Activating Account Credentials: Instructions on how to activate your Barnard account and Columbia UNI account are emailed to you after you have indicated your intention to enroll. You will need to be logged in to your Barnard or Columbia account, as specified, access your enrollment forms and other resources. If you have any questions, please refer to the Account Credentials email you received from Admissions for assistance. 

Check Your Email: Be sure to check your Barnard email address regularly throughout the summer, as this is the primary way that the College will share important information and updates. 

At Barnard, we believe parents and families are our partners as we work together to empower students to make the most of their college careers and chart their own paths. Family Engagement enhances the Barnard experience for students and families alike by sending communications, organizing events, and serving as a resource for individual inquiries, with the aim of engaging family members as supporters of their students’ success. 

Communications to Families: 

• Barnard sends periodic emails to families with general information and updates, as well as invitations to events like Family Weekend.
• In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), individual students’ personal and academic information are not shared without the student's express permission. 
• Please note that students are responsible for taking the lead in the enrollment process and in their college experience. While families will receive communications, they will not be copied on all emails sent to students, so please encourage your student to check their Barnard inbox regularly. 

Sign Up for Emails: If a family member is not receiving emails from Barnard, please email parents@barnard.edu to sign up. Please include the student’s name, the family member’s name, and their relationship to the student. 

Move-In Day: Programming will be available for families during move-in day on Wednesday, September 2. Events are expected to end in the early evening, with more information shared in the coming weeks. (Families of non-residential students and students moving in early for the Access Barnard Summer Pre-Orientation Program are also welcome to return to campus to attend!) Please note that all orientation programming after move-in day is for students only. 

Family Weekend: Save Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24 on your calendar for Family Weekend 2026! See the Family Weekend webpage for more details. 

Contact Family Engagement: Family members are welcome to contact Katelyn Dutton ’14, Director of Family & Guest Engagement, at parents@barnard.edu or (212) 854-8424. She is available to provide guidance and answer your questions as you support your students. 

Beginning at Barnard: Summer Webinar Series
Throughout the summer, we will host Beginning at Barnard, a series of virtual information sessions and webinars for incoming students and their families, designed to help you feel informed and knowledgeable as you prepare for the transition to college. The series will feature a variety of live sessions led by campus partners, covering key topics like the academic experience, navigating life at Barnard, getting involved on campus, student health and well-being, and what to expect during move-in day and orientation.

These conversations will take place via Zoom and include the opportunity to ask questions. Recordings will be available afterward for those unable to join live. The schedule and registration details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Summer Send-Offs
Hosted by Alumnae Relations, Summer Send-Offs bring together alums, current students, and their families to welcome you — our incoming students and families! — to the Barnard community. Send-offs are hosted in person in areas with a high concentration of incoming students. Event invitations will be sent by email in June, with gatherings taking place in July and August.

We hope that many of you will attend to connect with one another and share your Barnard pride! If you have any questions, please email alumnaerelations@barnard.edu. 

All incoming students must complete their required enrollment forms over the summer. You will need to be logged in to your Barnard or Columbia account, as specified, to complete each form.

Be sure to review the required forms and their deadlines carefully. If you have a question about a specific form, please use the contact information provided in that section to reach out to the appropriate department directly.

To access the forms: 

• Incoming first-year and transfer students: Log into your Becoming Barnard New Enrolling Student Portal to access the forms. On the “Enrollment Forms & Course Registration” tab, you can also download the Enrolling Student Guide PDF and checklist to print and/or share with family members.

• Visiting students: Instead of logging in through the portal, visiting students will receive a PDF checklist with links to the enrollment forms directly from their sponsoring dean or office. 

Important dates for the summer months are included below. For details on how to access the enrollment forms, please see the “Required Enrollment Forms” section above. 

Key dates for the fall semester and beyond are posted to the College’s Academic Calendar and Residential Life & Housing Calendar — we recommend bookmarking these links for easy reference.

Summer Deadlines and Important Dates*:
*Students admitted off the waitlist should submit their forms as soon as possible, but there’s no need to worry — they will not be considered late if submitted after the deadlines. 

