Transfer Applicants
Photo by Pete Mauney ’93 MFA ’00

Transfer Applicants

Am I a Transfer Student?
A transfer student is defined as one who has officially matriculated into a degree program at an accredited junior college, college, or university, and completed at least one semester at that institution (12 or more transferrable credits as determined by the Registrar). 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 also accepts international transfer students.

Application Options

Transfer students who are 24 years or older should apply directly to Bard's Returning to College Program (RCP). 
If you have any questions, please reach out to Josh Tyler, Director of Transfer Admission, at [email protected].
  • Transfer Application Options
    Application due dates differ for transfer students (see "Dates and Deadlines" below). Transfer students can only apply using the Transfer Common Application or Transfer Coalition with Scoir. Transfer students cannot apply through Early Action, Early Decision I, Early Decision II, IDP, BEE, or Regular Decision. 
  • Bard Early College Opportunity and Preferred Admission Programs
    Bard High School Early College graduates who choose to apply to Bard College's main campus now have the opportunity to apply to the Preferred Admission and Early College Opportunity scholarship (ECO) programs.
  • Return to College Program (RCP)
    If you are 24 years or older and have at least one semester's worth of college credits (12-16 credits) from a previous higher education program that can be transferred to Bard College, then you can apply through Bard's Return to College Program (RCP).
  • Community College Pathways
    If you are interested in applying to Bard from a local community college, Bard has partnered with community colleges in the Hudson Valley.

Dates and Deadlines: Spring Transfers

Nov. 1 Admission Application Due
Nov. 1 Bard College Aid Scholarship Applications Due 
(optional and if applicable)
Nov. 1 Financial Aid Application Due for International Students
Bard International Student Financial Aid Application
Nov. 1 Financial Aid Application Due for US Citizens
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and The College Board's College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile)
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The CSS Profile must be filed by November 1 in order for eligible students to receive a financial aid package alongside their admission decision. FAFSA must be completed as soon as it becomes available in December, and no later than February 1, 2024.
Dec. (early) Decision Notification
Dec. 11 Deposit Due

Dates and Deadlines: Fall Transfers

Mar. 1 Admission Application Due
Mar. 1 Bard College Aid Scholarship Applications Due 
(optional and if applicable) Learn more about Bard Aid
Mar. 1 Financial Aid Application Due for US Citizens
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA and The College Board's College Scholarship Service Profile CSS Profile
Mar. 1 Financial Aid Application Due for International Students
Bard International Student Financial Aid Application
Mar (late) Decision Notification
May 1 Deposit Due

Interviews  

Only students applying in the current admission cycle are eligible for an interview.
We do not require interviews for transfer applicants but we do recommend them. 
  • Do Transfer Applicants Need to Interview?

    Interviews are not required for transfer     and homeschooled applicants but recommended.

    Only students who fit the below criteria should consider interviewing with Bard:
    • Students who feel that the applications offered do not provide them with adequate space to fully explain important life and/or educational experiences 
    • Students who wish to provide further context around something they plan to include in their application that they feel would be better explained in an interview setting
    • Students who wish to share information with Admission that they do not plan to include in their application
  • Spring Transfer Applicants

    In-Person & Virtual
    Only students applying in the current admission cycle are eligible for an interview.

    Interview Deadlines:
    • Spring transfer interviews: from September 9 – October 21, 2024
    Interview Options: 
    Both in-person and virtual interview options are available. We encourage students who live within driving or a train-ride distance to campus to take advantage of the in-person options and leave the virtual slots for students who can't travel due to distance from campus, among other reasons.
    Request an Interview
  • Fall Transfer Applicants

    Virtual
    Only students applying in the current admission cycle are eligible for an interview. 

    Interview Timeline: 
    • Fall transfer interviews: Monday through Friday during the month of February 2025. 
    Interview Options: 
    • Fall transfer interviews will be VIRTUAL only. 
    Request a Fall Interview

Housing Requirements and Eligibility

Students with first- or second-year status must live on campus. Students with third- or fourth-year status are not required to live on campus. Return to College (RCP) students and Bard Baccalaureate (BardBac) students are not guaranteed on-campus housing.

US Citizens

Application Checklist for US Citizens

Transfer Students

Required materials:

