Tuition All students are billed as full-time tuition (10-20 credits). Students registering for more than 20 credits will be charged a fee of $2,152 for each additional credit.
Students registering for 9 credits or less are considered part-time, and are charged at a per credit fee of $2,152. To update your registration status from full-time to part-time, it must be approved by various departments via a Part-Time Request Form and submitted to both the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Student Accounts prior to drop/add.
Housing and Food (previously Room and Board) All resident students are charged Housing and Food and are required to take the meal plan. All regular semester meal plans, which are included in the Food charge, are the same cost.
Campus Facilities Fee The campus facilities fee, which provides access to the campus facilities, is required for all off campus students.
Health & Counseling Fee (Formally, Campus Health Services Fee) The campus health services fee, which provides access to the health and counseling center, is required for all enrolled students. Additional charges may be incurred during the academic year related to medications or other provided services. Information regarding additional charges is available at the Health Services Office.
Language and Thinking Meal Plans All students, including those eligible to live off campus who are attending the Language and Thinking workshop Program are required to take the meal plan. An additional meal charge of $1,132 is applied for the meal plan taken during the Language and Thinking program.
Orientation Meal Plan All students attending the Orientation Programs are required to take the meal plan during these programs. An additional charge of $410 is applied for the meal plan taken during the Fall program. An additional charge of $TBD is applied for the meal plan taken during the Spring program.
Tuition Refund Insurance Plan All enrolled full-time students will be charged an optional tuition insurance plan at an additional cost of $952, which is charged in the fall semester. Students who elect to waive the tuition insurance must submit a waiver form online by the appropriate deadline, so that the charge can be removed from the student's account. Information regarding tuition insurance is available here and here.
Full-time students who begin the academic year in the Spring semester will be charged an optional tuition insurance plan at an additional cost of $476.
Student Health Insurance Plan All enrolled students are required to have health insurance coverage. A 12-month health insurance plan is available through Bard at an additional cost of $3,607, which is charged in the fall semester. Students who elect to have alternate private plans must submit proof of coverage for confirmation that, upon review, it is equivalent to the plan offered through Bard.
*Students who receive a Fall Only waiver or those who begin the academic year in the Spring semester, will be charged the 7 month health insurance plan cost of $2,112 in the spring semester. Information regarding health insurance is available at the Health Services Office.
Security Deposit The security deposit is a one-time-only charge, which is billed in the students first semester. It is refundable at the completion of a students' course of study at the College.
Commuter Meal Plan All students living off campus are eligible to sign up for the Commuter meal plan. Students who live on campus are not eligible for this plan. The plan cost is $2,750 per academic year ($1,375 per semester). Sign up is required each semester by contacting the office of Student Accounts via email. If sign up is completed after the semester installments are due, payment for the plan is required in full at the time of sign up.
Undergraduate - Other Fees
Academic Leave of Absence Students who take an academic leave of absence are charged a $750 maintenance of status administrative fee per semester.
Private Music Lesson Students taking private lessons for credit are charged a $250 private music lesson fee per each course taken. The fee is assessed based on information received from the Music Department and the Office of the Registrar. This fee is nonrefundable for courses dropped after the semesters' drop/add period.
Course Audits Undergraduate students enrolled full time (10-20 credits) may also register to audit courses. The number credits per semester at no charge to audit is up to 4 audit credits or up to 24 credits total combined for credit and audit. A fee of $300 is charged for each additional credit audited.
Undergraduate students enrolled part time (9 or less credits) may register to audit a maximum of 4 credits per semester at no charge. A fee of $300 is charged for each additional credit audited.
Matriculated students who are on an approved leave of absence and are approved to audit a course or courses at Bard will be charged a fee of $300 for each credit audited.
These fees are nonrefundable for courses dropped after the semesters' drop/add period.
Nonmatriculated are not able to audit courses.
Part-Time Students in Absentia Students living outside the immediate area who register for 8 credits (two courses) or fewer are excused from all charges except the part-time status fee of $300 per semester and the tuition fee of $2,152 per credit. Applications for this status must be approved by the Executive Committee.
Independent Study A special registration fee of $587 per credit is charged for each independent study project undertaken for credit during the January intersession or summer. Only one independent study project is allowed per session. The fee is payable when the student registers for the independent study project. The registrar will record academic credit for January intersession or summer projects only upon receipt of financial clearance from Student Financial Services. No special registration fee is required when an independent study project is taken for credit during an academic semester.