Mon., June 8: Course registration and advising informational webinar for first-years

Tues., June 9 – Fri., July 17: First-years may sign up for an individual session with a Summer Adviser via Zoom

Fri., June 12:

• Deadline to apply for campus housing
• Deadline to submit disability-related housing accommodations request via the Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services (CARDS) (if applicable)
• Deadline to submit pre-major adviser questionnaire (first-years only)
• Deadline to submit new student immunization compliance requirements
• Deadline to register for Access Barnard Summer Pre-Orientation Programs (if applicable)

Fri., June 19: Deadline to submit Bursar’s Office forms

Wed., July 1: 

• Deadline to submit final transcripts
• Deadline to submit official SAT/ACT scores (if applicable)

Fri., July 10: 

• Deadline to submit Directory Information and Emergency Contact Forms
• Deadline to register for Access Barnard Peer Mentoring Program (optional)
• Deadline to submit student ID card photo

Before Mon., July 20 (first-years) or Wed., July 29 (transfers and visiting students): Prepare for course registration

Mon., July 20 – Fri., July 24: Course registration for incoming first-years

Wed., July 29 – Fri., July 31: Course registration for incoming transfer and visiting students

Mon., Aug. 3: 

• Deadline for tuition payment via Bursar Student Account Center
• Move-in for Access Barnard’s Opportunity Programs Academic Intensive (if applicable)

Thurs., Aug. 27: Move-in for Access Barnard’s Navigating Barnard Days (if applicable)

Fri., Aug. 28: Deadline for student health insurance and waiver process

Wed., Sept. 2: General move-in for all incoming residential students

Wed., Sept. 2 – Sun., Sept. 6: New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) for all incoming students

Tues., Sept. 8: First day of classes for the Fall 2026 semester

Fri., Oct. 23 – Sat., Oct. 24: Family Weekend

Erica Siegel, the First-Year Class Dean and Associate Dean of Academic Assistance, works with the rest of the First-Year Team to guide and assist incoming first-year students in the transition to Barnard.

First-year course registration will take place Monday, July 20 through Friday, July 24. At this time, incoming first-year students will register for a minimum of 12 credits for the Fall 2026 semester, including:

• First-Year Writing or First-Year Seminar: Both are required (one in the fall semester and one in the spring). 
• Physical Education (PE): Required in either the fall or spring semester (may also be fulfilled with dance or a varsity sport).
• Two or three introductory (1000 or 2000 level) courses of your choosing, based on your interests and curricular requirements.

Please note that in your first year, you will be permitted to register for Barnard College courses only, with few exceptions. Courses offered at Columbia University will be available starting in sophomore year. 

Support will be provided throughout the summer to prepare students for registration: 

• First-years will receive more information via the “2026–2027 Academic Planning Guide,” which was emailed to them on June 1.
• On Monday, June 8 at 7 p.m., First-Year Dean Erica Siegel and the First-Year Team will hold a general advising webinar for the Class of 2030. You are encouraged to attend, but a recording will be available if needed.
• First-years will be required to schedule a 30-minute virtual appointment with an academic adviser between Tuesday, June 9, and Friday, July 17.
• First-years will be matched with their permanent pre-major adviser during the New Student Orientation Program (NSOP), after move-in day, and will meet with them for the first time during the first week of classes in September. In consultation with their pre-major adviser, students will finalize their schedule during the add/drop (shopping) period, the first two weeks of the semester.

More information will be shared by the Deans’ Office for Advising and Support by email and the First-Year Class Blog. You may also reach out to the First-Year Team directly by emailing first-year@barnard.edu. 

Mary Laurita, the Associate Dean for Transfer Students in the Deans’ Office for Advising & Support, guides and assists transfer students in the transition to Barnard.

Transfer student course registration will take place Wednesday, July 29, through Friday, July 31. At this time, transfers will be expected to register for a minimum of 12 credits for the Fall 2026 semester. Please note that only courses located in Barnard departments will be available at this time. 

Support will be provided throughout the summer to help prepare students for registration. 

• After transfer students confirm their enrollment, Dean Laurita will email them The Transfer Academic Guide. She will also reach out via email to share more details about registration, as well as invitations to information sessions and one-on-one advising meetings in June and July. 
• In early June, transfer students will be invited to join the Fall Transfer Community Canvas site. 
• Each transfer student will also be assigned to a Transfer Student Advisory Board (TSAB) member, an upper-class transfer student who will be your first point of contact for all questions that require a student’s perspective.
• Transfers will be matched with their permanent pre-major adviser during the New Student Orientation Program (NSOP), after move-in day, and will meet with them for the first time during the first week of classes in September. In consultation with their pre-major adviser, students will finalize their schedule during the add/drop (shopping) period, the first two weeks of the semester.

If you have any questions as an incoming transfer student, please reach out to transferadvising@barnard.edu. 

Over the summer, Mary Laurita in the Deans’ Office for Advising & Support serves as the point person to advise and guide visiting students — those participating in the Spelman College Exchange Program and the Visiting International Students Program (VISP).

Visiting student course registration will take place Wednesday, July 29, through Friday, July 31. They will be expected to register for a minimum of 12 credits for the Fall 2026 semester. Please note that only courses located in Barnard departments will be available at this time. 

