Policies

Because Barnard students are charged a flat rate of tuition for full-time study, the addition or dropping of individual courses does not change the tuition owed for most students. Columbia courses with course-specific fees may be charged/credited if courses are added or dropped. To be eligible for a credit of the class fee, students must drop the class by the registration deadline (9/12/25 for the Fall 2025 Term and 1/30/26 for the Spring 2026 Term).

Suppose a student changes their registration and the tuition called for is lower than the amount they have already paid. In that case, they will be credited the excess only if the change in their registration is made by the registration deadline (the second Friday of the full 14-week semester). If the student’s new registration calls for higher tuition, the student is responsible for paying the additional charges promptly.

An applicant for admission must pay a $500 non-refundable deposit upon acceptance of the offer of admission to Barnard College.

For students and parents desiring to pay education costs in monthly payments, a semester payment plan is available from Nelnet Campus Commerce. Information may be obtained directly from Nelnet at (888) 251-3597. The College requires you to make your first payment, including a signed Nelnet electronic promissory note to Nelnet, to complete the payment plan enrollment process.

Barnard will offer a five-month payment plan for the fall and spring semesters.  There is a $50 fee each semester for enrolling in the plan. Nelnet will not adjust the amount you budget without specific instructions from you. If you incur additional charges with Barnard (e.g., increased tuition, meal plan, residence hall charges, lab/course fees, etc.), your payment plan will not automatically be increased to cover the additional cost. You may contact Nelnet (1-888-251-3597) to increase your budget accordingly. If your student account still shows a balance outstanding after the deduction for Nelnet, then your plan does not cover all charges.

Note that the first payment for the Fall semester payment plan is due August 4.  The Payment Plan Enrollment Fee is due on or before August 4.  

Progressive late payment fees begin at $75 and increases every week.  You may view our late fee schedule here.  There is no grace period. To avoid a late payment fee, a hold on registration/housing/dining, long lines, & busy telephones, the payment should be received by BURSAR before the semester payment deadline.

Barnard College is not able to receive funds from students for safekeeping or to cash personal checks or traveler’s checks. To cover immediate expenses, a student should have an automated teller machine (ATM) card or postal money orders. There is a Citibank ATM located on campus in Barnard Hall across from the Security Office. The Columbia University Station of the U.S. Post Office will cash postal money orders upon presentation of a validated Barnard student ID card. Validated ID cards are issued after students register and pay at the beginning of each term.

By registering for classes or completing a housing or meal plan application, a student incurs a legal obligation to pay tuition, fees, room, and board. Barnard's refund policy for withdrawals is as follows:

• Withdrawal Prior to Semester Start: If a student withdraws prior to the start of the semester and incurs no charges, any semester payments will be refunded except for their nonrefundable tuition deposit which is forfeited. If the student has incurred any charges, the deposit is applied to those charges.
• Withdrawal During the Semester: If a student withdraws during the semester, their charges will be prorated (see Refund Formula below) if they have been enrolled for less than or equal to 60% of the term, and they complete the necessary forms with the Offices of the Dean of Studies (tuition and fees), Residential Life and Housing (complete the Housing Cancellation Form), and Bursar (meal plan cancellation). If a student has been enrolled for more than 60% of the term, they are not eligible for a reduction in charges. Depending on the date of official cancellation, withdrawal from housing may incur additional penalties; students should consult their housing contract and the Residential Life and Housing office policies. Please note that for purposes of the refund formula (noted below), the semester definition is inclusive of both parts A and B. 
• Refund Formula: The refund formula measures the actual number of days enrolled during the semester. It is determined by dividing the number of days enrolled by the number of calendar days in the semester (including weekends and holidays and excluding spring break) and then deducting that calculation from 100%. For example, if there are 106 calendar days in a semester, and a student withdraws on the 50th day of the semester, their charges and financial aid will be prorated to reflect that they've been enrolled for 52.8% of the semester [i.e. 1 minus (50 divided by 106)].
• Recipients of Federal Title IV Funds: If a student is a recipient of Federal Title IV financial aid, refunds to those programs are required by federal regulation to be the first priority and must be returned in the following order: Federal PLUS Loan, Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Pell Grant, and Federal SEOG. A student is not eligible for a refund until all Federal Title IV programs and other scholarships are reimbursed as required and all outstanding balances with the College have been cleared. To request a refund please submit a student refund request form to the Bursar’s office at bursar@barnard.edu.
• Fees Not Eligible for Refund: The following items are not subject to the refund policy: 
  • Orientation fees
  • Late fees (late payment, late registration, late enrollment verification, etc.)
  • Deferred payment fees
  • Returned check fees
  • Dormitory fines
  • Finance charges

Tuition Insurance Options:

To protect your financial investment against the student's serious illness or accident resulting in the withdrawal of the student before a semester is completed, consider Tuition Insurance. The Tuition Refund Plan is a private insurance program that supplements Barnard's refund policy for complete withdrawals. Subscribers are assured a refund throughout the term even though Barnard's refund policy may have expired at the time of withdrawal. An 80% refund applies to covered charges for medical withdrawals. For more information on this optional program, visit the Grad Guard website.