Of course, Yale is a big name. It’s one of the top universities out there. So if you’re a high school student curious about the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) program, that totally makes sense given it’s a well-known summer program that gets a lot of attention.
In this blog, we’ll break down what the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) program really offers. We’ll look at the experience, who gets in, and how to apply. You’ll get a better sense of what makes YYGS stand out, what kind of student thrives there, and whether it’s the right fit for you.
- What Is the Yale Young Global Scholars Program?
- Yale Young Global Scholars Acceptance Rate
- Yale Young Global Scholars Application Deadline
- Yale Young Global Scholars Requirements
- How to Get into the Yale Young Global Scholars
- Why Join the Yale Young Global Scholars?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Takeaways
What Is the Yale Young Global Scholars Program?
The Yale Young Global Scholars program (you might’ve heard it called the Ivy Scholars program in the past) is a two-week summer experience designed for high school students. What makes it more exciting is that you actually get to live and learn on Yale’s campus and it’s a cool way to get a feel for college life at one of the most well-known universities in the world.
The Yale Young Global Scholars program for 2025 offers three residential sessions. Session I will run from June 22 to July 4, Session II from July 6 to July 18, and Session III from July 20 to August 1.
YYGS brings together students from across the globe to connect and share ideas. You’ll get to choose one of four tracks to dive into, depending on what you’re into:
- Innovations in Science & Technology
- Literature, Philosophy, & Culture
- Politics, Law, & Economics
- Solving Global Challenges
Your days will be packed with lectures, seminars, symposiums, and talks, basically a lot of learning in different formats. The classes are small, too, with around 12 students per instructor. That setup’s meant to keep things personal, so you’re not just sitting in a giant lecture hall. Instead, you get the chance to actually talk, share ideas, and develop skills like critical thinking, analysis, and teamwork.
In the evenings, you’ll still have stuff to do, but it’s more relaxed. There’s time to work on assignments, join group discussions, hang out with other students, eat dinner together, or join fun activities.
YYGS brings in over 2,000 students every year from all 50 states and more than 150 countries. So, you’re not just learning from professors, but also learning from each other.
Yale Young Global Scholars Acceptance Rate
Getting into the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) program isn’t easy. It’s actually pretty competitive.
The acceptance rate changes a bit each year, but just to give you an idea: in 2024, more than 10,000 students applied, and only around 1,800 got in. That’s roughly an 18% acceptance rate. A few years earlier, in 2021, about 7,000 students applied and 2,400 were accepted across 12 sessions, which puts the rate closer to 34%.
Yale Young Global Scholars Application Deadline
YYGS reviews applications on a rolling basis, but don’t worry, they won’t send out any decisions until they’ve gone through all the applications in your group. That way, everyone gets a fair shot.
Here’s how the timeline works:
- Early Action deadline: October 20, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET
- Regular Decision deadline: January 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET
If you apply Early Action, you’ll either get accepted or moved to the Regular Decision pool for another look. If that happens, you’ll get your final decision—Admit, Waitlist, or Deny—by March 15, 2025. So, if you’re planning to apply early, just keep that timeline in mind.
Notification and other key dates
Here’s what to expect once you’ve applied:
- Early Action. You’ll find out if you got in (and get your financial aid info) by December 16, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. If you’re accepted, you’ll need to let them know your decision and pay the tuition by December 20, 2024, also by 11:59 PM ET.
- Regular Decision. You’ll hear back about your admission and financial aid by March 10, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET. Then you’ve got until March 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET to accept your offer and pay your tuition.
Yale Young Global Scholars Requirements
If you’re thinking about applying to YYGS, there are a couple of things you need to check off first to qualify and some documents to submit.
Eligibility
You’ll need to meet all of these requirements to be eligible:
- Age. You should be between 16 and 18 years old by July 20, 2025 (that’s the first day of Session III).
- English skills. You need to be comfortable learning and participating in classes that are taught in English. It’s a pretty fast-paced academic environment.
- Grade level. You should currently be a high school sophomore or junior, or the international equivalent.
- Graduation date. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, you should be graduating in May or June of 2026 or 2027. If you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, your graduation should be in November or December of 2025 or 2026.
- First-time applicant. This needs to be your first time attending YYGS. If you already joined the program in a previous summer (like in 2024 or before), you won’t be able to attend again in 2025.
