Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, is one of the most famous and trusted universities in the United States and the world, renowned for its strong liberal arts foundation, and world-class graduate schools, particularly in Law, Drama, Public Policy, and the Humanities. It offers a deeply interdisciplinary undergraduate education, encouraging intellectual exploration before declaring a major.

Yale receives approximately 50,000 undergraduate applications each year and admits around 4.6% of them, making it one of the most difficult universities int hhe world to get into. Applications are submitted via the Common Application, and require necessary Academic transcripts, Teacher recommendations, Extracurricular activities, Personal essays, and Standardized test scores (SAT or ACT).

Yale looks for more than just academic achievement. Its holistic admissions process means that they look for intellectual curiosity, creativity, leadership, and community engagement. Successful New Zealand applicants typically present NCEA Level 3 with Excellence endorsements, or Cambridge A Levels, alongside high standardized test scores, if submitted, and evidence of initiative, such as research, writing, artistic projects, social impact, or competition success.

The total annual cost (including tuition, fees, room, and board) is about $140,000 NZ, but Yale is need-blind for all applicants including international students and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. This means New Zealand students from middle-income or modest-income households often pay significantly less, and sometimes nothing at all. Aid packages include no loans, only grants and scholarships.