In order to be eligible to apply to study abroad for an academic semester or year Barnard students must meet the following criteria:

• Be currently enrolled at Barnard and be in good academic and disciplinary standing. Students on academic probation are not permitted to study abroad. Students on disciplinary probation should meet with a study abroad advisor to discuss their particular situation.
• A student may not end the semester prior to studying abroad with an incomplete (I) or a deferred exam (X).
• Have at least two semesters of college work completed.
• Not be applying to study in the final semester at Barnard.
• Transfer students and students returning from a Leave of Absence must spend a semester at Barnard before going abroad.
• Have a valid passport with expiration at least 6 months beyond the latest possible departure from the program.
• Meet the specific prerequisites of their chosen study abroad program.

Barnard’s expectation is that students will have a background in the language of the host country in many cases. You should check the requirements for each individual program, as they vary widely depending on the location and focus of the program. Programs in non-Anglophone countries will often require college-level language coursework as documented on your transcript. We suggest you start looking at programs early to determine whether you will be able to meet their specific eligibility requirements by the time you go abroad.

Please note that when programs list the number of semesters of language that need to have been completed as part of the eligibility requirements, they are using that as a way to measure language level. So a requirement of four semesters (two years) of college level language study corresponds to the completion of Intermediate II by the time you are leaving for your semester abroad. It does not mean that you must have taken at least four semesters of language in college, but rather that you must have completed or placed out of the intermediate sequence in order to be eligible.

*For students hoping to study in Latin America or Spain, the Spanish and Latin American Cultures department advises students to complete the two-semester language requirement on campus prior to going abroad. 

The full list of Barnard semester approved programs can be found here. 

If the semester program you want to attend is not on the approved list, you’ll need to submit the petition to study abroad on a non-approved program. All semester petition applications are due by March 15th. Petition applications are reviewed on a case by case basis by the Study Abroad Committee. Petitions are not guaranteed to be approved nor can the committee guarantee coursework from non-approved programs will transfer. If you hope to complete major or minor requirements on a non-approved program it is imperative you meet with your advisor or chair to discuss their approval. Students may work on their application to a non-approved program simultaneously with the petition application, however Barnard Global staff will not authorize participation until the petition has been approved.

If your petition is approved, Barnard Global will notify you via email and open the rest of the Preliminary Barnard Application for you to complete. If your petition is approved after March 15th, the deadline to submit the Preliminary Barnard Application requirements will be extended on your behalf. 

No. A petition should only be submitted when a student has looked through all of the approved programs and determined that none of them align with their needs/priorities. The petition should be submitted for the one program a student has identified which fits with their specific needs best.

Yes. Seniors may study abroad during the first semester of their senior year with the approval of the Senior Class Dean and their major department. We recommend you begin by consulting with your major advisor to discuss completion of senior requirements. Please note that seniors are not permitted to spend their final semester abroad. Please contact the Senior Class Dean if you have further questions about this policy.

Yes! Students can book an appointment at: https://barnardglobal.youcanbook.me/. Don’t see a time that fits with your schedule? Send an email to studyabroad@barnard.edu and we will find a time that works. 

Tuition fees remain the same. All Barnard students continue to pay Barnard tuition for the term they study abroad. Tuition is billed by the Barnard Bursar as in any other semester. Non-tuition fees are specific to the program you attend. Non-tuition fees may include room and board, insurance fees, general program fees, visa fees, etc. Non-tuition fees are billed directly to the student by the program with the exception of the Columbia in Paris program and CASA Brown-led programs. For Columbia in Paris and CASA Brown-led programs, the total program cost is billed through the Barnard Bursar.

Please note programs have their own payment processes and deadlines which should be followed closely. Students are also responsible for program deposits. If the program charges a deposit, students should ensure that it will be put toward non-tuition fees. Please see the graphic below for a full breakdown of study abroad costs.

Students who receive financial aid will continue to receive it during the semester they study abroad. Students receive both a Barnard bill for tuition (and health insurance/study abroad fee, if applicable) and a bill from the study abroad program for room and board, and any non-tuition fees. Financial aid will first be applied toward the Barnard bill; any financial aid in excess of that amount can be refunded to help cover room and board and out-of-pocket costs.

