Yale makes tuition free for families making less than $200K

Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News on Jan 27, 2026

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Yale University will make tuition free for students whose families make less than $200,000 beginning next academic year, the school announced Tuesday.

Additionally, any student whose family makes less than $100,000 per year will have their full cost of attendance, including housing, meals and course materials, paid for by the school.

“I am thrilled that Yale is making this important investment in affordability,” said the school’s undergraduate admissions dean, Jeremiah Quinlan.

More than 80% of U.S. families will qualify for the free tuition offer, according to Yale’s estimates. The policy will begin for incoming students in the 2026-27 school year, when tuition is set to cost $72,500.

Yale announced the policy one year after another top Ivy League school, Harvard, revealed similar plans. Harvard’s policy began for the current 2025-26 school year and followed the example of other top universities, including Columbia University, which offers free tuition for students from families making less than $150,000.

A 2017 analysis found that 69% of Yale students came from the richest 20% of families in the U.S. — that number was also 67% at Harvard.

The total cost of attendance next year at Yale will be nearly $100,000, according to the school’s website. In addition to the $72,500 tuition, the school estimates $12,000 in housing costs and $9,000 in food spending.

Tuesday’s announcement expands Yale’s financial aid options to more families. The school already offered free cost of attendance to students from families making less than $75,000.

“I know that navigating financial aid can feel overwhelming,” undergraduate financial aid director Kari DiFonzo said. “Determining a family’s specific ability to contribute towards a college education can be complicated, but these new policies will make it easier for more families to quickly understand their cost.”

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