Barnard students are bold, thoughtful, and driven—analytical thinkers with a passion for learning and making connections beyond the classroom. Through internships, research, and study abroad, they shape the world and how we see it. The admissions team seeks similarly motivated candidates for our first-year and transfer classes.
The College admits students and administers its financial aid and loan programs, educational policies and programs, recreational programs, and other College programs and activities without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability. We are need-blind for first-year U.S. citizens and permanent residents and need-aware for international citizens and transfer applicants. Barnard meets 100% of demonstrated need and does not offer any merit-only scholarships.
Barnard seeks students from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and from all geographic regions. However, no preconceived profile of an ideal student population limits the number of applicants accepted from any one group. Admission is highly selective and our process is holistic and contextual; no one criterion or score determines acceptance. In addition to school records (all transcripts from 9th grade on), letters of recommendation, writing, and test scores (SAT/ACT test-optional for the 2025-2026 enrollment cycle), we carefully consider each applicant in terms of their personal qualities, intellectual potential, the rigor of the curriculum they have pursued, and their potential for achievement at Barnard. We review each applicant in the context of her school, community, and individual story.
First-Year Application Procedures
Application Deadlines
First-Year applicants can apply under an Early Decision or Regular Decision admission round.
Early Decision
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Deadline: November 1st
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Notification: Mid-December
The Early Decision plan is intended for students who passionately believe that Barnard is their first choice college. It is a binding decision plan, meaning that if you are admitted Early Decision, you commit to attend Barnard and are expected to withdraw all other applications. Along with all other required and optional application materials, Early Decision applicants are required to submit an Early Decision Agreement which is signed by the applicant, their parent/guardian, and their counselor. Students applying under the Early Decision plan must apply by November 1st. Decisions will be released by mid-December.
Notification of financial aid assistance for those candidates who have demonstrated financial need will be provided at the same time as the admissions decision. Once admitted, the student must submit a non-refundable enrollment deposit by the enrollment deadline. This deposit is applied toward tuition and fees for the first year.
If a student is denied during the Early Decision round, the decision is final for that application year.Students are welcome to apply in subsequent years as a transfer student.
The Admissions Committee may decide to defer a final decision on an Early Decision applicant and move them to the non-binding Regular Decision Round. The student will then be reevaluated and receive a final decision in late March. In that event, the student is asked to submit final grades from the first half of the senior year.
Regular Decision
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Deadline: January 1st
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Notification: Late-March
The deadline for Regular Decision is January 1st. Students will be notified by late March.
Notification of financial aid assistance for those candidates who have demonstrated financial need will be provided at the same time as the admissions decision. Once admitted, the student must submit a non-refundable enrollment deposit by the May 1st enrollment deadline. This deposit is applied toward tuition and fees for the first year.
The Barnard Application
Barnard uses the Common Application. A non-refundable fee of $75 must accompany the application. Students may submit payment directly through the Common Application website. Students with significant financial hardship can request a fee waiver through the application. Barnard also participates in the Questbridge program.
Secondary School Preparation
Each candidate for admission should present a college preparatory program from an accredited secondary school or an equivalent education representing a four-year course of study. Our most competitive applicants have taken four years of each of the five core subject areas –English, math, science, foreign language, and social science – during their high school years. They have also pursued advanced, honors, or AP or IB, where available. We do understand that curriculums at schools vary; we are seeking students who have challenged themselves academically and pursued a program that provides them with good breadth. Students should discuss all their options with their school counselor to ensure they are making rigorous choices within the context of their curriculum and course offerings. A secondary school diploma or equivalent is a requirement for enrollment at the College.
First-Year Entrance Tests
The SAT test code number for Barnard is 2038. The ACT code number for Barnard is 2718.
