International Students FAQ

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES) is a global school of the environment. Our faculty, students and staff grapple with the world’s greatest environmental problems. Not focused solely on our region, or even on issues only relating to the United States, we believe that the makeup of our student body should be as diverse as the issues and regions we study.

We know that the prospect of applying to a school you may have never visited, and moving to a country you may not have ever been to for a graduate degree can be daunting. You are not alone. Our student population is made up of between 25-30% international students a year, which means that we an incredible international alumni network of well over 600 alums situated in positions around the world.

We have created a series of FAQs to help guide you as you prepare your application for F&ES. If you have additional questions about the admissions process, our programs, and what it is like to be a student at Yale, please feel free to contact us at fesinfo@yale.edu.

If the language of instruction at the Institution where you received your Bachelors degree was not English, you must submit either a TOEFL or IELTS score. These are the only tests that have a minimum score (we do not have a minimum GRE score or GPA). In order to be considered for admission, you MUST score 100 or higher on the iBT version of the TOEFL or 7.0 or higher on IELTS. We will not consider your application if your score is below these listed minimum scores, and conditional admission is unfortunately not available. The TOEFL/IELTS exam must be taken by the December 15 deadline, and the scores must not be more than two years old.

TOEFL and IELTS code: 3996

Yes. We accept either GRE or GMAT. You must submit official scores in order to be considered for admission. You will be asked to self-report your scores on the application, as well as have ETS send your official scores to Yale (GRE code 3996). We must receive the official score in order to consider your application for admission. However, while the rest of the application is due in office on or before December 15, as long as you have taken the GRE/GMAT by this date we consider it to be “on time.” There is no minimum score that we are looking for, however we encourage you to do the best that you can on the exam. The GRE or GMAT score must have been taken within the last five years.

If your transcripts are not in English, you must provide a notarized translation of that transcript, as well as a copy of the transcript in the original language.There are several online resources for international students to use in order to evaluate and translate their college credentials for U.S. institutions, including:

• World Education Services (WES)
• Education Credential Evaluators (ECE)

While using these or other evaluation services is not required, we strongly suggest that you submit a credential evaluation with your application.

Yes! We award scholarships based on financial need, with some component of merit.  In other words, you must first demonstrate financial need first, and then we will consider your scholarship based on the strength of your application. Many international students successfully receive some form of scholarship from F&ES.

In addition, when you apply to F&ES, we will grant you access to our Outside Scholarship Database, which lists the scholarships that F&ES students are most commonly qualified for. Several of these scholarships are directed at international students, and can sometimes cover quite a lot of your financial needs. PLEASE NOTE: These scholarships are offered externally to Yale. You must submit a separate application for each directly to the organization. Do not send materials to Yale.

Finally, we also offer an international student loan for students who are not able to find funding for their entire cost of attendance. Information on this loan can be found here.

In order to be eligible for financial aid, you need to complete our application for financial aid. This is a separate form from our application for admission. You can find the form, as well as other frequently asked questions, on our financial aid website here.

As soon as possible! Our financial aid application deadline is February 15. NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED. This means that you should not wait until you are admitted to the school to apply for financial aid. If you miss the financial aid deadline, you will not be eligible for F&ES scholarships at any time during your studies at F&ES.

No, our admissions process is completely need-blind. The admissions selection committee only reviews your admissions materials and is not provided any financial information on applicants. Our goal is to admit the very best students regardless of socioeconomic status.

Yes! You are allowed to have one of our student assistantships without requiring additional documentation in regards to your student visa. In order to be eligible for a student assistantship, which is considered a form of financial aid, you must submit an application for financial aid and meet the February 15^th deadline mentioned above.

Yes!! We know that it is very hard to leave your home and go to a new country for graduate school. Once offered admission to F&ES, you will receive a series of emails that will help you with your transition to the U.S. including: steps to receive your visa, how to set up banking, housing options, what types of things to bring with you, etc. We will also have an international student orientation session that begins a few days prior to our general orientation. This will allow you time to meet other international students, get your documentation completed and get settled in before meeting the rest of the incoming class.

Additionally, Yale’s long standing reputation and commitment to diversity has created a wonderful community for new students to become engaged in cultural events, trips and activities with current students, staff and faculty from all over the world. You will receive regular information on these and many other opportunities throughout your studies at F&ES.

Education USA offers a wealth of information for international students on how to navigate the confusing world of graduate school applications in the United States. If you have access to one of the EducationUSA offices, we would strongly recommend you contact them for assistance.

The Yale Office of International Student Services (OISS) also offers information to international students coming to Yale University, including travel to New Haven, how to find housing, and steps to obtaining your visa.

Lastly, we are always here to help. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. We are happy to communicate with you via email, SKYPE, or telephone. Good luck on your application and we hope to see you here in the fall!