All students who receive financial aid will meet with their financial aid advisor (Fall participants meet in April/May; Spring participants meet in October) to cover any adjustments to their financial aid budget or other questions about costs. The Barnard Global office will send a notification when it is time to schedule this meeting. Please see Financial Aid for Study Abroad Students for more information. 

Yes. Study abroad scholarships are available from sources outside Barnard. Study abroad providers often have their own scholarships available to students who attend their programs. Study abroad scholarship application deadlines may fall before the program application deadline, so start preparing early. View a list of study abroad scholarship opportunities here. If you win a scholarship, be sure to apply your award to the program’s non-tuition fees. As a reminder, all students continue to pay Barnard tuition for the semester they study abroad. 

Students are required to be enrolled in the equivalent of 12 credits abroad in order to maintain full-time status. Barnard does not require a minimum number of courses so long as the total enrollment is at least 12 credits. Study abroad programs may have a higher minimum credit requirement and many require at least 15-16 credits. 

While Barnard sets not limit on the maximum number of points a student can take abroad, it is not advisable to take more than 18 credits in on semester.

Starting Fall 2022, letter grades earned during a semester study abroad program are not posted on the Barnard transcript, with the exception of Columbia-led programs (please see below). Grades from abroad are not included in the calculation of the overall Barnard GPA.

Courses completed on Columbia-led study abroad programs are considered institutional credit and are posted to the Barnard transcript as regular credit. Columbia-led programs include: Columbia in London, Columbia in Kenya, Columbia in Paris (Reid Hall), the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, and the Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies. Grades from Columbia-led semester programs will factor into the overall Barnard GPA.

No. Courses abroad must be taken for a letter grade regardless of the program policy*.

*The Columbia in Paris program is the only exception: Reid Hall allows students to P/F one course with approval from their advisor. A course taken P/F on the Columbia in Paris program abroad will count against the 23 total credits Barnard students may elect. Courses taken P/F may not count toward major or minor requirements. 

Yes. Students can request courses taken abroad be reviewed to fulfill major/minor requirements. All requests for major/minor credit are reviewed for approval by the relevant Department Chair. In order to be eligible for major/minor credit a course must be worth the equivalent of at least 3 Barnard credits and must earn a grade of C- or better. In addition, the course must be submitted via the Study Abroad Course Approval form* in Slate for review by the appropriate staff member of the relevant Department. 

*Note: Students should submit the Study Abroad Course Approval form after their application has been preliminarily approved and they have a tentative course list to choose from. Students hoping to complete major/minor requirements abroad should keep in close contact with their major advisor/department throughout the study abroad process. We encourage students to meet with their department early on if they must complete major requirements to stay on track.

Yes. Students can request courses taken abroad be reviewed to fulfill General Education Requirements (Foundations). Requests for GER credit are reviewed for approval by the External Credit Coordinator in the Registrar’s Office. In order to be eligible for GER credit a course must be worth the equivalent of at least 3 Barnard credits and must earn a grade of C- or better. In addition, the course must be submitted via the Study Abroad Course Approval form* in slate for review by the External Credit Coordinator in the Registrar’s Office. 

*Note: Students should submit the Study Abroad Course Approval form after their application has been preliminarily approved and they have a tentative course list to choose from.

1. All Barnard students must submit the Preliminary Barnard application to study abroad by March 15th* of the year prior to going abroad. For example, students wishing to study abroad in spring of their junior year must apply by March 15th of their sophomore year. *The Preliminary Barnard application to attend the academic year program at Oxford University is the only program with an earlier deadline. The deadline to submit the Preliminary Barnard application for Oxford is in early December. 

Students must submit the Preliminary Barnard application for the specific program and term they wish to attend. Students may only submit one Preliminary Barnard application per term. 

Students may access the Preliminary Barnard application by choosing their program from the approved list and then clicking the "Apply Now" button from their program brochure page. The Preliminary Barnard application opens in November. 