Barnard's application review is holistic and contextual, taking into consideration the applicant’s educational background, experiences, and opportunities. Standardized test scores are optional for the 2025-2026 enrollment cycle. This means that applicants may submit SAT or ACT scores (including self-reported scores) for consideration in the application review process if they would like to do so. However, if a student submits self-reported test scores, is admitted, and plans to enroll, she must submit official scores. It is the student’s responsibility to direct the College Board or ACT Program to send official test scores to the Office of Admissions.
Alternatively, students may choose to apply without submitting standardized test scores from the SAT or ACT exam. No other materials will be requested in lieu of those test scores. When test scores are included, they are only one component of the application and are never used as a sole criterion for selection.
Beginning Fall 2025, the Science and Writing portions of the ACT will be optional for all applicants who choose to submit their test results. If a student chooses to submit those portions, they will be reviewed along with the rest of their admission materials.The College does not evaluate SAT Subject Tests.
For students whose primary language is not English or who have not studied at a secondary school for four or more years where the primary language of instruction is English, Barnard requires results from one of the following tests: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test.
Recommendation Letters
Another important part of the first-year application is the submission of three recommendations, one from the high school counselor and two from academic teachers. The two teacher recommendations must be in core subjects: English, math, science, social sciences, or foreign language. While we recommend that these teachers be from your last two years of high school, we will accept recommendation letters from 10th grade teachers. These recommendations give the Admissions Committee additional information about the candidate’s interests, character, skills, and contributions to the classroom.
In addition, we require a letter of recommendation from your high school/college counselor. Due to large student caseloads, we understand if your counselor is unable to send a recommendation for you. Please contact us if this is the case. If your counselor is not able to submit a recommendation, we would encourage you to send an additional teacher letter of recommendation.
International Students
Barnard broadly defines “international students” as 1) a citizen of a country other than the U.S. (foreign national) who has been attending high school in the United States or the equivalent abroad; or 2) a U.S. citizen educated abroad. International applicants follow the same application procedures and present the same credentials as domestic candidates, or their regional equivalents. Students should submit materials as described under the Application Requirements for First-Years or Transfers (no separate International Student application is required). In some cases, additional credentials may be required, as described below.
In addition to any SAT/ACT requirements (see above), students whose primary language is not English or who have not studied at a secondary school for four or more years where the primary language of instruction is English should submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) , the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test.
Citizenship is not a prerequisite for admission. Students are encouraged to apply to Barnard regardless of their immigration or citizenship status. Barnard will meet 100% of the demonstrated financial need of admitted students. Our application review process is need-blind for U.S. citizens and permanent residents. We are need-aware for non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents. For specific procedures, please refer to the information about applying for aid on the Financial Aid page of the Barnard website.
VISP: The Visiting International Students Program
The Visiting International Students Program (VISP) brings students from across the globe to Barnard for one spring semester in residence at our campus in New York City. Through a limited number of collaborative relationships with international universities, our partners send cohorts of 3-15 undergraduate students to Barnard to spend the spring semester as full-time visiting students. VISP students are fully integrated into the Barnard College academic and co-curricular community, gaining a broad understanding of how liberal arts institutions in the United States function, exploring the American model of undergraduate education, and studying and researching with Barnard and Columbia University’s world-class faculty, while also contributing to the internationalization of the student body.
Transfer Students
Barnard welcomes transfer students in the fall and spring term of each year. Applications for admission will be reviewed according to the following schedule:
| Deadline | Notification | Enroll |
|---|---|---|
| March 1 | mid-May | Fall |
| November 1 | early December | Spring |
Each candidate must submit the Common Application for Transfer Admission and the following credentials: an official secondary school transcript; the results of the SAT or ACT (test-optional policy for the 2025-2026 enrollment cycle), and, if appropriate, the TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo Language Exams; the official transcripts of all college work and a copy of the college catalogue in which the courses taken are clearly marked. Two recommendations are also required: one each from a college faculty member and a college dean or adviser. Transfer applicants may also submit a recommendation from the high school counselor (optional).
