Yale Unveils Widespread MBA Application Fee Waivers

Yale's MBA application for the class of 2027 is aimed at increasing access to the elite business school.

Reporter, Business Education

Bennett Leckrone is a news writer for BestColleges. Before joining BestColleges, Leckrone reported on state politics with the nonprofit news outlet Maryland Matters as a Report for America fellow. He previously interned for The Chronicle of Higher Ed.

Managing Editor, News

Alex Pasquariello is a managing news editor for BestColleges. Prior to joining BestColleges he led Metropolitan State University of Denver's digital journalism initiative. He holds a BS in journalism from Northwestern University.

Reporter, Business Education

Bennett Leckrone is a news writer for BestColleges. Before joining BestColleges, Leckrone reported on state politics with the nonprofit news outlet Maryland Matters as a Report for America fellow. He previously interned for The Chronicle of Higher Ed.

Managing Editor, News

Alex Pasquariello is a managing news editor for BestColleges. Prior to joining BestColleges he led Metropolitan State University of Denver's digital journalism initiative. He holds a BS in journalism from Northwestern University.

• The Yale School of Management unveiled its new master of business administration (MBA) application for the class of 2027.
• The application's core elements remain the same, but the school took steps to boost accessibility.
• Students can receive application fee waivers if they are currently enrolled at or alumni of almost 700 schools that have significant initiatives to promote economic diversity.
• The MBA application includes an expanded background information section.

Students and alumni from hundreds of colleges and universities now qualify for master of business administration (MBA) application fee waivers at the Yale School of Management (SOM).

Yale SOM's assistant dean for admissions, Bruce DelMonico, wrote in a blog post that a new application fee waiver will be available to students and alumni of almost 700 universities that have significant initiatives to promote economic diversity.

That includes schools where at least 35% of students receive Pell Grants. The list includes many historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), as well as regional public universities and rural-serving institutions.

An MBA can boost earnings, improving career prospects with training in leadership and high-demand areas.

We know that school choice can largely be driven by circumstances and the opportunities that are available to someone, so we continue to work to make sure we're expanding opportunities to individuals for whom financial considerations may loom especially large in the decision-making process, DelMonico wrote.

Expanding our application fee waiver program to students and alumni of these schools is one additional way we're trying to increase access to graduate management education.

The added waiver for the otherwise $95 application fee complements a host of existing waivers for Yale's MBA program.

Currently, application fee waivers exist for U.S. military members and veterans; members and alumni of Teach for All and Forté MBALaunch; MBA Launch for Undergrads program participants; current and past U.S. Peace Corps volunteers; and more.

The MBA application for the class of 2027 includes an additional change aimed to boost access: An expanded background information section that will allow applicants to provide more contextual information about the individual circumstances in which they've lived, studied, and worked, DelMonico wrote.

Our overarching goal is to expand access to graduate management education to the broadest range of individuals possible, and knowing as much as we can about the context of your candidacy is one way we're able to do that, DelMonico wrote.

The application will otherwise largely remain the same, DelMonico wrote. The 2025 MBA application season is getting into full swing, with prominent business schools announcing deadlines and revamped essays.

A decline in overall applicants has led to higher acceptance rates at many of the country's top business schools, according to a report from the international higher education consulting firm Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

The rise in acceptance rates can also be attributed to a return to pre-pandemic admissions standards, including the reinstatement of entrance exam requirements, which may have impacted the applicant pool's size and quality, the QS report read.

Moreover, the shift to digital and other forms of education put pressure on traditional MBA programmes to evolve and potentially become more accommodating in their selection process.