A transfer student is defined as one who has officially matriculated into a degree program (associate's or bachelor's) at an accredited junior college, college, or university, and completed at least one semester at that institution. Candidates who have taken college classes without being admitted into an institution's degree program are considered incoming first-year students, not transfer students.

Bard accepts transfer students for the fall and spring semesters. However, due to the comprehensive nature of our first-year curriculum, we rarely, if ever, accept a mid-year first-year transfer student. Applicants who have completed one semester of college work may apply for admission in the fall. The deadlines for application are March 15 for the fall and November 1 for the spring. Please note that transfer applicants may not apply Early Action or Immediate Decision.