Barnard College Barnard College
How to Apply

Transfer Applicants

Barnard welcomes transfer applications from students who will have completed 24-60 transferable credits at another accredited institution following high school. Applicants with fewer than 24 credits must apply as a first-year student. For details on how Barnard evaluates transfer credits, please visit our Transfer Credit Evaluations page.

Transfer Information Session

To learn more from our staff about Barnard's admissions and financial aid processes as a transfer student, request a recording of one of our transfer information sessions.

Application Deadlines: Fall and Spring Admission

Barnard accepts transfer applications for both Fall and Spring terms. The required application materials are the same regardless of the entry term a student chooses. 

Fall Term Admission:

Application Deadline: March 1
Mid-Term Report Deadline: April 1
Rolling Notification: After May 1

Spring Term Admission:

Application Deadline: November 1
Mid-Term Report Deadline: November 15
Rolling Notification: After December 1

 

Application Materials

Required Application Materials

  • Common Application: The Common App streamlines your application by gathering your biographical information, college coursework, and extracurricular involvements, along with a Personal Statement prompt.
  • Barnard Short Answer Questions: These will be submitted along with your Common App. The questions for Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 are: 
    • Required: Barnard College is an extraordinary community of women committed to fostering curiosity and the exploration of new experiences and ideas. By utilizing the resources of our campus, our Foundations curriculum, and New York City, our students expand their world and discover their own capabilities. How do you envision these intersecting components of Barnard shaping your academic and personal journey? (1,250 characters max)
    • Required: If you could plan and lead a semester-long college seminar, what academic topic would you choose and why? (1,250 characters max)
    • Required: In college, you will encounter others with diverse viewpoints and experiences. Describe an instance where you engaged with someone who held a different opinion and explain how it shaped your perspective on the issue. (1,250 characters max)
  • $75 non-refundable application fee or fee waiver request: Application fees are submitted through the Common App. To request a fee waiver, complete the Common App Fee Waiver subsection within the Personal Information section of the Common App. If you are unable to complete the Common App fee waiver, we also accept NACAC waiver requests.
  • Official Final High School Transcript: Please contact your high school to request your official final high school transcript. This transcript must include your graduation date and an official signature or school seal. 
    • For those who have taken a high school equivalency exam, the official diploma and test subject transcript must be sent in lieu of high school documentation. Visit the testing agency's website for details.
    • Barnard accepts GED, TASC, and HiSET to satisfy high school equivalency.
  • Official College Transcript(s): Please request that your college send us your official transcript. If you have attended multiple colleges, official transcripts must be sent from each college.
  • College Report: This is a Common App form available for download under the Program Materials section. It must be completed and submitted by a college official who has access to your institutional record (Dean, advisor, Registrar/Records Office, etc.).
  • SAT or ACT scores: Barnard will continue to be test-optional for the 2026-2027 applicant cycles. For more information, please see our Temporary Test-Optional FAQ page. 
  • One Academic Letter of Recommendation: We require one letter of recommendation from a college instructor who has taught you in an academic class within the last year.
  • Course Descriptions: Please submit a comprehensive list of the official course descriptions of all courses from all colleges in which you have been enrolled. Descriptions should be retrieved directly from your college's course catalog/bulletin and clearly marked with the course title. Course descriptions can be compiled into a Word document and uploaded to the Common App under the Program Materials section. You may also use the form available in our applicant portal after submitting your application. Failure to submit course descriptions will delay the review of your application. These descriptions will be used in evaluating course credit for all admitted transfer students. 
  • Mid-Term Report: This is a Common App form available for download under the Program Materials section. The report is completed by your current instructors to report your in-progress grades at the time of application. If your school is on a quarter or trimester system, please submit the grades you received for the most recent term and make sure we have a list of all courses you intend to take throughout the academic year. If you are not currently attending college, we waive this requirement. 
    • For students applying for Spring admission, Mid-Term Reports are due on November 15th.
    • For students applying for Fall admission, Mid-Term Reports are due on April 1st.
  • Official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test Scores: Barnard requires applicants to display English proficiency. TOEFL/IELTS/DET scores are required for applicants whose primary language is not English and who did not study in a school where English was the primary language of instruction. Please visit our International Applicants webpage to learn more about our English Language Proficiency requirements and determine if you are eligible for a waiver.

Optional Application Materials

  • Supplementary Portfolios: Applicants may submit a creative portfolio (film, art, music, dance, theatre, or writing) via their applicant portal after submitting their application. Portfolios and auditions are not required for any major. Please note that supplementary materials are not reviewed by Barnard faculty and review by the Admissions Committee is not guaranteed during high-volume periods.  
  • Additional Letters of Recommendation: Students may request letters of recommendation from up to two additional sources outside the required academic recommendation. If you choose to request additional letters of recommendation, we recommend that they come from a different perspective than your previous letter, such as a high school counselor/teacher, employer/supervisor, research mentor, or club advisor.
  • Additional Information: Applicants are welcome to use the “Additional Information” component to add relevant context they wish to share.
    • In the Common App, proceed to the Personal Information section > Other Information tab > and scroll to “Additional Information”.
    • If you would like to provide context related to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a separate COVID-19 option within the same section for this particular information.