Dean Laurita will email visiting students to welcome them and share The Visiting Student Academic Guide, which contains helpful information to prepare them for their time at Barnard. Dean Laurita will also be reaching out via email with more details about registration and invitations to one-on-one advising meetings in July. Please also be on the lookout for an invitation to view the advising module for visiting students provided via the Fall Transfer Community Canvas site. 

If you have any questions as a visiting student, please reach out to vispadvising@barnard.edu. 

Students who wish to live on campus should be sure to complete the Campus Housing Application by the deadline of Friday, June 12. Students who may need housing accommodations for a disability or medical condition should also complete the request process by Friday, June 12. Please see the “Required Enrollment Forms” section for more information. 

First-Year Students:

• Incoming first-year students are guaranteed housing if they submit their housing application by the deadline.
• Living in campus housing is not required, but students are encouraged to apply for at least their first year in order to acclimate themselves to campus and New York City. Students who choose to live off campus for their first year are not guaranteed campus housing in future years and are not eligible to take part in the Room Selection / Housing Lottery process with other continuing students.
• First-year students are assigned to double-, triple-, or quad-occupancy rooms in Brooks, Reid, Hewitt, and Sulzberger Halls. A limited number of single rooms are available and may be requested as a preference on the Housing Application.
• All first-years living in campus housing are required to participate in the Platinum Meal Plan.
• Residential Life & Housing will email first-years with their room and roommate assignments by Friday, August 7.

Transfer Students:

• While the College aims for housing to be available for as many applicants as possible, residence hall space is limited and we cannot guarantee campus housing for transfer students for their first or subsequent years at the College. 
• Transfer and visiting students will be emailed regarding the availability of campus housing by August 1.
• More information about on- and off-campus housing for transfer students can be found on the Applications and Assignments webpage.
• Students may find information and resources for Off-Campus Housing here.

Visiting Students:

• Visiting students participating in the Spelman College Exchange Program or Visiting International Students Program (VISP) are guaranteed housing.

In August, Residential Life & Housing will email incoming residential students with housing assignments, check-in times, and other important information for arriving on campus. 

Incoming first-year, transfer, and visiting students living on campus will move into the residence halls on Wednesday, September 2, unless they are participating in an Access Barnard Summer Pre-Orientation Program (see "Pre-Orientation" below). 

We encourage you to review Residential Life & Housing's Information for New Students and Frequently Asked Questions for more information about what to bring with you and life in the residence halls. More information will be posted on the Moving In webpage closer to the date. What to expect during move-in and orientation will also be covered during our summer webinar series. 

Students are assigned a mailbox number shortly before the start of the fall semester, which can be found by logging into Slate for Students. Students may pick up their mail at Mail Services in the Diana Center, Lower Level Room 103, during open hours, which can be found on the Mail Services webpage. 

Please note: 

• Please follow the instructions for addressing student mail and packages. 
• All mail and packages must be sent to a student’s mailbox in Mail Services. We cannot accept mail or packages addressed to a student's residence hall. 
• Mail Services will accept mail and packages for students up to five days before their move-in date. If you're sending packages before moving in, please ask the shipper to hold delivery until that time.
• Students should wait to receive an email that their package is ready for pickup before visiting Mail Services. 

For more information, please visit the Mail Services website. 

The New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) will take place from Wednesday, September 2, through on Sunday, September 6.

Barnard's traditional New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) is required for all new first-year, transfer, and visiting students to help them learn about campus resources and build community at Barnard. The Orientation team will email all incoming students with information throughout the summer, including with the full NSOP schedule in late August.

Students living on campus will move into the residence halls the morning of September 2. Students living off campus should find housing accommodations with a move-in date that allows them to be on campus for the start of the program. 

NSOP features a mix of informational, social, and exploratory programming, including in the evenings and on the weekend. Some of our programs are designed to meet requirements set out by federal and/or state law as well as Barnard College policy. Throughout the program, you will be in a small orientation group led by a current Barnard student as your Bear Pack Orientation Leader (OL).

NSOP is a community-building experience for our new students to meet and bond with their peers. With that in mind, all NSOP programming after Wednesday, September 2, is for students only. Families who wish to explore the city with their Barnard student should do so prior to move-in day, so that students can fully participate in orientation.

For more information, visit the NSOP webpage or email orientation@barnard.edu.

Access Barnard serves as the hub of Barnard’s efforts to enhance the academic experiences and promote the inclusion and excellence of first-generation, low-income, and international students in their transition to and persistence through the Barnard experience. 

Designed to better support incoming first-year students within these populations as they begin their transition to life at Barnard, the Access Barnard Summer Pre-Orientation Program is a chance to get an academic and social edge, while quickly becoming familiar with campus resources and the Barnard community. 

