Students sitting on a bench and on the floor. One student is talking and the rest are listening.
Photo by Karl Rabe

Leaves of Absence

Bard students planning to study abroad or at another institution may apply for a Leave of Absence.
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Bard students planning to study abroad or at another institution may apply for a Leave of Absence. Federal financial aid that you are eligible for may be used for study at another institution. This may include Pell Grant, SEOG grant, and/or Stafford Loan funds. TAP grants from New York State will only be available if you chose to attend another New York institution. If you are a TAP recipient and will be attending another New York institution, check with the financial aid office for further information about using these funds for your academic leave.

Checklist

The following information is required by the Financial Aid Office for all Bard students planning to study abroad or at another institution, in addition to the standard financial aid application materials:
  1. Apply for approval from the Bard Registrar’s Office that the coursework completed at the host institution will be accepted toward degree requirements at Bard College.
  2. Submit documentation of actual charges or costs for the study abroad program (i.e., catalogue statements or any official list of costs from the host institution).
  3. Submit enrollment certification (showing full-time enrollment) from the program you will be attending. This may be a letter from your host institution once you have registered.
  4. Submit a Refund Request.
  5. Submit the name and address of your program so we may send a Consortium Agreement to be completed between Bard and your host institution.

Applying

The Executive Committee must approve your completed application for an academic leave of absence before you participate in courses at another institution; otherwise you will not receive credit at Bard College for these courses. The Petition for Study Abroad or Petition for Academic Leave of Absence must be submitted by May 1 for a leave in the following fall semester, and by November 15 for a leave in the following spring.

Petition Forms:
Petition for a Leave of Absence 
Petition for Study Abroad

Refunds

Use the Refund Request Form or submit written authorization from you, the student, directing Bard to send the financial aid refund to you, another person, or your program. If funds are to be sent to the program, please provide the mailing address.
Refund Request Form

Contact the Office of Student Financial Services