On Tuesday, Yale University unveiled a significant policy shift aimed at broadening access to education. Starting this fall, new undergraduate students from families earning less than $200,000 annually will be eligible for free tuition. Furthermore, those from families with incomes under $100,000 will see all educational expenses waived, including housing and meal plans.

Provost Scott Strobel highlighted the initiative’s importance, stating, “This strategic investment is central to our mission to educate exceptional students from all backgrounds. The benefits are evident as these talented students enrich the Yale campus and go on to serve their communities after graduation.”

This policy adjustment represents a noteworthy increase from the previous threshold, where students from families earning under $75,000 received full support for educational costs. With the updated criteria, nearly half of American households with school-aged children will now qualify for comprehensive financial assistance.

Jeremiah Quinlan, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, expressed his enthusiasm, noting, “I am thrilled that Yale is making this important investment in affordability. With this announcement, we reiterate and reinforce Yale’s commitment to ensuring that cost will never be a barrier between promising students and a Yale College education.”

The university previously waived all expected costs — including housing and meal plan — for students from families earning less than $75,000 a year. But Yale said the move to raise the limit to $100,000 means nearly half of American households with children ages 6 to 17 will qualify for all education expenses being covered.

“I am thrilled that Yale is making this important investment in affordability,” Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid Jeremiah Quinlan said. “With this announcement, we reiterate and reinforce Yale’s commitment to ensuring that cost will never be a barrier between promising students and a Yale College education.”

Yale’s announcement comes after several prestigious universities made similar moves in recent years, including Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Yale’s announcement comes after several prestigious universities made similar moves in recent years. (Joe Buglewicz/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Last fall, Harvard revealed a nearly identical policy while Penn announced it would make tuition-free for families making less than $200,000 a year.

As it stands now, 56% of the undergraduate class at Yale receive need-based aid and 1,000 students qualify for a no-cost degree. The average grant for all students receiving aid in the current academic year is more than the annual cost of tuition. 

“Yale makes a special effort to support students with the greatest financial need,” said Kari DiFonzo, Yale’s director of undergraduate financial aid. “Beyond generous financial aid offers, Yale provides extra grants for students to purchase winter clothing, to pursue summer experiences abroad, and to respond to unexpected financial hardships.”

Yale said the average grant for all students receiving aid in the current academic year is more than the annual cost of tuition.  (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The total cost of attendance at Yale currently exceeds $90,000 for undergraduates.

“For more than 60 years, Yale has considered applicants without regard to their ability to pay and has provided scholarship support to meet families’ full financial needs,” Dean of Yale College Pericles Lewis said. “This approach has been instrumental in attracting the most talented, ambitious, and dynamic undergraduates to Yale.”