We want to make it easier for students with significant financial need to participate in the YDN. Our goal is to remove financial circumstances as a barrier to serious involvement with the Yale Daily News.
Why does this program exist? The stipends allow low-income students to allocate more time to the News, reduce their need to work campus jobs and mitigate their financial stress. By creating an environment that is welcoming to students of all socioeconomic backgrounds, the YDN can recruit and retain a staff that reflects the breadth of the undergraduate population.
How much are the awards? Stipends for each student range from $1,000 to $3,000 per board year.
When did this start? The stipend program launched in 2016.
Who funds this? The YDN Foundation — the alumni group that provides financial and other support to the News.
Students whose annual “expected family contribution” amounts to $40,000 per year or less. This number can be found on your Yale College Financial Aid Award Letter. (Learn more about the award letter here.)
Students must hold certain positions within the News to qualify.
Can I apply for the stipend for more than one year? Yes — as long as your position within the News and your financial situation render you eligible, you may apply again.
Can I apply in the spring? At least for now, unfortunately stipends are only allocated in the fall.
If you meet the qualifications and think the money could help you, then you should apply!
We’re looking at two main factors: Student’s financial need and their level of participation in the News.
Extenuating circumstances: We will also consider other factors that a student may outline in their application.
How much can I expect, if I’m eligible? We can’t guarantee a certain amount of money per student; decisions are also dependent on the number of applicants and available funds each year. But here are a few hypothetical examples, to help students understand the range of what’s possible:
Are current students involved in the process? Current undergraduates are involved in finalizing the eligibility criteria, but are not involved in reviewing stipend applications. The alumni committee also consults with the outgoing editor-in-chief to verify applicants’ participation in the News and the demands of their positions.
Is this process confidential? Who will know if I apply to or receive the stipend? In part, yes. Only the alumni stipend committee and Emad Haerizadeh (the News’ professional business manager) will know the details of a student’s application. They alone will view applicants’ financial aid information and related documents. Any financial aid letter submitted to the stipend committee will not be shared. However, starting in the 2024-’25 school year, the current and previous editors-in-chief will be made aware of the list of stipend recipients. This will allow the stipend committee to ask questions about students’ positions and their contributions to the News. Still, the editor-in-chief will only know whether or not a member of the News is a stipend recipient; they will not know the amount of money awarded to that student, or any details about that student’s financial situation, beyond the simple fact that they receive some amount of financial aid from Yale.
What if I quit the News? Quitting the News would void your eligibility for the stipend program. Therefore, you would forfeit the remaining money in your stipend.
Can I still have a campus job? Yes, you may still have a campus job. Though we hope the stipend provides adequate financial support, we understand that students may still choose to work. Many students have reported that the stipend enables them to only work one campus job rather than two or three, and to take on fewer shift hours.
Will the stipend impact my financial aid? No, the stipend will not impact your financial aid from Yale. The stipend intends to fulfill the student share of the term bill, which can be met by outside scholarships, loans, parental help or work earnings, without affecting Yale’s contribution.
Should I report the stipend as income to the IRS? No. Based on legal advice, the YDN Foundation has concluded that under IRS rules these stipends qualify as scholarships, which are not subject to income tax. Therefore, the YDN Foundation will not report the stipend to the IRS on Form 1099 and will list the stipends as scholarships in its annual IRS information report. We understand that similar programs at other Ivy newspapers have reached the same conclusion.
Are international students eligible? Generally, yes. International students have received the stipend, which is a tax-ineligible scholarship, without issue in the past.
What other support does the News offer to students from non-traditional backgrounds, first-generation and/or low-income students? FGLI students may join the FGLI affinity group, which consists of other FGLI students within the YDN. There is also funding from the YDN for unpaid or underpaid summer internships, as well as for ambitious reporting projects. Additionally, we encourage students to apply for the the annual Scot Haller Prize, which recognizes the most outstanding student journalism published, in any form, by the Yale Daily News during the academic year.
Who can I contact if I have more questions? YDN Foundation Chair Melinda Beck ’77 (melindabeckny@gmail.com) and Stipend Committee Chair Martine Powers ’11 (martine.powers@gmail.com).
If you would like to make a donation to this vital program, please click here.