Yale Acceptance Rate

Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, is renowned for its highly selective undergraduate admissions process. For the Class of 2028, Yale reported an overall acceptance rate of approximately 4.5%, reflecting its status as one of the most competitive universities in the world. This selectivity is driven by a consistently large and diverse applicant pool, with over 57,000 applications received in the most recent cycle, alongside a growing trend of students applying through early action. Yale maintains transparency in its admissions data, often publishing detailed statistics through its official admissions website and the Common Data Set, accessible at admissions.yale.edu.

• Overall Acceptance Rate: 4.5%, with approximately 2,150 students admitted out of over 57,000 applicants, marking a slight decrease from the previous year's rate of 4.6%.
• Early Action Rate: 9.0%, with Yale admitting around 700 students from a pool of nearly 8,000 early applicants under its Single-Choice Early Action program, a notably higher rate than regular decision.
• International Student Rate: Estimated at 5.0%, as specific data for the Class of 2028 is unavailable; this estimate aligns with historical trends where international admissions remain highly competitive due to limited spots.

Over the past decade, Yale’s acceptance rates have trended downward, reflecting increasing competitiveness as application numbers surge, particularly through early action, which offers a strategic advantage to applicants. The university’s selectivity is comparable to peer Ivy League institutions like Harvard and Princeton, often falling within the 3-6% range. International student admissions remain especially competitive, with Yale prioritizing a globally diverse student body while balancing domestic enrollment. As application volumes continue to rise, driven by test-optional policies and broader outreach, prospective students face an increasingly challenging admissions landscape at Yale.