2. In addition to the Preliminary Barnard application, students must also apply directly to their program, or be nominated by the Barnard Global office if they are applying to an exchange program.

No. Students are not required to declare their major prior to submitting the Preliminary Barnard application and therefore do not need to have a major advisor. Students should meet with their major or pre-major advisor to discuss their study abroad plans. The Preliminary Barnard application requires an advisor approval form which may be completed by either the pre-major or major advisor(s). Note the advisor approval form does not require a letter of recommendation. It is a brief questionnaire advisors receive via email link. 

The Preliminary Barnard application requires the following:

• Acknowledgment of good standing: a confirmation that you are currently in good academic and disciplinary standing. 
• Barnard application: a basic application questionnaire
• Pre-major or major advisor recommendation: students must select their major or pre-major advisor in a directory and the system will send them an approval questionnaire via email. Please note this is a very brief questionnaire sent via email and does not require a letter of recommendation. 
• Preliminary course worksheet: students must review courses offered previously at their program and put together a provisional list of courses through Slate. Students are not committed to the courses they list on the form. Barnard Global will provide initial feedback on the preliminary course choices, but please note that this review does not constitute formal approval - that occurs later in the process with the submission of Study Abroad Course Approval forms. 
• Statement of purpose: a 1-2 page essay discussing a student's motivations to study abroad on a particular program and what they hope to gain from the experience. 
• Unofficial transcript: an upload of the most current unofficial transcript from student planning.

Early December: Academic Year at Oxford Preliminary Barnard application deadline.

March 15th:  Fall Semester*, Spring Semester, and Academic Year Preliminary Study Abroad application deadline. The preliminary Barnard application must be submitted by March 15th of the year prior to going abroad. 

*Students planning to study abroad during the Fall semester are encouraged to submit their Preliminary Barnard applications well before March 15th since their program application deadline may be in February or early March. The program application is the application which must be submitted directly to the program via their website (in addition to the Preliminary Barnard application due March 15th). The following have earlier program application deadlines:

• Brown in Bologna Fall: February 1-March 1
• Columbia in London Fall: March 1
• Columbia in Paris English Fall: March 15
• DIS Copenhagen Fall and Spring: rolling admissions, but students should apply as early as possible since this program is popular
• King’s College Fall/Academic Year: February 1-March 1 (this program often fills before the published deadline)
• London School of Economics Academic Year: rolling admission beginning in early January 
• University College London Fall/Academic Year: March 31 (an earlier application is strongly encouraged)
• CASA: Barcelona, Trinity College Dublin, Granada, Havana, Santiago, Seville Fall: March 1 (CASA Fall programs require that students be nominated by March 1st, therefore students must have submitted their Preliminary Barnard application by that date). 

Students may submit only one Preliminary Barnard application per term (fall, spring, and academic year). Students should submit the Preliminary Barnard application for their top choice program in the term they wish to study abroad. Do not submit a “backup" Preliminary Barnard application in a different term as this slows down the review process. 

Students may technically submit more than one program application directly to different programs, though this is not usually advisable. Students should consider the following:

• In general, if a student meets the program eligibility requirements and submits a completed application early, they are very likely to be accepted (see exceptions below*).
• Program application requirements and deadlines vary and may require fees as well. Barnard is not responsible for application fees and cannot reimburse for program withdrawal fees if a student is charged. 
• Students who submit a late program application close to their program’s application deadline run the risk of not being admitted because the program may already be at maximum capacity. 
• The Barnard Global office will not nominate any student for more than one exchange program nor can a student be nominated to an exchange program as a backup option. 

*The following list of programs are competitive and placement is less assured. Students applying to the programs below may wish to identify one backup program in case they are not accepted. (A backup program application is submitted directly via the program website.) 

• Cambridge University
• King’s College London
• London School of Economics
• Oxford University
• University College London

Yes. If a student wants to attend two different programs back to back, they may submit one Preliminary Barnard application for the fall semester and an additional Preliminary Barnard application for the spring semester. March 15th is the deadline for all Preliminary Barnard applications. 