How to Submit Documents

  • Transcripts 
    • We accept official high school and college transcripts via:
      • Electronic Services: Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse, Naviance, etc. (send to transfer@barnard.edu or admissions@barnard.edu)
    • Email: Sent directly by a school/college official to transfer@barnard.edu
    • Mail: Sent directly by a school/college official to:
      Barnard College Office of Admissions
      3009 Broadway
      New York, NY 10027 USA
  • College Report 
  • Mid-Term Report 
    • Email: Sent directly by the professor to transfer@barnard.edu or
    • Upload by the applicant to their Barnard Applicant Portal
  • Course Descriptions 
    • Upload to the Common App under the Program Materials section
  • Academic Evaluations and Additional Letters of Recommendation 
    • Upload by the recommender through the Common App after being invited by the applicant or
    • Email: Sent directly by the recommender to transfer@barnard.edu

Financial Aid and Transfer Applicants

Barnard is deeply committed to supporting transfer students on their unique educational journeys. Due to limited funding, institutional grant aid is available only for Fall applicants who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Financial need is considered during the review process. For admitted students, Barnard is committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need with institutional grant aid, state aid, and federal student loans. Spring applicants are eligible for federal student loans and state aid if they qualify, but institutional aid cannot be provided to Spring or international transfer applicants.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Individuals applying to Barnard as transfer students are required to submit a College Report and a letter of recommendation from a college-level faculty member* who has taught you in an academic setting. Unfortunately, letters of recommendation from employers and high school teachers cannot be submitted in lieu of these requirements. If you feel these recommendations would supplement your application, we will accept employer or high school teacher recommendations as a supplement to the required academic letter.

*We recognize that transfer students come to Barnard College from a wide range of colleges and universities. Therefore, students who have the most personal contact with Teaching Assistants may find it more appropriate to ask a TA for a letter of recommendation.

Interviews are not part of the Barnard application process for first-year or transfer students. We invite you to convey to us within the context of the short answer questions or the lengthier application essay any information that you feel we should be aware of in evaluating your candidacy.

While the College always hopes to be able to provide housing to as many applicants as possible, space in campus housing is limited. New enrolling Transfers & Visiting students are prioritized for assignment during their first academic year at Barnard if space is available, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee housing for the first or following years. Information for new students, including resources for looking for off-campus housing, is available at https://barnard.edu/reslife/new-students.

Both the College Report and the Mid-Term Report are Common App forms available for download under the Program Materials section.

The College Report verifies your standing at your current institution and is completed by a college official with access to your institutional records. The Mid-Term Report collects progress information directly from the professors for courses in which you are currently enrolled.

The College Report is due at the application deadline. The Mid-Term report is due on either November 15 or April 1 (depending on your entry term) to allow time for current midterm grades to be reported. 

If your school is on a quarter or trimester system ending around the Mid-Term report deadline, please submit your grades, an official transcript for the most recent term, and a list of the courses you are enrolled in for the remainder of the academic year. 

Submit the College Report once from your primary, degree-seeking institution. If you are taking courses at multiple institutions, submit Mid-Term Reports for all current courses. 

If you are not currently enrolled in coursework, email transfer@barnard.edu after submitting your College Report to waive the Mid-Term Report requirement. 

If your school is on a quarter or trimester system, with the quarter or trimester ending shortly before or around the Mid-Term report deadline, please submit the final grades you received for the concluding term and provide us with a list of the courses you have enrolled with for the remainder of the academic year. 
 

Pre-evaluations of transfer credit are not conducted by the College. Students are advised to compare and contrast the course descriptions at their institution(s) against Barnard's course catalog to gain a sense of possible credit transfer outcomes. Generally, if courses taken at another institution are in alignment with courses offered at Barnard, credit is likely to be awarded but cannot be guaranteed.

Admitted transfer applicants receive a Transfer Credit Evaluation indicating transferable credits and notification of which Foundations requirements have been satisfied. Barnard College reserves the right to accept or decline transfer of credits based on specific academic expectations or prerequisites.

Please learn more about our policy on transfer credit before you apply. 
 

Please see our information for transfer applicants, which includes instructions on how to submit all required documents. 

Yes. You may choose to submit supplementary portfolios containing film, photo, drawing, painting, sculpture, music, dance, theatre, or creative writing for review. Please note that supplementary material will not be reviewed by Barnard faculty and is not required for any majors.

You may submit your optional arts portfolio via your Barnard Applicant Portal after submitting your application. 
 

Application fees are submitted through the Common App. To request a fee waiver, complete the Common App Fee Waiver subsection within the Personal Information section of the Common App. If you are unable to complete the Common App fee waiver, we also accept NACAC waiver requests.

Transfer decisions are typically released in mid-December for spring enrollment and early/mid-May for fall enrollment.