That said, if you’ve applied before but didn’t get in or couldn’t attend and you still meet all these criteria, you’re absolutely welcome to apply again for YYGS 2025.
And good news is that YYGS accepts students from everywhere. No matter where you live, you can apply, and you can also request need-based financial aid. So don’t let location or money hold you back from going for it!
Required documents
YYGS looks at every application as a whole. That means they’re not just checking your grades or test scores, but they also evaluate students from all kinds of backgrounds and who are presented with different opportunities. So your essays and short answer responses actually matter a lot.
Here’s what you’ll need to submit:
- Activities list. Just a quick overview of what you’ve been involved in outside of class.
- One 400-word essay + one 200-word response. This is your chance to show who you are and what you care about.
- Two “fast takes.” These are short responses, 280 characters each. Think of them like mini-Tweets that give a quick glimpse into your personality.
- Your official school transcript. Basically your grades, sent by your school.
- One recommendation. They’ll fill out the official YYGS Recommendation Form (and only the form—no separate letters are allowed).
- Application fee. It’s $75 if you apply Early Action, and $90 for Regular Decision. Just a heads up, the fee is non-refundable.
A few optional things you can add:
- English test scores (TOEFL or DuoLingo). If you’ve got them, great. If not, no worries – you can waive this part.
- Need-based financial aid. If you’d like to apply for aid, just fill out the financial aid section of the application as it’s open to all students.
The recommendation form is designed to be simple and easy for your recommender to fill out, especially since students come from all over the world. In addition, it helps the review team get a fair comparison.
And that’s it! Just make sure everything’s ready before the deadline and don’t forget to actually click “Submit”!
Program costs
If you’re planning to attend YYGS in person, the full tuition for one two-week session is $6,500 USD.
That amount covers everything while you’re on campus: your housing, meals, course materials, and all the program activities. What it doesn’t include is your travel. Because YYGS works with thousands of students from all over the world, they aren’t able to handle travel logistics or costs. So you’ll be in charge of getting yourself to and from Yale.
YYGS offers need-based financial aid, and it’s open to all students, U.S. and international. In fact, the aid can cover up to the full cost of tuition. If you get financial help, you’ll still need to figure out your own travel, but a lot of students fundraise or find support to make it happen.
How to Get into the Yale Young Global Scholars
Ready to apply to YYGS? Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you through it—no stress, just take it one step at a time.
- Step 1. Take a quick look at the YYGS eligibility requirements to make sure you’re good to go.
- Step 2. Check out all the application requirements so you know what you’ll need to submit.
- Step 3. Open the sample blank application (PDF). It’s a great way to preview the questions and start thinking about your answers ahead of time.
- Step 4. You’ll need to enter contact info for a parent or guardian, a teacher, and/or a school official. Reach out to them early and go over the sample application together so you’re not scrambling later.
- Step 5. Once on the application portal, click that “Apply Now” button to get started. Be sure to write down your email and password. You’ll need them to log back in later.
- Step 6. Use the “Review” page inside the application to double-check that everything’s complete. If something’s missing, go back and fix it.
- Step 7. Once it’s all filled out, head to the “Review” page and hit the “Submit Application” button at the bottom.
- Step 8. Go to your Applicant Status Portal and pay your application fee: $75 for Early Action, $90 for Regular Decision. The fee is non-refundable, so just keep that in mind. If you applied for a Fee Waiver, you can check your portal to see if it was approved. If it’s denied, your application won’t be reviewed until you pay the fee.
- Step 9. Keep an eye on your inbox! You’ll get a confirmation email once your application goes through. It usually shows up within 24 to 48 hours, sometimes payment processing takes a bit.
And that’s it. You’re done!
How to create a compelling activities list
To create a strong activities list for YYGS, focus on what you’re truly passionate about and what shows your growth, leadership, or initiative. Don’t just list things to fill up space. Be intentional.
For example, if you were part of your school’s debate team, started a science club, or organized a community cleanup, include those. Be specific about your role and what you accomplished. Saying “led a fundraising drive that raised $1,000 for local shelters” is more compelling than just “volunteered.”
Since YYGS is all about collaboration, critical thinking, and tackling global issues, it helps to include activities that match those themes. Participated in a Model UN? Took part in a youth-led sustainability project? Perfect.
Even if your experience isn’t super academic, like starting a blog or mentoring younger students, that still counts. It shows initiative. Just make sure each entry gives a clear picture of what you did and why it mattered.