Internships A special registration fee of $295 per half of a credit is charged for each internship undertaken for credit during the January intersession or summer. Registered students may register for a maximum of 4 credits per session. The fee is payable when the student registers for an internship. The registrar will record academic credit for internships undertaken during the January intersession or summer session only upon receipt of financial clearance from Student Financial Services. No special registration fee is required when an internship is taken for credit during an academic semester.
Housing Cancellation Requests to cancel this agreement after a room has been selected will result in a cancellation fee of $1000 or the equivalent to the cost of housing, dependent on the notification date. If the request is granted, cancellation fees will be applied to your student account. After August 1 (or January 1 as noted above) cancellation of the housing agreement will result in financial responsibility for the cost of housing.
Financial release from the Facility Use Agreement occurs ONLY at the end of the fall semester or academic year, due to graduation, a formal leave of absence, or transfer from the College. No other exceptions will be made.
Enrollment Confirmation
Each April and October, students must declare, in writing, their plans with respect to taking a leave of absence, academic or personal, studying at one of Bard's auxiliary programs, or withdrawing from the next term. Students who are enrolled at the Annandale campus can send confirmation to the Office of Student Accounts in writing, via email, or by regular mail. Students who are enrolled in a Bard auxiliary program or who are on leave can send written notifications as to their plans of continuing their leave or returning to Annandale campus, via email or regular mail. Students who decide to take a personal leave of absence or withdraw from Bard for the next term must also complete required paperwork with the Dean of Student Affairs Office. Students who plan to take an academic leave of absence must also submit an application to the Dean of Studies Office. A student who registers for an upcoming semester and then decides to take a leave must notify the Office of Student Accounts and the Dean of Student Affairs in writing at least one week prior to the scheduled financial clearance date of that term in order to be eligible for a refund.
Financial holds are placed on the accounts of students for whom our office does not receive written confirmation of enrollment plans for the next term. These holds prevent the release of transcripts and academic information, and prevent participation in registration and room draw.
Enrollment Confirmation
Prior to the start of each term, students’ enrollment for that term must be validated at the opening day of the financial clearance session. Enrollment holds are placed on the accounts of students whose enrollment has not been validated by our office.
Changes in registration status from full-time to part-time must be approved by various departments. The approved Part-Time Request Form must be submitted by the student each semester to the Office of Student Accounts prior to the end date of the drop/add period for the term. No refund of tuition is approved for registration changes posted after this date. The 2025-2026 per-credit charge for part-time status is $2,152 up to 9 credits.
A student who has registered for an upcoming term and then decides to take a leave or withdraw must notify Student Financial Services and the Dean of Student Affairs Office in writing prior to the scheduled financial clearance date of that term in order to be eligible for a refund.
Students who leave during a semester are required to file a Leave Form (in writing) with the Dean of Student Affairs Office, even if they have notified or filed forms with other College offices. The effective date of the leave is the date on which the Dean of Student Affairs Office notifies the Student Accounts Office. Charges for the term are applicable on the basis of this effective date. Please refer to the Catalogue regarding the College's refund policy.
Financial Clearance for Enrollment
Students’ accounts must be current with respect to payments and financial aid matters before financial clearance is issued for participation in registration, room draw, housing, meal plan, and enrollment for start-of-term enrollment validation. The financial clearance dates are noted on statements and in correspondence sent to students prior to these scheduled events.
Accounts not cleared prior to the financial clearance dates are subject to financial holds; these holds prevent the release of transcripts and academic information, and prevent participation in registration and room draw.
We encourage you to call the Student Financial Services office in advance of these dates to verify the financial clearance status of the account, in order to avoid unexpected complications.
Enrollment Deposit
For first-time applicants, the non-refundable enrollment deposit is due by May 1. If the deposit is paid for a first-time applicant and the student decides not to attend, it is not refundable.
Part-Time Enrollment and Billing
All students are billed as full-time each semester. In order to update your registration status from full-time to part-time, it must be approved by various departments via a Part-Time Request Form. The approved Part-Time Request Form can be obtained at the Office of the Registrar and must be submitted by the student each semester to the Office of Student Accounts prior to the end date of the drop/add period for the term. Part-time registration for billing purposes is considered 9 credits or less, and is charged at a per credit fee, plus any applicable room and board and/or required fees. Please note, the optional tuition insurance plan is not available for part-time students.
Contact the Office of Student Financial Services
Mailing Address: Bard College PO Box 5000 (30 Campus Road) Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504-5000