There are two distinct parts of the Pre-Orientation Program: 

1. Opportunity Programs (OP) Academic Intensive: August 3–27
   • Participation is required for all Opportunity Programs students (CSTEP and HEOP Scholars).
   • Move-in takes place on Monday, August 3 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Parents and families are invited to attend a welcome/orientation session over lunch with their students from 12–1:30 p.m. Student-only programming begins at 2 p.m.
2. Navigating Barnard Days: August 27 – September 1
   • Participation is required for Opportunity Programs students (CSTEP and HEOP Scholars), QuestBridge Match Scholars, and International F-1 students. 
   • FLI students may participate on a voluntary opt-in basis. 
   • Move-in takes place on Thursday, August 27 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Parents and families are invited to attend a welcome/orientation session from 2–4 p.m. Student-only sessions begin at 2 p.m. 

The pre-orientation registration deadline is Friday, June 12. Access Barnard will reach out directly to confirm your participation, as well as to provide the schedule and other logistical details for confirmed participants. 

Please see the Enrolling Student Portal or PDF Guide for more information about pre-orientation, Access Barnard populations, and other ways to engage. If you have additional questions, please email accessbarnard@barnard.edu.

The tuition bill for the fall semester is due on Monday, August 3; tuition must be paid or a payment plan set up by this date. Please note that there is no grace period and late fees will accrue immediately after the deadline. Class registration and residence hall move-in will not be permitted until all balances have been cleared. 

Students will be notified by email when bills are available in early July. E-bill notifications and access to the Bursar Student Account Center are sent only to students by default. Once they have logged in to the Barnard Student Account Center, students may add parents, guardians, or other supporters as an authorized user so that they receive email notifications and have direct access to the account.

Please see the “Enrollment Forms: Tuition Payment” section of the Enrolling Student Portal or PDF Guide for more information regarding making payments and payment plan options.

The Office of the Bursar is responsible for billing and collection of students' tuition and loan accounts. If you have questions about accessing your student billing account, billing, charges/fees, student refunds, payment plans, changing your meal plan, or waiving health insurance fees, please contact the Bursar’s Office at bursar@barnard.edu. 
 

If applicable to you, please view financial aid information on the Financial Aid tab of the Enrolling Student Portal and complete the necessary steps to finalize your financial aid. Updated financial aid award letters will be released in June, and all students are required to accept or decline all financial aid awards and/or loans by this time. For complete information on all aspects of our financial aid resources and policies, visit Barnard Financial Aid.

If you have questions about your financial aid application, financial aid policies, loans (Parent Plus Loans, Stafford Loans, etc.), or health insurance fee assistance, please contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@barnard.edu. 

All students are required to have health insurance, either through the Aetna Student Health Insurance plan or a personal/family policy. 
 
At the start of each academic year, all Barnard students are automatically enrolled in the Aetna Student Health Insurance plan. Plan details will be available on the Barnard Student Health Insurance Plan webpage beginning Tuesday, June 16. 

You may choose one of two options: 

• If your student has personal/family health insurance that meets the requirements and would like to opt out of the Aetna Student Health Insurance plan, you must complete the online waiver application through the University Health Plan website by Friday, August 28.
• If you do not wish to waive the Aetna Student Health insurance plan, no action is needed.

All students can access healthcare while on campus, regardless of whether they have the Aetna Student Health Insurance plan or a personal/family policy. Please see the Enrolling Student Portal or PDF Guide for more details. 

If you have any questions about student health insurance, please contact Elliot Wasserman, Director of Operations at Primary Care Health Service, at ewasserman@barnard.edu or (212) 854-8305. 

The Center for Accessibility Resources & Disability Services (CARDS) is the focal point for meeting the needs of students with disabilities. Registration with CARDS is open to any Barnard student living with a disability, be it temporary or permanent, visible or invisible. Disabilities include, but are not limited to, vision impairments, hearing loss/deafness, mobility impairments, chronic illnesses, learning disabilities/ADHD, psychiatric disabilities, and substance abuse/recovery.

CARDS provides a wide variety of individualized support services for registered students (examples may include assistance in obtaining specialized equipment, test accommodations, academic coaching, etc.) and works with various campus constituencies regarding access for individuals with disabilities.

If you are an incoming Barnard student with a disability, we encourage you to register with CARDS, even if you are not sure whether you'll need accommodations. Registration with CARDS is confidential and can serve as a type of "insurance policy" for you in the event of a flare-up or other disability-related need. 

Accommodations are not retroactive, so it's best to register with CARDS as soon as possible to set up any accommodations for the beginning of your first semester at Barnard. You may register with CARDS for academic accommodations at any time, but deadlines are in place to request housing accommodations (Friday, June 12 for the Fall 2026 semester). 

For more information and instructions, see the Enrollment Forms tab, CARDS Registration & Disability-Related Housing Accommodations Request section, of the Enrolling Student Portal or PDF Guide.