Master’s Application Materials List

Required Materials

1. Completed online application form

Complete the YSE Application Form

2. Essays and Statements

A. Professional Degrees: Master of Environmental Management or Master of Forestry — MEM or MF

1. Short Essays (Please respond to all three questions)

   1. Why YSE, and why now? Please share your motivation for coming to YSE and what you plan to study here. Why have you decided to take this professional step now, and how will this educational experience prepare you to fulfill your professional goals? (350 Words)
   2. Tell us about a time that you were able to make progress in overcoming a challenge with a person (or group of people) holding different — or even opposing – views than your own. Describe the challenge at hand, the diverse perspectives that were held, what you learned in this process, and how you have applied the lessons in other contexts. (350 Words)
   3. What unique perspective will you bring to the YSE community? (200 Words)

2. Supplemental Statements (No more than 300 words per statement)

   1. Yale College/Yale NUS 5-year Program Statement
      In outline format, identify undergraduate coursework satisfying prerequisites and your proposed senior-year courses
   2. TOEFL/IELTS 
      i.    Required if your native language is not English or if English was not your primary language of instruction at your degree-granting undergraduate institution
      ii.    In paragraph format, describe any educational, professional, and/or personal experiences that reflect your knowledge of the English language (e.g. courses, internships, study-abroad, etc).

B. Research-Focused Degrees: Master of Environmental Science or Master of Forest Science — MESc or MFS

1. Short Essays (Please respond to both questions. No more than 250 words per question)

   a. Please describe a strength you possess that will enable you to excel in our graduate research program, and how you have cultivated this attribute.
   b. What was your biggest, and most insightful, failure to date? 

2. Statements

   1. MESC/MFS Research Statement (No more than 650 words)
      1.    Required
      2.    Please explain your scientific research experience and your proposed research project.
   2. MESC/MFS Supplemental Statement (No more than 300 words)
      1.    Required
      2.    Write one short paragraph for each advisor you would like to work with describing the interactions you have had with them and why they are a good match to serve as your advisor. Please list faculty in order of preference.
   3. TOEFL/IELTS Supplemental Statement (No more than 300 words)
      1.    Required if your native language is not English or if English was not your primary language of instruction at your degree-granting undergraduate institution
      2.    In paragraph format, describe any educational, professional, and/or personal experiences that reflect your knowledge of the English language (e.g. courses, internships, study-abroad, etc).

3. Résumé or curriculum vitae 

(Do not send hard copies; they will not be read or returned.)

• Include dates of service, employers, titles, nature of duties, and any significant volunteer experience.
• Please include a notation for each job/internship/volunteer position you have held describing whether the position was full or part time.
• List also original research work, reports, or publications.

4. Three letters of reference

(Extra letters will not be accepted.)

• Academic letters and/or letters from professional supervisors are preferred. These individuals can evaluate your scholarship, professional activities, leadership skills, and career goals.
• The submission of the recommendation form and a one- to two-page letter is expected. Letters from family, friends or nonsupervisory colleagues are not acceptable.
• Letters of recommendation do not need to be received before you will be able to submit your application. However, since programs begin reviewing applications shortly after the respective application deadline, please be sure that your letters of recommendation are submitted promptly.

5. Official transcripts

• A four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution or the international equivalent.
• Request official transcripts directly from the colleges or universities you have attended. Electronic copies of each transcript must be sent directly from the conferring institutions to quetcy.maldonado@yale.edu. Transcripts addressed to the applicant will not fulfill the requirement and will be automatically discarded.
  
  All official/final transcripts must include:
  a. Grades for all coursework  
  b. Degree type  
  c. Graduation/degree conferral date  
  d. Date of Birth: not required, but must match your application if included
   e. Legal first name and last name 
  
  Documents for the following are required:
  a. Study abroad  
  b. Exchange Programs  
  c. Transfer credits (excluding Advanced Placement courses)  
  d. All non-degree granting courses, regardless of whether they are referenced on the transcript of the degree-granting institution. 

