Important Dates and Deadlines
- December 1: Application deadline
- Mid-December: Applicants are notified of prescreening results via their Application Portal
- Late February or Early March: Final Auditions at Bard College and in New York City
- March 1: Financial Aid Application deadline
- Mid-March: Final admissions decisions and financial aid packages will be released.
- April 15: Enrollment deadline
Requirements for All Applicants
A completed application will contain the following materials uploaded to your online application by December 1.
Letters of Recommendation and Transcripts
These may be sent electronically to [email protected].
International Applicants: English Proficiency
In addition to the first-year application requirements, non-native speakers of English must demonstrate proficiency in English by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).* TOEFL scores should be sent to the Graduate Vocal Arts Program by the Educational Testing Service. The Bard College school code is 2037. A minimum score of 600 on the paper-based test (PBT) or 100 on the internet-based test (iBT) is recommended for admission. We also accept the IELTS in place of the TOEFL, with a band score of no less than seven, or the Duolingo Test with a total score of no less than 120. Students should only request results to be sent electronically to Bard College directly from TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test, and not physical documents to be mailed.
Other evidence of English-language proficiency will be accepted only with the approval of the Graduate Admission Committee. An application is considered incomplete and cannot be acted upon until the English proficiency score is received. The deadline for English proficiency score submissions is December 1.
*Students who have spent the majority of their secondary education in an English-medium program may be eligible for a waiver of the language testing requirement.
Other evidence of English-language proficiency will be accepted only with the approval of the Graduate Admission Committee. An application is considered incomplete and cannot be acted upon until the English proficiency score is received. The deadline for English proficiency score submissions is December 1.
*Students who have spent the majority of their secondary education in an English-medium program may be eligible for a waiver of the language testing requirement.