International Students

Am I an International Student?

If you are a non-U.S. citizen living outside of the United States, or a non-U.S citizen living in the United States on a temporary visa, you will be considered an international applicant. If you are unsure of your status, please contact admission@bard.edu and we will be happy to assist you.

U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents living abroad: your global experience is a valuable part of your narrative and will be given due consideration in the evaluation of your application.

DACA and Undocumented applicants, please go here for a statement from Bard College's president, and for information about applying for financial aid.

The Office of International Students and Scholar Services (OISSS) helps international students and scholars achieve their academic and personal goals. The office advises students and scholars on all matters pertaining to maintaining their status in the United States and on cultural, social, educational, and personal concerns.

Photo from the International Student Organization annual show

Dates and Deadlines

Early Applications Due Early Action, Early Decision, Immediate Decision Plan, Bard Entrance Exam	November 1
Bard College Aid Scholarship Applications Due (optional and if applicable):	November 1
Financial Aid Application Due: International Student Financial Aid Application	November 1
Deposit Due: Early Decision, Early Decision 2-Immediate Decision Plan	Within a month after receipt of decision and/or financial aid package
Deposit Due: Early Action, Early Action 2-Immediate Decision Plan, Bard Entrance Exam	May 1
Decision Notification for Early Applicants	End of December
Regular Decision Application Due	January 1
Financial Aid Application Due: International Student Financial Aid Application	January 1
Bard College Aid Scholarship Applications Due (optional and if applicable):	January 1
Decision Notification for Regular Decision Applicants	End of March
Deposit Due	May 1

Common Application

This application method is for international first-year and transfer students.

Application Checklist:

Required materials:

Apply using the Common Application.
High School transcript (Include mid-year senior grades if available at the time you apply.)
School Report (Form is generally completed by a high school counselor and includes a school profile.)
Teacher recommendations (Two are required: We prefer that one recommendation come from an English or humanities instructor and one from a math or science instructor.)
TOEFL exam or IELTS exam or Duolingo English Test (For English proficiency requirements, see below.) All international applicants who speak a foreign language other than English as their primary language must submit a completed TOEFL exam or IELTS exam or Duolingo English Test.
- Students who attend High Schools with full English instruction may request to be considered for a TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo waiver by emailing admission@bard.edu, Subject: International Applicant - TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo waiver

Optional materials:

In addition to the TOEFL or IELTS or Duolingo requirement, we recommend participating in the optional English Proficiency supplements with one of our two service partners: IntialView or Vericant. (See below for more information.)
Completed International Financial Aid application (Required, if applying for financial aid. This form can be found on the Applying for Financial Aid as an International Student page.)

Applicant English Proficiency Supplement Options

It is recommended that, in addition to the required TOEFL or IELTS or Duolingo exam, international applicants for whom English is a second language, participate in an optional English Proficiency supplement with one of these service providers:

Vericant (There is one link for mainland Chinese applicants and another link for other international applicants.)

InitialView (If you live in mainland China, you can use this service to speak personally with an interviewer. If you live outside of mainland China, you can use InitialView to speak with an interviewer via a video platform.)

What are the English proficiency requirements (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo)?

Because we do not have a full-scale English as a Second Language program at Bard, it is critical that all students, domestic and international, have the appropriate level of English fluency before they arrive on campus. We read every application in full, placing particular stock in the writing, and recommendations and grades from English teachers.

We require all international students to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or the The International English Language Testing System test, or the Duolingo English Test.

Our test score guidelines are:
-TOEFL score of at least 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based test - IBT).
-IELTS in place of the TOEFL, with a band score of no less than seven.
-Duolingo English Test in place of the TOEFL or IELTS, with a test score of no less than 120.

MUST READ: Bard Portal Information

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

Applying for Financial Aid?

Financial Aid Required Form for Bard

(Non-U.S. citizens only)

International students requesting financial aid must complete and upload the International Student Financial Aid Application to their Bard Portal by November 1 for early applicants, and January 1 for Regular Decision applicants. Students receive access to their Bard Portal via email after submitting their Common Application to Bard College. Students interested in being considered for need-based financial aid from the College must upload a completed International Student Financial Aid Application along with their application for admission. The College has a need-aware admission policy. Students who upload to the Bard Portal the required financial aid forms are automatically considered for all Bard College grants or scholarships for which they may be eligible.

Click here for financial aid information and form for international students.

Bard's financial aid budget is limited. Bard makes every effort to meet the needs of its accepted and financially eligible students while staying within budget parameters. Generally, Bard will admit an academically eligible international student who can demonstrate sufficient funding to cover room, board and travel costs. To review Bard's total cost of attendance, please click here.

