Tuition, Fees, and Other Expenses
Tuition and Fees, 2012–2013
Master’s Programs
The 2012–2013 tuition for master’s degrees (Master of Environmental Management, Master of Forest Science, Master of Environmental Science, and Master of Forestry) is $33,450. Tuition for special students is based on the number of courses taken. The School reserves the right to revise tuition as it deems appropriate. Tuition does not include health insurance as required by the University, or materials fees charged by other schools and departments in the University.
Two-year master’s students must pay full tuition for two years, regardless of the number of courses taken.
For 2012–2013, a single student should also anticipate estimated expenses of $1,490 for books and supplies; $1,620 for health insurance; living expenses of $14,690 for room, board, transportation, and personal expenses for nine months; and $250 for the Student Activities Fee.
Doctor of Philosophy Program
The 2012–2013 tuition for the Ph.D. program is $35,500. Most doctoral students receive a School fellowship that covers the cost of their tuition and provides a twelve-month stipend for the first five years of their program. In 2012–2013 the stipend is $27,300. Doctoral students must pay a nominal continuing registration fee for no more than three years thereafter. In 2012–2013 the continuing registration fee is $850.
For 2012–2013, a single student can expect living expenses of approximately $20,880 for twelve months.
Registration
All students in the master’s programs must register for courses using the online registration system (available at www.yale.edu/sis) within the normal shopping period. The shopping period is the first two weeks of classes for the fall and spring terms (see academic calendar). A penalty of $25 will be charged for late registration until midterms; a penalty of $35 will be charged from midterms to the last day of classes.
International students are required to complete a nonacademic registration at the Office of International Students and Scholars prior to their regular academic registration.
Part-Time Tuition Fees
The tuition charge for part-time students is 25 percent of tuition for one course, 50 percent for two courses, 75 percent for three courses, and full tuition for four or more courses for each term of attendance.
Continuous Registration
Master’s degree students who wish to pursue their research through a six-month or one-year internship are permitted to do so and are considered enrolled on a full-time basis (student is entitled to continue membership in Yale Health and defer student loans). Upon return, the student will register as a full-time student and pay tuition for the period needed to complete his/her degree requirements. Students may not register for regular course work, or work as a teaching assistant, while on continuous registration status. The fee for continuous registration is $1,250 per term. Students are permitted to be on continuous registration for a maximum of two terms.
Tuition Deposit
Upon acceptance of admission, a deposit of $500 payable directly to the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies is required to hold a place in the entering class. If a decision is made not to matriculate, the deposit will not be refunded.
Tuition Rebate and Financial Aid Refund Policy
On the basis of the federal regulations governing the return of federal student aid (Title IV) funds for withdrawn students, the rebate and refund of tuition are subject to the following policy.
- 1. For purposes of determining the refund of federal student aid funds, any student who withdraws from the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies for any reason during the first 60 percent of the term will be subject to a pro rata schedule that will be used to determine the amount of Title IV funds a student has earned at the time of withdrawal. A student who withdraws after the 60 percent point has earned 100 percent of the Title IV funds. In 2012–2013, the last days for refunding federal student aid funds will be October 30, 2012, in the fall term and March 28, 2013, in the spring term.
- 2. For purposes of determining the refund of institutional aid funds and for students who have not received financial aid:
- a. 100 percent of tuition will be rebated for withdrawals that occur on or before the end of the first 10 percent of the term: September 7, 2012, in the fall term and January 23, 2013, in the spring term.
- b. A rebate of one-half (50 percent) of tuition will be granted for withdrawals that occur after the first 10 percent but on or before the last day of the first quarter of the term: September 22, 2012, in the fall term and February 7, 2013, in the spring term.
- c. A rebate of one-quarter (25 percent) of tuition will be granted for withdrawals that occur after the first quarter of a term but on or before the day of midterm: October 16, 2012, in the fall term and March 3, 2013, in the spring term.
- d. Students who withdraw for any reason after midterm will not receive a rebate of any portion of tuition.
