Bard Application Process: FAQs
Deadlines at a Glance
- November 1, 2026: Early Action (EA), Early Decision I (ED I), Immediate Decision Plan (IDP), Bard Entrance Exam (BEE), and Spring Transfer
- January 15, 2027: Early Decision II (ED II) and Regular Decision (RD)
- March 1, 2027: Fall Transfer
- For financial aid and scholarship deadlines, see our First-Year Applicants and Transfer Applicants pages.
Early Action and Early Decision – November 1
- Students who are applying Early Action or Early Decision (including IDP) should have all materials submitted by the application deadline, November 1. There will be a grace period after the deadline for students to submit supplemental materials such as portfolio materials or to encourage teachers and counselors to submit their recommendation letters.
- Students who are applying Early Decision II or Regular Decision (including IDP ED II) should have all materials submitted by the application deadline, January 15. There will be a grace period after the deadline for students to submit supplemental materials such as portfolio materials or to encourage teachers and counselors to submit their recommendation letters.
Your Bard Portal
- Getting in: All students receive login details for their Bard Portal shortly after submitting their application. It may take 24–48 hours for us to confirm receipt of your application. Learn more about how the Bard Portal works.
- Trouble logging in? Call the Office of Admission at 845-758-7472 or email [email protected] during our regular office hours (Monday–Friday, 9 am–5 pm ET; 9 am–4 pm ET from June 1 to September 1, except select holidays), and we will work with you to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Is Something Missing From Your Checklist?
- Upload it yourself. If you notice missing materials on your Bard Portal checklist, you can upload them directly to your application through the portal.
- Give it a little time. It can take 48 hours to 3–5 days, depending on the form, for a submitted item to show a green check mark on your checklist. Recently submitted materials may simply still be processing.
- Incomplete applications. We cannot begin reading an incomplete application, so we will keep following up with early-round applicants about missing required materials until early-round decisions are released in mid-December. We will follow up with Regular Decision and Early Decision II applicants through the month of January.
- Late optional materials. We can accept optional supplemental materials after the deadline as long as the application itself was submitted by the deadline. However, we cannot guarantee that late supplemental materials will be read with the application.
Conversations and Interviews
- First-year applicants: A conversation with an Admission representative is optional and informal (about 20–30 minutes). Sign-ups run September 8–October 24 for Early Action, Early Decision I, and Bard Entrance Exam applicants, and September 8–January 30 for Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants.
- Transfer applicants: Spring Transfer and Return to College (RCP) interviews run from early September through late October. Fall Transfer and RCP interviews take place in February, and the schedule is posted on our website starting in January.
- Optional. Conversations and interviews are simply one layer of our holistic review, and you will not be disadvantaged if you are unable to schedule one. The exception is Return to College, where an interview is required.
When Will I Hear Back?
- Mid-December: Early Action, Early Decision I, and Bard Entrance Exam decisions
- February: Early Decision II decisions
- Late March: Regular Decision decisions
- Immediate Decision Plan: IDP decisions follow a different timeline. See the Immediate Decision Plan page.
Application Fee and Test Scores
- No application fee. There is no application fee to apply to Bard.
- Test-optional. Bard has been test-optional for over 50 years, so you do not need to submit SAT or ACT scores. For questions about our policy, contact [email protected].
Questions About Financial Aid?
- Questions about financial aid and financial aid documentation can be directed to the Office of Student Financial Services at [email protected] or 845-758-7520. For aid deadlines and required forms, visit our financial aid application page.
Come Visit Us
- On your own time: Our campus tours page lists every way to visit, including in-person and virtual tours and three self-guided options: a driving tour with an audio guide, a walking tour, and a virtual 360° campus tour. You can complete the self-guided tours on your own time, even outside Office of Admission hours, and maps are available outside the Admission Office.
- Want a more personal visit? If you'd like to sit in on a class or meet a professor or student ambassador, submit a Campus Connect request form at least five business days before your visit.