This is probably not necessary. Applying to study abroad is markedly different from the U.S. college admissions experience. If a student meets the program eligibility requirements and submits both the Preliminary Barnard Application and the program application well before the stated deadline then they are very likely to be admitted. Check below to see if your top choice program is one of the handful of competitive programs. 

If a student applies to a backup program, this does not necessitate an additional Preliminary Barnard application. Applying to a backup program means a student will submit an additional application directly via the backup program’s website. Barnard is not responsible for application fees and cannot reimburse for program withdrawal fees if a student is charged.  Students should consider the following:

• Program application requirements and deadlines vary and may require fees as well. Barnard is not responsible for application fees and cannot reimburse for program withdrawal fees if a student is charged. 

• Students who submit a late application close to their program’s application deadline run the risk of not being admitted because the program may already be at maximum capacity. 

• The Barnard Global office will not nominate any student for more than one exchange program nor can a student be nominated to an exchange program as a backup option.

We recommend students identify a backup program if one of the following is their top choice program:

• Cambridge University 
• King’s College London
• London School of Economics
• Oxford University
• University College London

The following programs are competitive and admission is less assured. Students who have identified one of these as their top choice program should consider applying to a backup program in case they are not accepted. Applying to a backup program does not require an additional Preliminary Barnard application. Applying to a backup program means a student will submit an additional application directly via their backup program’s website. 

• Cambridge University 
• King’s College London
• London School of Economics
• Oxford University
• University College London

1. All Barnard students must submit the Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application by April 15th of the same year they plan to study abroad. For example, students wishing to study abroad in summer 2024 must apply by April 15th, 2024. Students must submit the Preliminary Barnard application for the specific program they wish to attend. Students who plan to attend more than one program in one summer should contact Barnard Global. 

Students may access the Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application by choosing their program from the summer list and then clicking the "Apply Now" button from their program brochure page. The Summer Preliminary Barnard application opens in November. 

2. In addition to the Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application, students must also apply directly to their program by the program’s published deadline. Take note of the program application deadline since many program deadlines are earlier than the Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application deadline.

Barnard Global does not operate an official list of approved summer study abroad programs. The programs listed on the website are a non-exhaustive list of popular summer programs which Barnard students have attended in the past. If a program appears on the list it does not guarantee that credit from that program will be approved by the Registrar to transfer. Conversely, if a program does not appear on the list it does not mean that credit won’t be approved to transfer. The Barnard Registrar reviews and approves all requests for summer credit transfer. 

If the summer program you wish to attend does not appear on the website, you must submit the Study Abroad Summer Program Petition. Once your program has been reviewed and added you will be able to access the rest of the Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application requirements. 

The Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application requires the following:

• Acknowledgment of Good standing: a confirmation that you are currently in good academic and disciplinary standing 
• Barnard summer application: a basic application questionnaire
• Statement of Purpose: a one-page essay discussing the reasons you wish to study abroad on a particular program and what you hope to gain from the experience 
• Unofficial Transcript: an upload of the most current unofficial transcript from student planning

Yes. All students participating in a summer study abroad program, including Columbia-led summer programs abroad must complete the Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application. Please note that summer coursework completed through Columbia is considered transfer credit.

The total cost of a summer study abroad program is billed directly to the student by the program. The Barnard Bursar does not process costs for summer study abroad, except for Barnard faculty-led programs.

Financial aid through the Barnard Financial Aid office is not generally available for summer study abroad. Students should contact their financial aid advisor with questions about their specific financial aid package. 

Scholarships are available for Barnard and Columbia students who attend Barnard faculty-led programs. Similarly, many study abroad providers offer scholarships for students who attend their summer programs. Students looking for scholarship opportunities should start with their program provider.

All summer credit transfer requests are reviewed by the Barnard Registrar for approval. To ensure your credits will be approved to transfer you must:

1. Make sure coursework adheres to Barnard summer credit transfer policies. 
2. Submit each course through the Summer Credit Transfer form. Students may access the Summer Credit Transfer form through the Preliminary Barnard Summer Study Abroad application.

Questions about summer credit transfer approval should be sent to the Registrar at summercredit@barnard.edu.