The most successful transfer students have both high school and college transcripts with strong outcomes in a rigorous liberal arts curriculum. Courses completed at other accredited colleges and universities, which are similar in content and depth to Barnard courses, may be submitted for transfer credit.
Credit for approved work at another institution is applied to Barnard's 121-point graduation requirement for transfers. Please note that a maximum of 60 external credits that can be transferred toward a degree at Barnard College. The number of transfer credits accepted by Barnard is determined by the Office of the Registrar; students are notified of their credit status at the time of admission. Credit cannot be granted for courses with grades lower than C-. Online classes taken in Spring 2020 and subsequent semesters will be considered for transfer credit if taken prior to a student's matriculation at Barnard. Specific criteria for online courses to be considered for transfer credit can be found on the Registrar's webpage. After acceptance, academic and general guidance is provided by the advisers to transfer students in the Dean’s Office for Advising and Support. For information on financial aid, students should consult with The Office of Financial Aid.Visiting Students
Undergraduate students who are degree candidates at other colleges may apply for admission as visiting students for one or two semesters. Students must submit the same credentials as transfer applicants, with the exception of standardized test scores and course descriptions.
Visiting Students
Undergraduate students who are degree candidates at other colleges may apply for admission as visiting students for one or two semesters. Students must submit the same credentials as transfer applicants, with the exception of standardized test scores and course descriptions.
Deferring Enrollment (Gap Year)
First-year admitted students who wish to defer enrollment in Barnard for up to one year must obtain permission by completing a deferral request form once admitted, outlining the reasons for the deferral request. Such a request is normally granted for purposes of work, travel, or pursuit of a special interest. Students are not allowed to matriculate as a full-time degree student at another institution during that year. Deferral requests must be received by February 1 (for students admitted Early Decision) and April 25 (for students admitted Regular Decision). Students admitted from the waitlist are not permitted to defer admission. Students can generally defer for up to one year. Barnard does not offer first-year mid-year(January) enrollment.
Other Degree Credit
Advanced Placement exams: Students who earned an upper-level score on one or more AP exams may receive up to 16 points of degree credit. (For the specific scores required, please visit the Barnard Registrar’s website for the information about Credit for Advanced Placement Exams and International Baccalaureate diploma that corresponds to your entering class year.) AP exams cannot satisfy any General Education Requirements. Incoming students should have ETS send their official scores to the Barnard Registrar’s Office.
International Baccalaureate diploma: Students who earned an International Baccalaureate diploma may receive credit for the number of points indicated on the diploma, up to 16 credits. For students who did not complete the full IB diploma, credit may be granted for individual Higher Level scores only. (No credit is given for Subsidiary Level.) IB exams cannot satisfy any General education requirements. Incoming students should have their official diploma or exam scores sent to the Barnard Registrar’s Office by the examiner of record.
Select National Examinations and Diplomas: Students who complete the French Baccalaureate, the German Arbitur or the Italian Maturità may receive college credit, up to the maximum AP/IB credit limit for their entering class year. We may grant similar credit for the Israeli Bagrut. Each GCE A-level or A2-level grade is individually evaluated for college credit. No credit is given for O-level or AS-level examinations. Credit for other national exams or diplomas will be evaluated for college credit on a case-by-case basis.
Prior-to-Barnard Credit: Students who have satisfactorily completed college courses before entering Barnard as first-year students may apply for a maximum of 15 points of degree credit. The courses must be intended primarily for college students and taught at the college by members of its faculty and must be in excess of the courses required for the high school diploma. With the exception of Advanced Placement courses overseen by the College Board and International Baccalaureate work, courses taught in high school (whether by specially trained high school teachers or college instructors) will not be credited towards the Barnard degree.
Resumed Education
Former Barnard students who wish to return to the College after an absence of five years or more in order to complete their degree may obtain information from the College Case Manager and Leaves & Returns Coordinator. They can return to campus on a part-time or full-time basis to complete their remaining credits or requirements and earn their degree.