- 3. The death of a student shall cancel charges for tuition as of the date of death, and the bursar will adjust the tuition on a pro rata basis.
- 4. If the student has received student loans or other forms of financial aid, funds will be returned in the order prescribed by federal regulations; namely, first to Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, if any; then to Federal Perkins Loans; Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans; next to any other federal, state, private, or institutional scholarships and loans; and, finally, any remaining balance to the student.
- 5. Recipients of federal and/or institutional loans who withdraw are required to have an exit interview before leaving Yale. Students leaving Yale receive instructions on completing this process from Yale Student Financial Services.
Student Accounts and Bills
Student accounts, billing, and related services are administered through the Office of Student Financial Services, which is located at 246 Church Street. The telephone number is 203.432.2700, or visit www.yale.edu/sfs/contactus.
Bills
Yale University’s official means of communicating monthly financial account statements is through the University’s Internet-based system for electronic billing and payment, Yale University eBill-ePay. Yale does not mail paper bills.
Student account statements are prepared and made available twelve times a year at the beginning of each month. Payment is due in full by 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the first business day of the following month. E-mail notifications that the account statement is available on the University eBill-ePay Web site (www.yale.edu/sis/ebep) are sent to all students at their official Yale e-mail addresses and to all student-designated authorized payers. It is imperative that all students monitor their Yale e-mail accounts on an ongoing basis.
Bills for tuition, room, and board are available to the student during the first week of July, due and payable by August 1 for the fall term; and during the first week of November, due and payable by December 1 for the spring term. The Office of Student Financial Services will impose late fees of $125 per month (up to a total of $375 per term) if any part of the term bill, less Yale-administered loans and scholarships that have been applied for on a timely basis, is not paid when due. Nonpayment of bills and failure to complete and submit financial aid application packages on a timely basis may result in the student’s involuntary withdrawal from the University.
No degrees will be conferred and no transcripts will be furnished until all bills due the University are paid in full. In addition, transcripts will not be furnished to any student or former student who is in default on the payment of a student loan.
The University may withhold registration and certain University privileges from students who have not paid their term bills or made satisfactory payment arrangements by the day of registration. To avoid delay at registration, students must ensure that payments reach Student Financial Services by the due dates.
Charge for Rejected Payments
A processing charge of $25 will be assessed for payments rejected for any reason by the bank on which they were drawn. In addition, the following penalties may apply if a payment is rejected:
- 1. If the payment was for a term bill, a $125 late fee will be charged for the period the bill was unpaid.
- 2. If the payment was for a term bill to permit registration, the student’s registration may be revoked.
- 3. If the payment was given to settle an unpaid balance in order to receive a diploma, the University may refer the account to an attorney for collection.
Yale University eBill-ePay
There are a variety of options offered for making payments. Yale University eBill-ePay is the preferred means for payment of bills. It can be found at www.yale.edu/sis/ebep. Electronic payments are easy and convenient—no checks to write, no stamps, no envelopes, no hassle. Payments are immediately posted to the student’s account. There is no charge to use this service. Bank information is password-protected and secure, and there is a printable confirmation receipt. Payments can be made twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, up to 4 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date to avoid late fees. (The eBill-ePay system will not be available when the system is undergoing upgrade, maintenance, or repair.) Students can authorize up to three authorized payers to make payments electronically from their own computers to the student’s account using Yale’s system.
Use of the student’s own bank payment service is not authorized by the University because it has no direct link to the student’s Yale account. Payments made through such services arrive without proper account identification and always require manual processing that results in delayed crediting of the student’s account, late fees, and anxiety. Students should use Yale eBill-ePay to pay online. For those who choose to pay by check, remittance advice with mailing instructions is available on the Web site.
