Funding Your Education

After reviewing the total estimated costs for the year, it’s time to think about funding.

1. First, consider funding you don’t have to repay such as YSPH scholarships and external funding.
2. Student Employment: Next you should think about student employment. Most of our students work, and that helps offset living expenses.
3. Savings: Learn how billing works, review payment options, and consider the Yale Payment Plan if someone else will be helping to fund your education.
4. Loans: Last you should consider loan options. Students elect loan types and amounts over the summer. If you’re thinking about loans, you should start with the Planning for Loan Repayment information in the Loans section below. You may also find it useful to watch our Understanding Student Loans video for insight into why you might choose a federal vs. a private loan.

Need some help putting together a funding plan? Never hesitate to reach out, that’s what we’re here for!

There's no separate application for scholarships that document your achievements since your admissions application is so comprehensive. If you’re a US Citizen or Permanent Resident we highly recommend you fill out the FAFSA with our school code (001426-00) by February 1, so we can give you the most complete and accurate information about your financial aid eligibility. Parent information is not required, and if you provide it for another school we will disregard it.

Our new class of YSPHers will get a financial aid award letter within 10 days of admission. The award letter will list all YSPH scholarships awarded for your whole MPH degree — we want you to feel confident about what to expect from us!

In addition to an on-campus hourly wage of at least $15.69 an hour, student employment offers flexible part-time positions designed to allow students to balance their studies and their job. YSPH tuition remission is a not a benefit of part time (or full time) employment at Yale, but you may gain valuable work experience and professional references! Most students work 10-12 hours a week during the school year.

• Campus Jobs
  • Each week available student jobs are posted through Student Employment.
    
• Teaching Fellowships
  • Several weeks into each term, open Teaching Fellowship positions will be posted.
    
• Research Assistant Jobs
  • There are research projects that are in need of a research assistant. We suggest you begin your search for a research assistant position by asking your faculty advisor for suggestions. There are also many positions posted on the Student Employment website.

• The first step in requesting a federal loan for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents is to complete the FAFSA. You will be notified of your loan eligibility, and YSPH will ask you to elect the amount and type of loans you’re requesting for the year each summer before your fall term bill.
• All students may be eligible for private loans but you may require (or get a better rate with) a credit-worthy cosigner. You may access a historical list of lenders Yale students have chosen in the past three years through the ELM network.

• While international students are not eligible for loans through the FAFSA, some countries offer loans for their citizens studying abroad. These vary in availability and terms from country to country, so you should research those options independently.
• Most (but not all) lenders require international citizens to have a co-signer with a strong US credit history to obtain a private student loan. Please select “International” when you view our historical lender list through ELM for the options that may be most relevant to you.

A student loan is a tool you may use to invest in your education, much like you might use a mortgage to invest in the purchase of a home. With a YSPH degree, we hope you’ll feel confident in your ability to repay it! If you use a student loan to fund all or part of your education here at YSPH we want to we want to make sure you know what to expect when it’s time to pay it back.

To estimate your monthly payment after your graduate you may use the Federal Student Aid Repayment Estimator. Tips for using this tool:

• If you log in using your FSA ID you will be automatically linked to any previous federal loan records from the National Student Loan Data System.
• YSPH students are eligible for Direct Unsubsidized Loans for graduate students of $33,000 per year and the Direct PLUS Loan for graduate students if additional loans required above that amount.
• Interest rates change each year. To estimate interest rates for loans you may borrow at YSPH, refer to the most recent interest rates found on the Federal Student Aid website.
• You may use estimated salary information to see the full range of payment options that may be available. To learn more about the salaries of YSPH graduates, please visit our Career Management Center pages.
• You may use the Federal Student Aid Repayment Estimator to estimate private loan payments, but the most accurate information about your private loan repayment plan will come from your lender.