, 2026, with a fee of $85 instead of the Regular Decision fee of $100, and decisions by December 11. Students whose materials are ready should apply Early Action.
Recommendations are accepted only through the YYGS online form, not as letters. Tell your recommender about the form and the deadline early.
The writing is short: a 400-word essay, a 200-word response and two 280-character fast takes. Keep each piece to one specific experience tied to your chosen track.

Application Support for YYGS

EDUBUS starts with an assessment of grades, competitions and research, then decides which programs to aim for and which to hold as back-ups. We then guide each application form, essay, qualifying problem set and interview, and help turn the summer into part of the college application.

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YYGS: Frequently Asked Questions

Should an Irvine student apply to YYGS Early Action or Regular Decision?

Need-based aid is available in both rounds. Early Action closes October 15, 2026 with an $85 fee and decisions by December 11; Regular Decision closes January 6, 2027 with a $100 fee. An Irvine student whose materials are ready should apply Early Action.

Can a student attending school in Irvine on a student visa apply to YYGS?

Yes. YYGS accepts applications from all countries and offers need-based aid equally to domestic and international students. The grade and age rules are the same for everyone: a sophomore or junior at the time of application, and between 16 and 18 by July 18, 2027.

What is the YYGS admission rate?

YYGS does not publish one. Its news posts report over 14,000 applications in 2026 with nearly 2,000 students expected, and over 10,000 applications in 2024 with 1,800 students on campus. Enrollment is not the same as admissions, so these figures should not be used to estimate a rate.

Does attending YYGS help with admission to Yale?

YYGS says it is not a feeder program for Yale; it is run by Yale's Office of International Affairs. It says the certificate of completion can be added as a credential to an application to any college, Yale included.

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Sources9 sources · checked 2026-10-06

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