Are international students eligible for Yale Law School’s new scholarship?

Earlier this week, Yale Law School announced the Hurst Horizon Scholarship Programme which will cover tuition costs for JD students from families earning below the US poverty line and whose assets are below US$150,000. The poverty line starts at US$13,590 for a one-person household, US$27,750 for a four-person household.

“We are committed to opening our doors to the students who have the most to gain from this School and the most to give to the world, regardless of their means,” said Dean Heather K. Gerken. “I am thrilled that we are able to make this extraordinary addition to a financial aid system that is already best-in-class. The Hurst Horizon Scholarship Programme will free students with the greatest need from financial worry during law school and open up a world of possibilities so that they can be a powerful force for change in society.”

Yale Law School announces tuition-free scholarships for highest-need JD students@YaleLawSch https://t.co/7mNG1zHz5W

— Yale University (@Yale) February 24, 2022

The new Yale Law School scholarship will launch this fall. Approximately 45 to 50 full-tuition scholarships will be automatically offered to students who meet the financial requirements. Each recipient will get US$70,000 per year to cover the cost of tuition, fees, and health insurance.

Yale Law School scholarships and financial aid

The programme is the latest in Yale Law School scholarship and financial aid offerings, following its introduction of the annual US$4,000 Horizon Grant last year.

The cost of a JD — tuition and fees plus allowances for living expenses, books — is an estimated US$93,821. Students are expected to contribute to this cost by exhausting their savings and working while at Yale, as well as to finance a portion of their education through loans. The law school packages your financial aid based on these factors.

International students are eligible for Yale Law School scholarships and financial aid. Source: Yana Paskova/Getty Images/AFP

If you’re not an American citizen or permanent resident, you are eligible for the same amount of need-based aid — i.e. grants and loans — as all other students. You will not be eligible for US federal loans but can apply for the university’s loans that do not require a US citizen as a co-signer.

The Yale Graduate and Professional International Loan (YGPI) has a 10-year repayment schedule and a six-month grace period after graduation or enrollment of less than half-time. The interest rate is fixed at 7.75%, with a 5% origination fee. You do not have to pay while you pursue your postgraduate programme. There are no prepayment penalties and you can pay ahead while in repayment.