Financial Aid

Bard offers several types of financial aid to help offset the costs of tuition and fees. Aid is in the form of fellowships, scholarships, and federal loans; the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts does not offer work-study opportunities, or tuition waivers. All students are eligible to be considered for fellowships and scholarships; only US citizens and permanent residents may apply for federal loans. For financial aid purposes, students are considered to be enrolled half-time during their first two years of the program and full-time for their final summer.

TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ANY FORM OF FINANCIAL AID, all applicants must either complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA or the 2025-2026 Bard College International Student Financial Aid Form (BISFAA) by February 1, 2025. No applicant will be considered for any financial aid if they do not complete one of these forms. Please note that the 2025-2026 FAFSA will not be available until December 2024.

Please note that all applicants must complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA or BISFAA; paperwork from 2024-2025 or earlier WILL NOT be considered.

Need-Based

A student may qualify for financial assistance in the form of scholarships or loans, depending on financial need. Financial need is assessed by a uniform method from financial data submitted by the student on the FAFSA or the BISFAA. Financial need is the difference between the student's budget of expenses and the assessed ability of each student to meet those expenses. Scholarships and loans are not automatically renewed. In order to be eligible for renewal, the student must reapply every year, remain in good standing, and continue to demonstrate financial need. No student who is in default on a student loan or who owes a refund on a federal grant is eligible for scholarships or loans.

Financial Aid for International Students
International students attending Bard College are eligible for financial assistance. Prospective international students who wish to be considered for financial aid must submit the 2025-2026 Bard International Student Financial Aid Application (BISFAA). Students who submit the required financial aid forms are automatically considered for all Bard College grants or scholarships for which they may be eligible. The Bard International Student Financial Aid Application must be completed each academic year for continuation of scholarship. International applicants who wish to be considered for financial aid must submit the BISFAA by February 1, 2025. Please send completed International Student Financial Aid forms to [email protected].
Federal Direct Loan

Students who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States and who file a FAFSA are eligible to borrow through the Federal Direct Loan program, which provides unsubsidized loans. Eligible students may borrow up to $20,500 annually through a Federal Direct Loan, provided the total amount of assistance does not exceed the graduate program's annual cost. The student begins paying interest charges on the loan while enrolled in school; repayment on the loan principal begins six months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time.
Federal Grad PLUS Loan
Graduate students can now access the Federal PLUS Loan Program to pay for the cost of education not covered by other financial aid. This loan is guaranteed by the federal government and may be deferred while the student is enrolled at least half-time. A credit check is required. These loans are disbursed in the same way as the Federal Direct Loan.
Scholarships and Fellowships
Scholarships and fellowships are awarded to new and returning students based on a student's demonstrated financial need. Applicants who wish to be considered for financial aid must submit a 2025-2026 FAFSA or Bard International Student Financial Aid Application by February 1, 2025. Returning students must submit a FAFSA by the same date. Links to these forms are available on Bard's Financial Aid website. Scholarship decisions are made in early-March; the student will receive an award letter listing any financial aid received. Award letters must be signed and returned before financial aid awards will appear on the student's account. Bard scholarships are awarded on the basis of full-time tuition, fee charges, and room and board charges at Bard College. The scholarship specified in the award notification is provided on the assumption that you will incur the charges noted. If you do not, the scholarship will be prorated in accordance with the charges billed to you.

Important: Applicants who wish to be considered for financial aid must submit a 2025-2026 FAFSA or 2025-2026 Bard International Student Financial Aid Application by February 1, 2025. The 2024-2025 FAFSA or International Student Financial Aid forms, or any previous years versions, will NOT be considered.
MFA Named Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards
Students are considered annually for the following Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards.
Students must complete either the FAFSA or Bard International Student Financial Aid Form to receive an award.

Milton and Sally Avery Scholarship (Graduate)
A scholarship awarded annually to qualified and deserving students in the undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts.

Joe Brainard Writing Fellowship
Established in honor of the writer and artist Joe Brainard, to fund writing students in the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts.

Judith L. Cohen and Lawrence R. Klein Scholarship
A scholarship given in honor of Judith L. Cohen and Lawrence R. Klein to a deserving student in the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts, with preference given to a sculpture student who demonstrates significant talent and financial need.

Elaine de Kooning Memorial Scholarship
A graduate scholarship given annually in the memory of Elaine de Kooning to deserving female or female-identifying students who show promise in painting, to enable them to study at the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts. Created by her family, friends, and former students, the scholarship perpetuates the memory of a great teacher and an inspiring role model.

Richard B. Fisher Fellowship
A fellowship given annually in the memory of Richard B. Fisher, chair of the Board of Trustees to a student of writing at the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts.

Stanley Landsman Fellowship
The Stanley Landsman Fund, established by the family and friends of Stanley Landsman, provides for a limited number of partial fellowships for students who are eligible for financial aid and are candidates for the master of fine arts degree from the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts.

Film/Video Fellowships
A Fellowship established by an anonymous donor to benefit talented and deserving students who are studying Film/Video in the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts.

Film/Video Diversity Fellowships
A Fellowship established by an anonymous donor to benefit talented and deserving students of diversity who are studying Film/Video in the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts.

Joseph J. Hartog Fund for Independent Study in Europe at Bard College
A scholarship awarded to a student in the Graduate School of the Arts demonstrating significant talent, to enable independent study in Europe and maintain a dialogue with a European artist in his or her field.