Financial Aid Website

Bard Representative Virtual Interview

Interviews are optional at Bard

If you decide to interview, we have scheduled virtual interviews beginning in September.

NOTE: Soon there will be interview times posted for international students in very different time zones.

Please take note of the interview deadlines:

First-Year Early Applicants Interview Deadline: Concluded
First-Year Regular Decision Applicants Interview Deadline: Concluded

Any Questions?

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

What if I am both an international student and a transfer student?

What if I am both an international student and a transfer student?

Bard accepts international transfer students with the understanding that they will spend a minimum of two years at the College. Bard accepts transfer students for the fall and spring semesters.

Applicants who have completed one semester of college work may apply for admission in the fall as first-year students with the potential for advanced standing. Transfer students are expected to be familiar with Bard's distinctive curricular components, particularly Moderation and the Senior Project.

Although a personal interview is not required for incoming first-year students, it is strongly recommended for transfer candidates. Candidates should demonstrate their understanding of Bard's curriculum in their interview.

For general information and deadlines for transfer students, please click here.
What is Bard's policy on advanced standing and college AP credits?

What is Bard's policy on advanced standing and college AP credits?

Advanced standing or college credit for College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses will be given for a grade of 5. Students who wish to request credit or advanced standing must submit the appropriate record of their grade to the Office of the Registrar.

The following international diplomas may be accepted for advanced standing: International Baccalaureate (IB), French Baccalaureate, Swiss Maturity, and German Abitur. Students who have earned A-level passes may enter with advanced standing.

Students may receive 4 credits for each IB and A-level subject—as well as other international high school programs, as determined by the registrar—to a maximum of one year of credit. To be eligible for credit, IB students must score 5 or above in individual subjects. A-level students must have an A or A* to receive credit. AP students must score a 5 on their AP exams to receive credit.

Any questions regarding exact transfer of advanced credit should be made after you have received an admission decision and directed to Peter Gadsby, the registrar (gadsby@bard.edu).
What does it mean to be deferred to Regular Admission or waitlisted?

What does it mean to be deferred to Regular Admission or waitlisted?

Deferred to Regular Admission?

If you have applied through one of the Early Application Options: Early Action, Early Decision, or through Bard's Immediate Decision Plan (IDP), the Admission Committee has three options: accept, deny, or defer to Regular Admission. If you are deferred to Regular Admission, your early application has been shifted to our Regular Admission pool of candidates (i.e., those who apply by January 1) and you will receive an admission decision at the end of March. In most cases, applicants are deferred to Regular Admission because the Admission Committee wants to see midyear senior grades (first semester, or first and/or second trimester) before making a decision. Being deferred to Regular Admission is not an acceptance or denial decision; the Committee is postponing making a decision until it receives senior year data.

Waitlisted?

It means that you are in a holding pattern in terms of an admission decision. Because the final outcome of your waitlisted status cannot be predicted, you should ensure that you have a place for yourself in the fall by meeting the deposit deadline at another institution. If you are offered admission, you will be notified by e-mail to check your Applicant Portal. You should be prepared to accept or decline our offer within two weeks. If you applied for financial aid, you will receive a financial aid package within 10 days after notification.

Typically, admission from Bard’s active waitlist is offered beginning early May through mid-July. We do not rank our waitlist and the number of students admitted varies from year to year. By August 1, however, admission from the waitlist will be concluded and we will notify all remaining students.
What is the Bard Entrance Examination?
What is the Bard Entrance Examination?

Transfer students may not apply under this option. The Bard Entrance Examination is an online essay test open to high school juniors and seniors. Completion of the test is equivalent to an application for admission. Applicants receive notification by the end of December.
Learn more
Application Checklist
Required materials, once you have completed and passed the Bard Entrance Examination (B+ or higher):
- Official High School Transcript
- General reference letter from appropriate school official
- TOEFL or IELTS exam
- Completed International Student Financial Aid Application which can be found here
Bard Entrance Exam Information
Do I have to resubmit an application if I've already applied in the past and would like to be considered for another application year?

Do I have to resubmit an application if I've already applied in the past and would like to be considered for another application year?

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 admission@bard.edu 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

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International Students

Dates and Deadlines

Common Application

Applicant English Proficiency Supplement Options

What are the English proficiency requirements (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo)?

MUST READ: Bard Portal Information

MUST READ: Bard Portal Information

Applying for Financial Aid?

Bard Representative Virtual Interview

Any Questions?

What if I am both an international student and a transfer student?

What is Bard's policy on advanced standing and college AP credits?

What does it mean to be deferred to Regular Admission or waitlisted?

What is the Bard Entrance Examination?

Do I have to resubmit an application if I've already applied in the past and would like to be considered for another application year?

Discover More

Explore Bard