• The Ph.D. program
• The terminal M.A. program, which is open to students not aready enrolled at Yale.
• The M.A. en route to a Ph.D., which is for students already enrolled in a Yale Ph.D. program.
• Simultaneous Award of the Bachelor's and Master's Degrees, which is for Yale undergraduates only. See YCPS for details.

General information relevant for choosing a program

• The programs are administered in different ways, even though they share many courses. Unlike at some universities, there is no automatic admission into the Ph.D. program for students who complete the terminal M.A. degree; a completely new application is required.

• The Ph.D. program admits only a small number of new students each year.

• Almost all students in the terminal M.A. program are self-supported, either by personal funds or by outside fellowships.

• A common question: If I send you my transcript, GRE scores,... can you tell me my chances of admission to the ... program? The answer: Not usually. The list of offers is constructed after the Department has reviewed all applications. Your chances depend in part on the strength of the competition. And yes, very low tests scores will decrease your chances, even though we have set no minimum acceptable score.

• For questions about general requirements for admission, students should consult the Admissions page at the Graduate School web site. In particular, please read Common Questions/FAQs for answers to questions such as:
  • Do I have to take the GRE's or can the GRE's be waived?
  • Do I have to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)? If I took the TOEFL before, do I have to take it again? Can I substitute the IELTS for the TOEFL?
  • Can I submit my application before I take the GRE Test?
  • Where can I find information on minimum GRE test scores? What are the minimum score requirements for GRE and TOEFL? [The Statistics Department has no minimum required score, but, of course, very low scores decrease the chances of admission.]
    From some email correspondence between Statistics Faculty in January 2011:

    "... I'm not crazy about thresholds, but...
    here's a starting guideline close to what we've done in the past,
    roughly:
    
    TOEFL total >= 110 with Speaking >= 24 is great!
    TOEFL total >= 105 with Speaking >= 23 is good
    TOEFL total >= 100 with Speaking >= 22 is ok
    
    We were only forgiving of TOEFL < 100 or Speaking < 22 if GRE verbal
    was reasonably impressive (650 and up, say) and analytical writing was
    equally so (4.0 and up, say).
    
    In addition, GRE analytical >= 4 is good, >= 3.5 is ok, 3 or less
    requires some special higher scores elsewhere in order to receive
    consideration."
    	

  • I will receive my master's degree from a school where the language of instruction is English---can the TOEFL be waived? [The Graduate School answer: No. The TOEFL can only be waived if you received, or will receive, a baccalaureate degree, or its foreign equivalent, prior to matriculation at Yale, from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction.]