Admissions & Cost

Application Process 

All of the information you need to prepare your application is on this page. You can find resources and an overview of our application process below. 

The application system opens in February and closes in late-April. Complete applications received prior to the application deadline are guaranteed to be considered by the Admissions Review Committee. The Committee seeks to balance the cohort across sectors and regions of the world. Decisions regarding admission and scholarships will be sent in late-May or early-June. 

Candidates will be placed on a waitlist once when the program has been filled. Candidates placed on the waitlist will be notified if a spot is available prior to the start of the program in August.

Before you apply, please review the curriculum, program dates and application requirements to ensure you are able to complete the program and attend the required events. 

Application Readiness Checklist 

This Application Readiness Checklist is meant to help you prepare your application and make the process as easy as possible. For guaranteed consideration of your application, the required materials below must be submitted electronically to the Certificate application system no later than the application deadline. 

Required Materials

Note: English translations are required for all documents not published in English. Translations do not need to be notarized. 

Completed online application form

Scanned or electronic transcript (official or unofficial) that demonstrates the completion of a four-year bachelor's degree in any subject from (a) an accredited U.S. college or university or (b) an international equivalent.  
Uploaded transcripts must be scanned at a high enough quality that they are fully legible and must officially list: 

• Your name; 
• The name of your college/university; 
• Your GPA or grade information; 
• Your degree; and   
• The date your degree was awarded. 
• If the transcript does not include the date of graduation and the type of degree awarded, a scanned copy of your diploma should be included in the PDF. 
• Documents should be submitted in a single PDF with the following naming convention: “LastName_FirstName_Transcript”  

Resume or CV 

• Recommended length of two pages and maximum three pages 
• Please include dates of service, employers, titles, nature of duties, and any significant volunteer experience. 
• Please note for each job/internship/volunteer position whether it was full or part time, and list original research work, reports, or publications. 
• Documents should be submitted in a single PDF with the following naming convention: “LastName_FirstName_Resume” 

Letter of recommendation from a professional or academic supervisor 

• The letter must be submitted prior to the deadline noted above for your application to be considered complete. Note that your recommender will NOT receive an email or reminder from Yale and it is up to you to ensure they submit the letter following the instructions below. 
• Please instruct them to use the following naming convention for the file attachment “ApplicantLastName_ApplicantFirstName_Letter”  
• Your professional or academic supervisor must send the letter of recommendation directly to the admissions platform, as found in a link provided via an email sent to the email address provided by you, the applicant.

Personal statement - 300 words max:  

• Write a personal statement discussing your interests, life experiences, and goals as well as your motivations for applying to this program. 

Short answers - 300 words max for each - to both of the following essay questions: 

• Drawing on your professional and/or academic experience, please describe one challenge urban areas face in their efforts to address climate change. 
• How do you intend to manage your time effectively given your current commitments to work and your personal life? While valuable for your career, this certificate can be demanding and we want to ensure that you have a plan to manage your time effectively. 

A pdf copy of your TOEFL or IELTS test score report 

• This is required (i) if your native language is not English, and (ii) if your undergraduate or graduate degree was not granted at an institution where English is the official language of instruction, and (iii) if you have not worked in an organization where English is the primary language used for communication. 
• The score report may be uploaded directly into the online application system.  
• Documents should be submitted in a single PDF with the following naming convention: “LastName_FirstName_ScoreReport” 

Scholarships

The following scholarship awards are available to applicants. Applicants can apply for multiple awards to increase their chances for selection but are only eligible to receive one scholarship through the program. 

• General Scholarship (25-50%): Offered to outstanding applicants who bring unique leadership or life experiences to the program. Successful applicants will articulate what unique experiences they bring to the program and how their participation in the program will both advance their own personal development and enable them to impact others. Award covers 25 to 50% of program tuition.
  • General Scholarship 
    What unique leadership or life experiences do you feel you bring to the program? How will your participation in the program advance your personal goals and enable you to influence others?  (100-150 words)
• Three Cairns Fellows Program (full tuition): The Three Cairns Fellows Program aims to expand access to YSE online certificate programs for individuals working on climate solutions in the Global South. Eligible candidates must possess primary citizenship from a country in the Global South, have professional and/or academic experience relevant to climate solutions, and actively work on climate solution implementation. Three Cairns Fellows award recipients receive full tuition support for the online program. 
  • Three Cairns Fellows 
    With the mission of training those who will lead the world toward a sustainable future, the Three Cairns Fellows Program aims to expand access to YSE online certificate programs for individuals working on climate solutions in the Global South. Eligible candidates must possess primary citizenship from a country in the Global South, possess professional and/or academic experience relevant to climate solutions, and substantive lived, academic and/or professional experience.
  • This is a competitive scholarship focused on increasing the availability of environmental education to applicants from under-resourced countries. To be considered for this award, candidates must submit the supplemental essay below. Applicants may be requested to also participate in a virtual interview.
  • Essay prompt: Please describe how you are currently helping to advance climate solutions in the Global South. How will the program help you further the impact of your work on climate solutions in the near and long term? (200-450 words)

There is no application fee 

Optional Materials  

Additional scanned or electronic transcripts (official or unofficial) from any other accredited U.S. college or university or an international equivalent you attended. 

• Documents should be submitted in a single PDF with the following naming convention: “LastName_FirstName_OptionalTranscript”. 

Yale University’s Nondiscrimination Statement 

Yale University is committed to basing judgments concerning the admission, education and employment of individuals upon their qualifications and abilities and affirmatively seeks to attract to its faculty, staff and student body qualified persons of diverse backgrounds. 

In accordance with this policy and as delineated by federal and Connecticut law, Yale does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment against any individual on account of that individual’s sex, race, color, religion, age, disability, status as a protected veteran, or national or ethnic origin; nor does Yale discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.