Yale

Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT · Private · MD

Average MCAT: 521
Average GPA: 3.94
Class size: 104
Tuition: $76,700 (per year)
Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

AMCAS deadline: Oct. 15, 2026
Secondary deadline: Nov. 15, 2026

Essays

Caring for all individuals (500 words)

Yale School of Medicine is committed to improving the health of all people. How have your experiences prepared you to care for all individuals regardless of background, education, or viewpoint?

Option A: communities and populations (500 words (choose A or B))

While there is great emphasis on the physician-patient relationship, Yale School of Medicine also emphasizes the importance of training future physicians to care for communities and populations. Describe how your experiences would contribute to this aspect of the mission of the Yale School of Medicine.

Option B: research (500 words (choose A or B; required for M.D.-Ph.D.))

Research is essential to patient care, and all students at Yale School of Medicine complete a research thesis. Tell us how your research interests, skills and experiences would contribute to scholarship at Yale School of Medicine.

Updates (No stated limit)

Have there been any updates regarding your activities / achievements / distinctions since completing your AMCAS application, or do you have any important accomplishments you have not yet shared with us here or in your AMCAS application? The Office of Admissions will review your activities / achievements / distinctions in the Experiences section of the AMCAS Application, so you do not need to restate anything included there.

Current year (No stated limit)

If you are not enrolled in college or graduate school classes for the duration of the current academic year, please tell us how you are spending your time. Include both your current and any planned activities prior to enrolling in medical school.

Additional information (500 words)

It should be used to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee any important information relevant to your qualifications not discussed in other sections of your Yale Secondary Application.

Editor's notes

Yale isn't rolling. Everyone hears by March 15, so submitting in July buys you an earlier review, not an earlier answer. What matters is a complete file by Nov. 15: secondary and letters are both due that day, and nothing gets read until your MCAT is in.
Every student writes a research thesis, and the secondary's Option B asks how you'd contribute to scholarship. Even if you pick Option A, your file should show you can ask a question and chase it. The Yale System gives you freedom (no pre-clerkship grades, no class ranking), so show you'll use it.
Don't rule Yale out on the $120,448 first-year budget. Families under $150,000 with typical assets owe no parent contribution, loans are capped at $10,000 a year for students with need, and from fall 2027 there's a new full-tuition merit award decided at admission.
Yale lets you upload updates at any point, before or after the interview. Use that for real news, such as a publication or a new role, not for letters of enthusiasm.