We take in a small number of graduate students each year in a competitive selection process. The size of the program assures the high overall quality of our students, the faculty’s commitment to close contact with each of those students during the course of study, and an atmosphere of intellectual collegiality.
The deadline to apply for Graduate School admission in the German Department for 2024-25 is December 15, 2024. Faculty will continue reading applications received through January 2, 2025.
In addition to the general application requirements of the Yale Graduate School of Arts & Sciences the Yale German department requires a writing sample from each applicant to the graduate program. The length may be anywhere from 20-50 pages.
The university offers a financial support program of six years that includes two initial years of fellowship, two years of teaching fellowships and an additional year of dissertation support. Students receive “summer money,” and in addition they are eligible for a wide array of competitive summer fellowships that Yale offers in succeeding years. For more information, view the PhD Student Funding Overview.
If you are experiencing financial hardship, or are a member of a special program, fellowship, or status, you may be eligible to apply to have your application fee waived.
In addition, within the framework of our Yale-Baden-Württemberg exchange program, the German Department can send its graduate students to Heidelberg, Tübingen, Freiburg, or Konstanz among others for a two-month period during the summer. They receive a monthly stipend from the respective university as well as a generous travel stipend from the Max Kade Foundation (help in obtaining housing is also available).