Applications & Assignments

How to Apply

Housing Application (requires log in with your Columbia UNI)

Barnard Admissions will email new enrolling students the instructions to activate their Barnard & Columbia network login accounts & a To-Do list of forms to complete for campus offices (including the Housing application) in mid-to-late May (late December for Spring Transfers).

• Applications are not sorted by submission date, so there is no need to worry if you receive your activation instructions later than other students.
• FY students admitted through Early Decision will wait to fill out the housing application at the same time as Regular Decision students.

Application Deadlines

• Fall enrolling FYs -- June 13, 2025
• Fall enrolling Transfers, Visiting, and VISP students -- June 13, 2025
• Spring enrolling VISP students -- December 1, 2025
• Spring enrolling Transfer & other Visiting students -- December 18, 2025

Is Housing Guaranteed?

First Years

• Enrolling First Year students are guaranteed campus housing if they submit their housing application before the deadline above. 
• Students are not required to live in campus housing, but they are strongly encouraged to live on campus for at least their first year to acclimate themselves to the College and living in NYC.
• Students who choose to live off-campus for their first year will not be guaranteed if they later apply for campus housing (and will not be eligible to take part in the Room Selection / Housing Lottery process with other continuing students).

Visiting International Student Program (VISP) & Spelman Exchange

• VISP & Spelman students are guaranteed campus housing as part of their exchange programs.

Transfers & Other Visiting Students

• While the College always hopes to be able to provide housing to as many applicants as possible, space in campus housing is finite.  Application priority is provided for new enrolling Transfers & Visiting students during their first academic year at Barnard if space is available, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee campus housing in advance for the first or following years.
• Like many schools, Barnard relies on receiving housing cancellations over the summer from current students in order to open up spaces for non-guaranteed housing applicants and unfortunately we cannot predict in advance how many beds will be available for assignment.
• Applicants will be emailed on a rolling basis starting in July (or mid-December for Spring applicants) to let them know by August 1 if space is available for them to be assigned to campus housing.
• Because housing is limited and not guaranteed, Transfers & Visiting students are encouraged to explore options for off-campus housing. Some links to help students start their search are available at barnard.edu/reslife/housing-options/off-campus.
• Transfers may re-apply for housing in following years as a continuing student, but the new enrolling Transfers will be prioritized for housing ahead of them. Typically continuing students who started as Transfers will need to arrange their own housing off-campus. Continuing students who start as Transfers are not eligible to participate in the Room Selection / Housing Lottery process for students who started as First Years.

Are students required to live in campus housing?

Students are not required to live in campus housing.

Incoming First Year students are encouraged to live in campus housing for at least their first year to acclimate themselves to the College and/or living in NYC.

Housing Accommodations

Students with a diagnosed disability or chronic medical condition who may need an accommodation (ex. air-conditioning, accessible housing, strobe fire alarm, etc.) should contact CARDS to complete a Housing Accommodation Request, in addition to submitting a Housing Application.

For information about how to submit an accommodation request (including priority deadlines & required medical documentation), please visit barnard.edu/disability-services/housing-accommodations.

First Year 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.

Room and roommate assignments will be emailed to new First Year students by Friday, August 8, 2025.

Information about moving into campus housing will be available at barnard.edu/reslife/move-in.

Transfer & Visiting Students

Students will be emailed regarding the availability of campus housing by August 1 (late December for new Spring Transfers & Visiting students).

Because campus housing is limited and cannot be guaranteed, students are encouraged to explore options for off-campus housing in the event that campus housing is not available.

Students may include preferences for single rooms on their housing application; however, available space for assignment is typically in multiple occupancy rooms with roommates.

Information about moving into campus housing will be available at barnard.edu/reslife/move-in.