Attention applicants from international institutions: 

• Official (notarized) English translations are mandatory for academic records and transcripts not originally published in English. A certified translation of the diploma certificate must also be forwarded if the transcript does not include the date of graduation and the type of degree awarded.  
• Applicants completing a bachelor’s degree outside the United States or Canada are encouraged (but not required) to submit a transcript evaluation from World Education Services or Educational Credential Evaluators. The evaluation should be a course-by-course or ICAP evaluation of all transcripts and diplomas. The reports must include a certification of U.S. bachelor’s degree equivalency. If using evaluation services for graduate-level degrees, the same requirements apply. Applicants are responsible for any related fees pertaining to any type of evaluation.
• For WES or ECE evaluations: Submit your official transcripts/diplomas directly to WES or ECE, not Yale. Do not have institutions send transcripts if using one of the listed services. 
• The reports must be mailed directly to the Office of Admission by WES, rather than by you or another third party. Any report not sent by WES will not be considered an official document. 
• Applicants only need one form of their transcript on file, either one sent directly from their previous institution(s) or the one sent from a transcript evaluation service. Please note that if you provide an evaluation report we will not need any additional materials from your previous institution(s).
  
  We encourage you to process your transcripts early in the application cycle to ensure a prompt arrival.

Applicants with a three-year degree from an accredited international institution are eligible to apply, but potential admission will depend upon an equivalency evaluation of your degree. Most evaluations can be done at YSE upon submission, but in some instances WES or ECE evaluations may be required after review.  

Important Note: If admitted, you must submit any outstanding official or certified transcripts for all registered coursework from each college or university you have attended before enrolling at Yale School of the Environment. All offers of admission are conditional upon receiving and verifying official/final documents.

If your university does not offer an electronic service, you may provide them with the following mailing address:
Admissions Office 
Yale School of the Environment 
Attn: Quetcy Rivas Maldonado 
PO Box 208354 
300 Prospect Street 
New Haven, CT 06511 
 

6. Official test score report — TOEFL/IELTS

• TOEFL/IELTS
  The TOEFL exam or the IELTS exam is required if your native language is not English or if English was not your primary language of instruction at your degree-granting undergraduate institution.
• TOEFL: Institution code = 3996; there is no department code (ets.org/toefl) 
  Minimum iBT = 100/120
• IELTS: Institution code = 3996; there is no department code (ielts.org)
  • Minimum overall band = 7.0 (please note: you must receive a minimum of a 6.5 on each individual section)
• Copies or reproductions of test score reports will not be accepted by Yale School of the Environment. Score reports must be sent directly from the testing service.
• Copies or reproductions of test score reports will not be accepted by Yale School of the Environment. Score reports must be sent directly from the testing service.
• Applicants should schedule any necessary standardized tests no later than November, to allow time for official scores to reach YSE before the program application deadline.
• Duolingo English Test (DET)  
• The Yale School of the Environment does not accept Duolingo English Test (DET) at this time.

7. Application fee

• US $80.00 (Fee waived for the 2023-2024 application cycle)

Optional Materials

Explanation of gaps in resume

In no more than 5 sentences, please describe any gaps in your resume (where you were not employed, in school, or interning) lasting longer than 3 months.

Official test score report — GRE, GMAT or LSAT

GRE, GMAT or LSAT (Optional)

• GRE: Institution code = 3996; there is no department code (www.gre.org)
• GMAT: Institution code = 3TJ-WT-45 (https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat)
•  
• LSAT: While the LSAT is also optional, the scores should only be submitted for current applicants to Pace/Vermont/Yale Law School’s joint degree programs. LSAC will not send score reports to Yale School of the Environment (www.lsac.org). If you take the LSAT, you must contact the Office of Admissions or Registrar’s Office at a law school to which you have applied and ask that they fax or email a copy of the score report to Yale School of the Environment: 203-432-5528 or admissions.yse@yale.edu.
  • Copies sent by applicants will not be accepted.
  • The GRE, LSAT, GMAT score reports must be dated within the last five years.
  • Name and birthdate on test exam reports must match the name on application exactly. You must use your “legal” name on all materials otherwise they will not be accepted.
  • Tests taken by December 8 will be considered “received” by the deadline.
• Copies or reproductions of test score reports will not be accepted by Yale School of the Environment. Score reports must be sent directly from the testing service.
• Copies or reproductions of test score reports will not be accepted by Yale School of the Environment. Score reports must be sent directly from the testing service.

Back to the “How to Apply” page