Yale Payment Plan
The Yale Payment Plan (YPP) is a payment service that allows students and their families to pay tuition, room, and board in ten equal monthly installments throughout the year based on individual family budget requirements. It is administered by the University’s Office of Student Financial Services. The cost to enroll in the YPP is $100 per contract. The deadline for enrollment is June 20. For additional information, please contact Student Financial Services at 203.432.2700 and select “Press 1” from the Main Menu. The enrollment link can be found online in the Yale Payment Plan section of the Student Accounts Web site: www.yale.edu/sfas/financial/accounts.html#payment.
Master’s Financial Aid, 2012–2013
Policies and Procedures
In academic year 2011–2012, F&ES awarded more than $4 million in institutional scholarships and student assistantship (work-study) funding to its master’s degree students. About three-quarters of F&ES students receive institutional scholarships in any given year.
The School offers financial aid packages primarily based on need but also with a merit component. A package often consists of an institutional scholarship, student assistantship, and loans for students with demonstrated financial need, as determined by review of the financial aid application materials, and merit, as determined by review of the admission application materials. The amount of funding for each student is determined at the time of admission. Therefore, it is critical that the financial aid application deadline of February 15 for incoming students is met.
Students who demonstrate financial need may receive a scholarship to cover a portion of their total educational costs, which include tuition, fees, living expenses, medical insurance, and books and supplies. However, because funds are limited, scholarships cannot be awarded to all admitted students.
A student’s financial need is determined by an analysis of only the student’s (and spouse’s, if applicable) income and assets. The student is required to report any financial assistance he or she expects to receive from his or her family on the F&ES financial aid application.
Students enrolled less than half-time (i.e., for less than 6 credits in a term) and students who are not actively working toward a degree, such as those in continuous registration status, are not eligible for financial aid from F&ES. Furthermore, financial aid awards are based on an assumption of full-time enrollment and will be revised proportionately should a student choose to enroll less than full-time. Students considering enrolling less than full-time should first consult with the director of student services and the director of financial aid to understand the academic and financial consequences, respectively, of that decision.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents requesting financial aid must complete:
- • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- • F&ES Financial Aid Application
International students requesting financial aid must complete:
- • F&ES Financial Aid Application
Joint-Degree Students
In most joint-degree programs, a student splits time between the two schools, spending one and one-half years at each school for a total of three years in the program.
Each school is fiscally independent, which means that the financial aid award a student receives at one school is not transferrable to the sister school. The joint-degree student should follow the financial aid application procedures for the school to which the student will be paying tuition. The student paying tuition at F&ES should apply for financial aid through F&ES. The student paying tuition at another Yale graduate or professional school or at a school that has a joint-degree program with Yale should apply for financial aid through that school.
If the joint-degree student is applying for admission to two schools simultaneously, the student should apply for financial aid at both schools, also simultaneously.
Fifth-Year Students
During their senior year at Yale College, students may apply for admission to the F&ES Fifth Year program. These students sometimes defer their enrollment in the F&ES master’s program for a year of outside volunteer work or employment. To be considered for financial aid for their enrollment at F&ES, these students must submit their financial aid application materials by the February 15 deadline prior to their matriculation into the program. This could mean that the student submits the financial aid application materials during the deferral or “gap” year. It is the student’s responsibility to submit all documents by the February 15 deadline.
Scholarships
Most of our scholarship budget is funded by private donors. Students are automatically considered for all named scholarships. These scholarships are not in addition to any general scholarship a student receives in the financial aid award but may be matched to a scholarship recipient once the student matriculates.
