Financial Aid

When the total amount of the student contribution, parent contribution, and loan and work-study offers does not meet an admitted student’s full financial need, scholarship funds are awarded. Scholarships are also known as grant or gift aid and, unlike loans, do not have to be repaid. If your financial aid applications are received by the School’s deadline and you have calculated need, the School makes every effort to award a scholarship to admitted students with scholarship eligibility. Scholarship availability is based on the number of students with calculated financial need within the School and the amount of funds available. The maximum scholarship for first-year students does not exceed tuition costs.

Admitted students with financial aid eligibility will have a portion of their financial need met with a loan offer. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. Non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents are eligible for the Yale Student Loan. Private Loans are also available to qualified student borrowers through private lenders, such as banks, online lenders, and credit unions. Creditworthy U.S. citizens may apply for private loans without a co-signer, and international students typically need a creditworthy U.S. Citizen/Permanent Resident co-signer to apply. For private loan options, visit ELM Select https://www.elmselect.com/v4/school/156/program/5/program-detail.

Work-study as part of your financial aid award indicates eligibility for a job within Yale. There are a number of jobs within the School of Art (admissions, labs, studio crews, etc.) that paid $14.25 per hour in 2019-20. If you are awarded a job within the School, you will be notified by the supervisor. Generally, it will involve four-to-six hours a week during the regular academic year only.

Work-study positions available within the School of Art may be limited and not all MFA students necessarily will be assigned a job within the School. So it is suggested you examine the Yale Student Employment Office (246 Church Street) online student job search. This job search engine lists campus, community service (Federal Work Study) and other categories of employment for which you can apply online.

(Returning/Second-year students ONLY)

School of Art faculty select Teaching Assistants each year from the second-year class. Pay is a flat rate for the term and is determined by the class’s number of hours and sections. At the time they are assigned, Teaching Assistantships are not determined through financial need; however, the amount a student earns is considered a term-time earning and may reduce a student’s total need insofar as the financial award is concerned. Teaching Assistants normally receive an appointment for one term.