A mother and her son look at each other in a garden overlooking the Hudson River.
Photo by Karl Rabe.

About Financial Aid

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Bard seeks to assist qualified students who might not be able to attend a private college because of the cost. Bard will meet 100% of the full demonstrated need (Tuition, Food and Housing, First Year Academic Programming if applicable and Required Fees) for students admitted in the early rounds (Early Action I and Early Decision I). The College makes every effort to meet demonstrated need, no matter which application option students choose. In recent years, almost 70% of all Bard students have received financial support from the College.

Financial Need + Admission

Questions about the price of Bard? Use the Net Price Calculator below to estimate what your costs may look like after financial aid.
Net Price Calculator →

How do we calculate financial need?

A student’s financial need is calculated after their family contribution, federal student loans, federal grants, outside grants, scholarships, and work study eligibility are considered. Once a student's need is calculated, the College provides a financial aid award that is designed to meet the gap between the cost of Tuition, Housing and Food, First Year Academic Programming, if applicable, and required fees and the sum of a family's contribution, federal student loans, federal grants, work study (if eligible), and other outside grants and scholarships.

How does need factor into admission to Bard?

Bard is need-aware in admissions at the margins; meaning that if we do not feel that we can adequately package a student for success, we would encourage that student to seek more affordable paths to college. Bard does accept transfer students and has ample pipeline programs for students that would consider lower costs options for the first year or two of their education. If you feel your package is not sufficient to meet your need, please contact Financial Aid and/or Admission to discuss alternatives.

Bard College Fees 2025–26

Log In to Bard Self-Service Student Accounts →

  • First-Year Students
    $90,752
  • Returning Resident
    $89,120
  • Returning Off-Campus
    $69,672

Bard Financial Aid by the Numbers

Bard College awarded almost $73 million in institutional undergraduate aid for 2023–24.
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  • 77%
    of undergraduate students receive Bard aid
  • 69%
    average portion of costs covered by Bard aid
  • $54,213
    average Bard scholarship
  • $25,218
    average annual cost before outside aid
FAQs on Financial Aid
How do I know if my financial aid applications were received?
Check the financial aid section of your applicant portal.  Outstanding items will have a red ‘X’ next to them.  Satisfied requirements will have a green checkmark next to them.  Items are not satisfied immediately – some processing time is required.  Please allow for 3 to 5 days for the item to be satisfied.

Does Bard offer merit aid?
Though the large majority of Bard’s scholarship aid is granted exclusively based on financial need, Bard is offering a limited number of competitive merit scholarships to students who demonstrate academic excellence alongside a substantive commitment to community leadership and civic engagement. Priority is given to students who are not eligible for federal need-based financial aid. The average merit scholarship award is $20,000 per academic year.
 
I don’t have contact with my Non-Custodial parent. How do I apply to waive the Non-Custodial Profile requirement?
If a student has no contact and does not receive financial support from the non-custodial parent, a waiver of the NCP may be requested. The request must consist of legal documentation or a letter of explanation from a third-party; such as a school counselor, clergy member, or court official. All NCP waiver documentation should be emailed to: [email protected].   

I am an admitted student. How do I appeal my financial aid award offer?
  1. Log into the student’s Bard Applicant Portal
  2. Go to Checklist Tab
  3. Click the Financial Aid section 
  4. Click on the megaphone button which will walk you through the process of appealing
Students are notified of decisions via email
A group of students sit for a posed photo on the porch of an office building at Bard College.

Equity and Inclusion Programs at Bard College

Scholarships · Mentoring · Community
Equity and Inclusion Programs at Bard College support scholars from a variety of backgrounds who seek to attain a rigorous liberal arts education. With the guidance of professional staff and peer mentors, scholars create a path of personal and academic success at Bard.
Learn More About OEI at Bard

Graduate Students

  • Next Steps
    Prospective and current graduate students should submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to the federal processor and indicate Bard College (code 002671) as one of the selected schools. For additional information regarding applications, scholarships, and grants, please visit the graduate program's website in which you are applying.

    Graduate students who have completed a FAFSA and need to borrow more than the maximum unsubsidized loan amounts may be eligible to receive a Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. Interested students must complete the Grad PLUS loan application and required documents at the link below.  Once we receive notice of your approved application we will email a Bard College document to complete in order for us to process the Grad Plus loan.

ECMC Tools

Additional Financial Aid Resources

Manage Federal Student Loans FastWeb (Scholarship Search) FinAid! Guide

Contact the Office of Student Financial Services