Named Scholarships
We are delighted to recognize the generosity of the donors who have helped make the following scholarships possible:
- Beinecke/FES Scholarship #1
- Beinecke/FES Scholarship #2
- Forrest Berkeley Conservation Scholars
- Sara Shallenberger Brown Scholarship
- Leland H. Burt (’30 B.S.) Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Philip Laurance Buttrick (M.F. 1911) Fund
- Paul Douglas Camp Memorial Scholarship Fund
- Leonard G. Carpenter (B.A. 1924) Scholarship Fund
- Elias and Ann Clark Scholarship
- Class of 1980 Scholarship Fund
- Abigail Disney and Pierre Hauser Scholarship
- Strachan Donnelley Scholarship
- Strachan and Vivian Donnelley Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Michael P. Dowling Scholarship
- Enid Storm Dwyer Scholarship Fund
- Boyd Evison Scholarship Fund
- Edith and Johannes Fröndt Scholarship Fund
- John S. Griswold (B.A. 1937) Scholarship Fund
- H. Stuart Harrison (B.A. 1932) Fellowship Fund
- Vira I. Heinz Endowment Scholarship
- John and Catha Hesse Fund
- Adelaide Hixon Endowed Scholarship Fund
- Joseph M. Hixon III FES Scholarship
- Jacqueline C. and John R. Hullar Scholarship Fund
- Stephen and Betty Kahn Scholarship Fund
- Marvin Klemme (M.F. 1935) Fellowship Fund
- Kroon Environmental Studies Scholarship Fund
- Fred Krupp Scholarship in Environmental Studies
- Leadership Scholars Fund
- John A. MacLean Scholarship
- Preston R. Miller Jr. ’71 F&ES Scholarship Fund
- John M. Musser Fellowship
- Caroline P. Niemczyk Scholarship
- Carl F. Norden Family Scholarship Fund
- Gilman Ordway (B.A. 1947) Family Scholarship Fund for Environmental Studies
- Rockefeller-Underhill Scholarship for Tropical Conservation
- Benjamin F. Stapleton, Jr. (LL.B. 1942) Scholarship Fund
- John R. Twiss (1960) Student Conservation Association Fellowship
- Rodney B. Wagner Class of 1954 International Scholarship Fund
- Charles F. Wilson (B.A. 1939) Memorial Fund
- Ray L. Wilson Scholarship Fund
- Frank & Lynne Wisneski F&ES Scholarship Fund
- Wyss Foundation Scholarship
Employment Opportunities
F&ES student assistantships F&ES student assistants earn $15 per hour and are limited to an average of ten hours per week or $4,200 per academic year. All work in these positions must take place during the fall and spring terms only. Each year approximately 110 positions are available. Students must apply for financial aid and demonstrate financial need to apply for and work in these positions. These positions vary from clerical to research to editorial work.
Job opportunities through the Yale Student Employment Office Positions are available throughout the University and the City of New Haven with hourly wages from $11 to $15. Opportunities are listed on the Yale Student Employment Office Web site (www.yalestudentjobs.org). The office is located on the lower level of 246 Church Street.
Research or teaching fellowships Research or teaching fellowships are also available at the University for qualified students. Interested students must contact professors or departments directly.
Loans
Federal Direct Loans (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only) In general, the maximum annual loan amount is $20,500. The interest rate is fixed at 6.8%, with an origination fee of 1%. No credit check is required. The standard repayment term is ten years. A six-month grace period immediately follows separation from school or otherwise dropping below half-time enrollment status. The interest accruing to the loans is the responsibility of the student, who may make interest-only payments or choose to defer those payments until the expiration of the grace period, at which time the repayment of principal and interest is required. The loan is requested by completing and returning a loan request form available online on the School’s financial aid forms page.
Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans (U.S. citizens and permanent residents only) In general, the maximum annual loan amount is the cost of attendance minus all other resources. The interest rate is fixed at 7.9%, with an origination fee of 4%. A credit check is required. The standard repayment term is ten years. As with Federal Direct Loans, the interest accruing from the time of disbursement is the responsibility of the student, who may make interest-only payments while in school or request to defer those payments until separation from school or otherwise dropping below half-time enrollment status, at which time the repayment of principal and interest is required. There is no grace period. The loan is requested by completing and returning a loan request form available online on the School’s financial aid forms page.
Yale International Loans (international students only) In general, the maximum annual loan amount is the cost of attendance minus all other resources. The interest rate is fixed at 7.75%, with an origination fee of 5%. No credit check is required. The standard repayment term is ten years. As with Federal Direct Loans, the interest accruing from the time of disbursement is the responsibility of the student, who may make interest-only payments while in school or request to defer those payments until separation from school or otherwise dropping below half-time enrollment status, at which time a six-month grace period begins, followed by the required repayment of principal and interest. The loan is requested by completing and returning a loan request form available online on the School’s financial aid forms page.
