Admission

You love to learn.

You’ve always asked the difficult questions. Now you wonder where college can take you.

Bard will give you a home to refine your talents and find what inspires you. Pursue diverse academic offerings and take part in vibrant campus life.

Your Bard journey begins here.

Inquire
Inquire

Tell us a little about yourself and we’ll send you information about Bard’s academics, student life, and how to apply.

Inquire Now

Visit Campus
Visit Campus

Explore the campus on a tour and get a feel for life at Bard, whether you can make the trip or want to start from home.

Plan Your Visit

Apply
Apply

Find application options, deadlines, and everything you need to submit your application to Bard.

Start Your Application

A Bard Experience expands what is possible.
A Bard Experience expands what is possible.

A Bard Experience expands what is possible.

Explore Our Campus

Bard by the Numbers

A closer look at the Bard community.
1,900
undergraduates		 8:1
student–faculty ratio		 $73M
distributed in Bard aid		 14.5%
international students / dual citizens
 

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Learn at Bard

Small seminars, dedicated faculty, and work that matters.
Academics
Academics

A first-year core curriculum, then faculty-guided research across the arts, sciences and humanities.

Explore Academic Programs

Faculty
Faculty

Bard has no graduate teaching assistants, so you learn directly from faculty who teach and advise you.

Meet Our Faculty

Engaged Learning
Engaged Learning

First-year experiences and the Senior Project, plus programs in New York City and around the world.

The Bard Curriculum

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Hear from students
Small seminars, first-year research, and faculty advising.

Hear directly from current students about what it’s like to learn, live and get involved at Bard.

Chat with Our Students Student Stories →
A Community, Not an InstitutionDanika '26, Fulbright Scholar
A Community, Not an InstitutionDanika '26, Fulbright Scholar

A Community, Not an Institution

Danika '26, Fulbright Scholar

"This community doesn't value one specific type of person, but embraces everyone who wants to be part of it. My confidence, perspective, and curiosity grew exponentially at Bard."

Learn more about our Alumni/ae Network

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Admission & Financial Aid

Applying is simple, and Bard works with families to make it affordable.
$0
application fee		 50+
years test-optional		 100%
need met, early round		 ~$10K
average merit award
 

Apply through the Common Application, Coalition with Scoir, or the Bard Entrance Exam.

Apply Now Learn About Bard Financial Aid

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Important Deadlines

November 1

Early Decision, Early Action, Bard Entrance Exam, and Immediate Decision Plan

December 1

U.S. early financial aid

January 15

Early Decision II and Regular Decision

February 1

U.S. financial aid and FAFSA

Connect with Bard

  • Ask a Student
    Get a current student’s take on campus life, from First-Year Seminar to Bard clubs. We invite all prospective undergraduate students to connect with current Bard students via our chat platform. Get your questions answered and make your first friend at Bard!
    Get Started on Chat Now
  • Contact Your Regional Admission Counselor
    Our staff is here to introduce you to Bard and guide you through the application process. Contact our office if you have questions. We're here to help!
    Reach Out Now
Engaged Learning in the Classroom and Beyond

Engaged Learning in the Classroom and Beyond

From our first-year components—Language and Thinking and First-Year Seminar—to the Senior Project, Bard’s unique curriculum combines rigor and flexibility. Students take control of their education while immersing themselves in dynamic programs of study and engaging with their peers and the community at large.
The Bard Curriculum →

See Bard for Yourself

Take a virtual tour and experience our campus from anywhere.

Start Virtual Tour
At Bard, every class is taught by a professor, and most of them happen around a seminar table with fewer than twenty students. First year students start doing real research and creative work right away, with a faculty advisor who gets to know them from the start. It all happens on over a thousand acres in the Hudson Valley, about ninety minutes from New York City. Hear from current students about what makes Bard different, and where it leads.

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