Study Abroad for Non-Bard Students

1. Meet with an Adviser

Talk to the study abroad office at your school! Will credits transfer? Do you need approval to go abroad? Are there any internal policies to be aware of?

2. Search for a Program

Where do you want to go? Is there a region you’d like to research? Do you have requirements to fulfill while abroad? Is the program approved by your school?

3. Check Your Passport

Do you have a valid passport? Countries require that it be valid for months after your departure, so be sure to check how long it needs to be valid after the end of the program.

4. Petition to Study Abroad

Some schools require that students petition for approval to study abroad. Make sure you are approved or on track to do so before applying directly to a program. 

5. Explore Funding Your Trip

Talk to the Financial Aid office at your school. Does your financial aid continue when you go abroad? Do you need to find other funding options? Bard Abroad offers scholarships for qualifying students.*
*Tuition remission exchange packages do not automatically transfer to study abroad opportunities.

Explore Scholarships

6. Apply to Your Program

Apply directly to your program. Beware of deadlines and request transcripts and other documentation well ahead of the deadline.

Withdrawal Policy

If a student chooses to withdraw from a Bard Abroad program, they must inform Bard Abroad in writing immediately.

In such an event, the following policies apply:

• The $500 program deposit is nonrefundable.
• If an accepted student chooses to withdraw prior to a program's commencement, they will be responsible for paying any unrecoverable program costs that Bard Abroad or the program has incurred on their behalf. Such costs may include, but are not limited to: prepaid meals, prepaid room or housing reservation deposits, airline deposits or airline tickets, bus rental fees, and payments for guides. Thus, even if the student has not yet paid the full program balance and does not attend the program, they may be responsible for paying these unrecoverable program costs. Therefore, it is in the student's best interest to notify Bard Abroad immediately upon making a decision to withdraw in order to minimize unrecoverable expenses made on the student's behalf.
• If a student chooses to withdraw after a program's commencement for any reason, including academic or personal, no refunds will be given. In addition, any student who withdraws before completion of the program may not be eligible to receive academic credit from the program.
• If a student is required to return to the U.S. after a program's commencement due to serious illness, death, or death within the immediate family, Bard Abroad will make every effort to refund recoverable costs to the student.
• If a student is dismissed from a program due to behavioral, academic, legal, or other related issues no refunds will be given.

Notes:

• Students receiving financial aid should consult with the financial aid office at their home institution for information about how withdrawing from a program would affect their federal, state, and/or institutional aid.
• Because full refunds are often not possible, we strongly urge students to purchase either trip cancellation or trip interruption insurance for all or part of the full program cost, including tuition or tuition insurance. Policies vary widely in terms with regard to covered expenses, price, and the timing of when policies must be purchased, so students should check directly with insurance providers for more details.
• All students participating in a Bard Abroad program are required to purchase international health insurance which covers the time of the program, and to provide proof of that purchase before departure.

Program Cancellation Policy

Because student safety is of critical importance, Bard College reserves the right to cancel any Bard-sponsored program in a location or context that is considered unsafe by the College. Bard Abroad regularly reviews information provided by the U.S. Department of State and monitors other sources for information about the countries where students are or will be studying on Bard programs.

In such an event, the following policies apply:
If Bard College cancels a program because of safety concerns, an emergency, or an act of God prior to the commencement of the program:

• Bard Abroad will make every effort to refund recoverable program costs to the participants.
• Tuition will be refunded.

If Bard College cancels a program after it has commenced due to safety concerns, an emergency, or an act of God:                                                                                                

• Bard Abroad will make every effort to help students complete the academic work from the program and, depending on the circumstances, earn the intended academic credit from the program.
• Bard Abroad will make every effort to refund recoverable program costs to the participants. Unrecoverable program expenses (e.g., program deposits, airfare, excursion expenses, housing fees, other operating costs) may be refunded on a pro-rated basis.
• Tuition will not be refunded.

Notes:

• Bard Abroad will review individual cancellations on a case-by-case basis for students who are receiving financial aid from Bard or from their home institutions.
• Because full refunds are often not possible, we strongly urge students to purchase trip cancellation insurance and tuition insurance. Policies vary on when trip cancellation insurance and tuition insurance must be purchased, so students should check with insurance providers for more details.