International Students—Certification of Finances for Visa
International students must certify full funding for their entire two-year course of study before visa documents can be issued. Instructions and forms are mailed after an admitted student accepts the offer of admission (deadline April 15). More information is available from Yale’s Office of International Students and Scholars: www.yale.edu/oiss.
Veterans
Eligible students are strongly encouraged to seek specific information about Veterans Administration benefits from their local Veterans Administration office by calling 1.888.442.4551 or visiting www.gibill.va.gov. The School also participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. The directors of student services and financial aid will be happy to assist students with claims once they are enrolled.
Leave of Absence
Students are expected to follow a continuous course of study at the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. However, a student who wishes or needs to interrupt his or her study temporarily may request a leave of absence. There are three types of leave—personal, medical, and parental—all of which are described below. The general policies that apply to a leave of absence are:
- 1. Any student who is contemplating a leave of absence should see the director of student services to discuss the necessary application procedures.
- 2. All leaves of absence must be approved by the director of student services and the associate dean for academic affairs. Medical leaves also require the written recommendation of a physician on the staff of Yale Health, as described below.
- 3. A student may be granted a leave of absence of one to two years. Any leave approved by the director of student services and the associate dean for academic affairs will be for a specified period.
- 4. International students who apply for a leave of absence must consult with OISS regarding their visa status.
- 5. A student on a leave of absence may complete outstanding work in courses for which he or she has been granted extensions. He or she may not, however, fulfill any other degree requirements during the time on leave.
- 6. A student on a leave of absence is not eligible for financial aid, including loans; and in most cases, student loans are not deferred during periods of nonenrollment.
- 7. A student on a leave of absence is not eligible for the use of any University facilities normally available to enrolled students.
- 8. A student on leave of absence may continue to be enrolled in Yale Health by purchasing coverage through the Student Affiliate Coverage plan. In order to secure continuous coverage from Yale Health, enrollment in this plan must be requested prior to the beginning of the term in which the student will be on leave. If a leave of absence is granted during the term, the student must request Yale Health Affiliate Coverage enrollment within thirty days of the date when the leave is approved. Coverage is not automatic; enrollment forms are available from the Member Services Department of Yale Health, 203.432.0246, or can be downloaded from the Yale Health Web site (www.yale.edu/uhs).
- 9. A student on a leave of absence does not have to file a formal application for readmission. However, he or she must notify the director of student services in writing of his or her intention to return at least eight weeks prior to the end of the approved leave. In addition, if the returning student wishes to be considered for financial aid, he or she must submit appropriate financial aid applications to the School’s financial aid office to determine eligibility.
- 10. A student on a leave of absence who does not return at the end of an approved leave, and does not request and receive an extension from the dean, is automatically dismissed from the School.
Personal leave of absence A student who wishes or needs to interrupt study temporarily because of personal exigencies may request a personal leave of absence. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. A student who is current with his or her degree requirements is eligible for a personal leave after satisfactory completion of at least one term of study. Personal leaves cannot be granted retroactively and normally will not be approved after the tenth day of a term.
To request a personal leave of absence, the student must apply in writing before the beginning of the term for which the leave is requested, explaining the reasons for the proposed leave and stating both the proposed start and end dates of the leave, and the address at which the student can be reached during the period of the leave. If the director of student services and the associate dean for academic affairs find the student to be eligible, the leave will be approved. In any case, the student will be informed in writing of the action taken. A student who does not apply for a personal leave of absence, or whose application for a leave is denied, and who does not register for any term, will be considered to have withdrawn from the School.
