Part-Time Enrollment Policy

Effective:

November 4, 2024

Executive Summary:

Students who have attended eight semesters of college (at Barnard or elsewhere) and have met the College’s academic residency requirement can enroll on a part-time basis and pay part-time tuition.

Reason for the Policy:

This policy codifies the expectation that Barnard students are not permitted to enroll at the College part time and delineates the circumstances in which part-time study is possible.

Who Is Responsible for This Policy:

Responsible Administrator(s): College Case Manager, Dean for Academic Planning & Class Advising
Responsible Office(s): Dean of the College, Deans’ Office for Advising & Support

Who Is Governed by This Policy:

Barnard students

Definitions (if applicable):

Academic Residence: Being enrolled at Barnard College for a full-time fall or spring semester. Courses taken at Columbia University during the fall and spring terms are considered in academic residence, as are courses taken as part of an approved study abroad or exchange program (excluding summer).
Full-Time Enrollment: Successful registration for and completion of a minimum of 12 credits per semester (fall or spring).
Part-Time Enrollment: Successful registration for and completion of less than 12 credits, not as part of an approved Reduced Course Load, as outlined in the Reduced Course Load Policy.
Satisfactory Academic Progress: Appropriate qualitative and quantitative progress toward the successful completion of a degree, as defined by federal guidelines (see below).

Policy Statement:

Barnard is a full-time institution, and students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress toward degree completion in each semester in which they are enrolled full time. Typically, students are able to successfully complete their degree in eight full-time semesters. Incoming first-year students are required to complete at least seven full-time semesters in academic residence at Barnard, per the Academic Residency Policy. Transfer students are required to complete at least four full-time semesters at Barnard. Degrees are conferred after successful completion of 122 credits (or 121 credits for students who entered as transfers) and the fulfillment of all degree requirements.

Although Barnard is considered a full-time institution, students have the ability to enroll in a minimum of six credits per term at Barnard on a part-time, per-credit tuition basis if they meet the following requirements:

The student has completed eight full-time semesters of college coursework, including semesters at other institutions from which the student has transferred credit toward their Barnard degree.
The student has satisfied the College’s academic residency policy.
The student has completed a minimum of 100 credit hours toward their degree.

Students who meet all of the above requirements may register for a minimum of six credits per term at Barnard on a part-time basis for any semesters necessary for the completion of their degree. These students are charged Barnard’s per-credit tuition rate for these credits. Students who are approved for part-time enrollment are not eligible for College housing. A student can receive Barnard financial aid for a maximum of eight semesters. Each semester a student is enrolled is counted toward the eight semesters of eligibility whether or not the student received financial aid. This includes transfer students who may have completed previous semesters of coursework at other institutions.

Procedure:

Eligible students must receive permission from the Senior Class Dean to enroll part time.

Failure to Comply With This Policy (if applicable):

Students who enroll in below the required minimum number of credits without an approved reduced course load and who are not eligible for part-time status may be administratively placed on a leave of absence per the College’s Enrollment Confirmation process. The Enrollment Confirmation deadline is typically the second Friday after the start of classes of the fall and spring semesters.

Website for This Policy:

Revision History:

Temporary Revision September 20, 2024

Justification for Temporary Policy: This formalizes a previous practice into policy, which codifies the expectation that Barnard students are not permitted to enroll at the College part time and delineates the circumstances in which part-time study is possible.