How to effectively answer the essay and short-response questions
When answering the 400-word essay and 200-word response, focus on being real and reflective. Share something that matters to you, maybe a personal experience, a challenge you faced, or an idea you’re passionate about.
For example, if you’re applying to the Politics, Law, & Economics (PLE) track, you could write about organizing a voter registration drive or starting a school podcast on current events. Connect your story to how you think, what you value, and how you want to grow at YYGS. Be honest and thoughtful, and try to show your unique perspective.
For the two fast takes, don’t overthink it, and just let your personality come through. These are short (280 characters max), so make them fun, clever, or bold. One could be a quirky fact about yourself (like being obsessed with climate data spreadsheets) or a quick opinion on an issue that fires you up.
How to choose a recommender
Pick a recommender who knows you well and can speak honestly about your curiosity, work ethic, and potential especially in ways that relate to what you’ll be doing at YYGS.
For example, if you’re applying to the Literature, Philosophy, & Culture (LPC) track and you’ve written essays for your school paper or led a book club, a teacher who’s seen your writing or discussion skills in action would be a great fit. Choose someone who can give a clear picture of how you think, participate, and grow, inside and outside the classroom.
Why Join the Yale Young Global Scholars?
The Yale Young Global Scholars is a world-renowned summer program for high school students. Held at Yale University, it brings together motivated teens from over 150 countries to explore global issues through classes, discussions, and cultural exchange. Here are three reasons why it is important to join YYGS:
1. An impressive boost to your college applications
YYGS has the Yale name behind it, and that already says a lot. The program is competitive and challenging, which means getting in shows colleges that you’re serious, curious, and ready for big things. When admissions officers see YYGS on your resume, they know you didn’t just spend your summer relaxing; you chose to challenge yourself, explore global issues, and work with students from around the world.
2. A real taste of college life
At YYGS, you’ll get a feel for what college is really like. You’ll attend lectures by Yale professors, join small group discussions, and explore exciting topics like science, politics, economics, and global affairs. It’s about thinking for yourself, asking questions, and learning from your peers. You’ll come out of it feeling more confident and prepared for what’s ahead.
3. Meeting people from around the world
One of the best parts of YYGS is the people you meet. You’ll connect with students from over 150 countries, and those friendships don’t just end when the program does. You’ll stay in touch, support each other, and maybe even end up at the same college. It’s a chance to build a global network early on and learn how to work with others who think and see the world differently from you.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much does the Yale Young Global Scholars program cost?
If you’re going to YYGS in person, the total cost for one two-week session is $6,500 USD. This includes your housing, meals, class materials, and all the activities. YYGS also offers need-based financial aid for both U.S. and international students and it can even cover the full tuition if you qualify.
2. Is Yale Young Global Scholars prestigious?
Yes, Yale Young Global Scholars is prestigious. It’s highly selective, hosted by Yale University, and recognized worldwide for its academic rigor and global community of talented high school students.
3. What GPA do you need for Yale Young Global Scholars?
YYGS doesn’t have a required GPA. Instead, they look at your whole application—grades, activities, essays, and recommendations. A strong GPA helps, but they care more about your curiosity, leadership, and love of learning. Even without perfect grades, you still have a good shot if you show those qualities.
4. Is it hard to get into Yale Young Global Scholars?
Yes, gaining admission to the Yale Young Global Scholars (YYGS) program is challenging due to its selectivity. Acceptance rates have varied over the years, with estimates ranging from approximately 15% to 30%. For instance, in 2024, YYGS received over 10,000 applications, admitted around 1,800 students, and had an acceptance rate of about 18%.
Takeaways
The Yale Young Global Scholars is a serious academic experience built for students who are ready to challenge themselves, meet diverse peers, and grow both inside and outside the classroom. Here are five things you need to take note:
- With acceptance rates as low as 18%, YYGS is competitive. But they don’t just look at grades. They care about your potential, personality, and passion for learning.
- YYGS costs $6,500 for two weeks, but need-based financial aid can cover the full tuition.
- With students from 150+ countries, YYGS is a place where you’ll share ideas, learn new perspectives, and build friendships that could last a lifetime.
- You need to be thoughtful when applying. The essays, activity list, and recommendation matter a lot. Be honest, show what you care about, and let your personality come through.
- Work with a college admissions expert to help you craft a compelling application and increase your chances of getting into this prestigious program.
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