Medical leave of absence A student who must interrupt study temporarily because of illness or injury may be granted a medical leave of absence with the approval of the director of student services and the associate dean for academic affairs, on the written recommendation of a physician on the staff of Yale Health. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. A student who is making satisfactory progress toward his or her degree requirements is eligible for a medical leave any time after matriculation. The final decision concerning a request for a medical leave of absence will be communicated in writing by the director of student services.
The School of Forestry & Environmental Studies reserves the right to place a student on a medical leave of absence when, on the recommendation of the director of Yale Health or the chief of the Department of Mental Health and Counseling, the dean of the School determines that the student is a danger to self or others because of a serious medical problem.
A student who is placed on medical leave during any term will have his or her tuition adjusted according to the same schedule used for withdrawals (see Tuition Rebate and Refund Policy). Before re-registering, a student on medical leave must secure written permission to return from a Yale Health physician.
Leave of absence for parental responsibilities A student who wishes or needs to interrupt his or her study temporarily for reasons of pregnancy, maternity care, or paternity care may be granted a leave of absence for parental responsibilities. The general policies governing all leaves of absence are described above. A student who is making satisfactory progress toward his or her degree requirements is eligible for parental leave any time after matriculation.
Any student planning to have or care for a child is encouraged to meet with the director of student services to discuss leaves and other short-term arrangements. For many students, short-term arrangements rather than a leave of absence are possible. Students living in University housing units are encouraged to review their housing contract and the related polices of the Graduate Housing Office before applying for a parental leave of absence. Students granted a parental leave may continue to reside in University housing to the end of the academic term for which the leave was first granted, but no longer.
U.S. Military Leave Readmissions Policy
Students who wish or need to interrupt their studies to perform U.S. military service are subject to a separate U.S. military leave readmissions policy. In the event a student withdraws or takes a leave of absence from the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies to serve in the U.S. military, the student will be entitled to guaranteed readmission under the following conditions:
- 1. The student must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces for a period of more than thirty consecutive days;
- 2. The student must give advance written or verbal notice of such service to the director of student services and the associate dean for academic affairs. In providing the advance notice the student does not need to indicate whether he or she intends to return. This advance notice need not come directly from the student, but rather, can be made by an appropriate officer of the U.S. Armed Forces or official of the U.S. Department of Defense. Notice is not required if precluded by military necessity. In all cases, this notice requirement can be fulfilled at the time the student seeks readmission, by submitting an attestation that the student performed the service.
- 3. The student must not be away from the School to perform U.S. military service for a period exceeding five years (this includes all previous absences to perform U.S. military service but does not include any initial period of obligated service). If a student’s time away from the School to perform U.S. military service exceeds five years because the student is unable to obtain release orders through no fault of the student or the student was ordered to or retained on active duty, the student should contact the director of student services to determine if the student remains eligible for guaranteed readmission.
- 4. The student must notify the School within three years of the end of his or her U.S. military service of his or her intention to return. However, a student who is hospitalized or recovering from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated during the U.S. military service has up until two years after recovering from the illness or injury to notify the School of his or her intent to return.
- 5. The student cannot have received a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge or have been sentenced in a court-martial.
A student who meets all of these conditions will be readmitted for the next term, unless the student requests a later date of readmission. Any student who fails to meet one of these requirements may still be readmitted under the general readmission policy but is not guaranteed readmission.
Upon returning to the School, the student will resume his or her education without repeating completed course work for courses interrupted by U.S. military service. The student will have the same enrolled status last held and with the same academic standing. For the first academic year in which the student returns, the student will be charged the tuition and fees that would have been assessed for the academic year in which the student left the institution. Yale may charge up to the amount of tuition and fees other students are assessed, however, if veteran’s education benefits will cover the difference between the amounts currently charged other students and the amount charged for the academic year in which the student left.
In the case of a student who is not prepared to resume his or her studies with the same academic status at the same point where the student left off or who will not be able to complete the program of study, the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies will undertake reasonable efforts to help the student become prepared. If after reasonable efforts, the School determines that the student remains unprepared or will be unable to complete the program, or after the School determines that there are no reasonable efforts it can take, the School may deny the student readmission.