  • Apply using the Common Application or Coalition with Scoir.
  • The College Report and college transcript are also required. A high school transcript is required unless the candidate will have completed an associate’s degree by the time of matriculation at Bard.
  • Two Academic Recommendations: Both academic recommendations should come from college faculty. However, for those who have completed only one or two college semesters in circumstances where the classes have been large and contact with professors minimal, we will accept high school faculty recommendations.
  • Artistic supplements are required for all transfer candidates seeking admission to the Photography Program. (Please click on the link below for artistic supplement details for this program.)
Photography Supplemental Requirements
Optional Materials
  • Bard College has been test-optional for nearly 50 years. You do not need to take the SAT or ACT to apply to Bard. SAT and ACT scores should only be submitted if a student feels that their scores are an accurate reflection of their academic abilities.
    • Submitted SAT and ACT scores are only used to inform our review process in a very small fraction of applications that include SAT or ACT scores. Students who do not submit their SAT or ACT scores are not penalized in any way during the application review process. Bard does not require students to send official reports of their SAT or ACT scores. Students may self-report scores by including their scores in the Testing section of their Common Application, Coalition with Scoir,  or by uploading a copy of their score report to their Bard portal (Bard's CEEB code is 2037). For more information about our test-optional policy, please reach out to the Office of Admission at [email protected] or 845- 758-7472. 
  • Portfolios and Awards Artistic supplements are not required for admission to Bard. Copies of awards or certificates for extracurricular achievements are not required for admission. If you decide to submit artistic supplements, you can upload the files on your Bard portal. Instructions on accessing your Bard portal will be e-mailed to you once you apply to Bard. To submit awards or certificates for extracurricular achievements, include them in a resume along with your application.
Students who submit their application by the application deadline have a grace period of 5 days from the deadline to submit supplemental materials such as portfolio materials or to encourage teachers and counselors to submit their recommendation letters.

International Students

International transfer students can find dates, deadlines, and application information here.
International Transfer Students

Must Read: Bard Portal Information

Once you submit your Common Application or Coalition with Scoir, it may take 24 to 48 hours for us to confirm receipt of your application. Once we receive your application, you will be emailed a confirmation which includes the credentials to access your Bard Portal. 

If you submit your application on the deadline date but still have required materials to submit, please note that you will have time to upload those application materials after that deadline date as long as your application has been submitted. It is important, however, that you submit those final materials as soon as possible after the deadline has passed as the admission committee cannot read incomplete applications.

Please do not mail or email any materials directly to the Admission Office unless instructed to do so. Use your Bard Portal and go to your Application Tab to upload and view submitted materials. 

Please make a habit of visiting your Bard portal frequently to view your application and financial aid checklists and confirm that we have received all of the materials required to complete your application. We will also be posting information on your portal throughout the admission cycle so it is important to check your portal regularly.
 

Required Financial Aid Forms for Bard College

Financial aid and scholarships based on need are available. Both the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE forms are required by Bard for domestic students and are found online. For international students, the Bard International Student Application for Financial Aid is required and is to be completed and uploaded to their Bard portal with their application. All students receive access to their Bard Portal via email after submitting their Common Application or Coalition with Scoir to Bard College.

Deadlines for Submitting Financial Aid Forms

Spring Transfers
  • US citizens: The College Board's College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile) must be filed by November 1 in order for eligible students to receive a financial aid package alongside their admission decision. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed as soon as it becomes available in December, and no later than February 1, 2024. 
  • International Students: The Bard International Student Financial Aid Application Form (BISFAA) must be filed by November 1 in order for eligible students to receive a financial aid package alongside their admission decision. 
Fall Transfers and Return to College Program (RCP)
  • US citizens: The College Board's College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile) and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be filed by March 1 in order for eligible students to receive a financial aid package alongside their admission decision.
  • International Students: The Bard International Student Financial Aid Application Form (BISFAA) must be filed by March 1 in order for eligible students to receive a financial aid package alongside their admission decision.
While federal financial aid protocols impact undocumented students, DACA or undocumented students may apply for Bard College institutional financial aid using the CSS Profile. More information about financial aid application deadlines can be found on the financial aid website. Questions regarding financial aid can be directed to [email protected].
Financial Aid Website →

Transfer Orientation
Photo by Pete Mauney ’93 MFA ’00

Transfer Orientation

Transfer students enrolling at Bard must complete an orientation program:
  • Fall transfer students complete a three-day orientation in August.
  • Spring transfer students complete a three-day orientation in January.
Transfer students with fewer than 28 transferable credits:
All transfer students (fall or spring) with fewer than 28 transferable credits must also complete one semester of First-Year Seminar during their first semester enrolled at the College.

Any Questions?

Please click the questions below for answers to the most common questions asked about applying to Bard as a transfer student.

  • If I'm currently in a dual-enrollment program, how do I apply?
    Credits from college classes taken during high school will transfer to Bard if the college/university provides a transcript and if the student earns a grade of C or higher in classes similar to ones offered at Bard. Students participating in dual enrollment programs who expect to complete their associate’s degrees at the time of high school graduation should apply to Bard as transfer candidates. However, some colleges and universities do not accept these college credits and expect these students to apply as first-years. Since students can only submit one Common Application (either first-year or transfer), if they choose to apply to Bard as first-years, we will shift their applications to transfer status.
  • What kind of housing is available for transfer students?
    Housing is guaranteed for transfer students, with the exception of RCP and Bard Baccalaureate. 
  • Do I have to resubmit an application if I've already applied in the past?
    All applicants must submit an application for the current application year, including students who have previously applied to the College. Students who have applied within the past 2 years may request to have previously submitted recommendations, transcripts, or supplemental materials transferred to their new application by submitting this request form to the Office of Admission when they re-apply. Email [email protected] if you no longer have your applicant portal login information; this is what you will use to submit your request form.

    Note: If you already have a Common Application account, you may want to use account rollover to re-submit your application. See Common Application Rollover