International Students

International Students

Diverse and globally-oriented, our tight-knit community is especially welcoming for international students, as first-years, transfers or visiting students. With Barnard as your anchor and New York City as a backdrop, immerse yourself in a new culture.

Barnard currently enrolls students from more than 50 different countries, ranging from Japan to Jamaica and everywhere in between and more than ten percent of our student body has been educated abroad. That diversity is augmented by our location in New York City—a place where every country, language, religion, cuisine is represented. Add to the mix our small and personal campus community, supportive administrators, and dedicated faculty, it becomes clear that Barnard College offers international students a truly unique undergraduate experience.

We hope that this information will help you navigate the Barnard College admissions process. If you have additional questions, please email Vera Bagnyuk, Coordinator of International Admissions, at vbagnyuk@barnard.edu or call us at (212) 854-2014.  Applicants from mainland China may contact Carolyn Middleton at cmiddlet@barnard.edu.

Am I considered an International Student?

You will notice that our enrollment statistics indicate that more than 10% of our student population has been educated abroad (>16 % in the class of 2016).  At Barnard, the term "international student" applies to:

1. a citizen of a country other than the U.S. who has been educated abroad
2. a U.S .citizen educated abroad
3. a U.S. citizen or citizen of a country other than the U.S. who has been educated at an international school which follows a system similar to the U.S.

All students will use the same application to apply for admission to Barnard College (check the link in the right column for specific details). Certain testing requirements or supplementary documents, depending your program of study or years studying in English, may change, reflecting your individual circumstances (for example, an International Supplement may be required or results from a TOEFL/IELTS exam may be required).

In terms of financial aid consideration, citizenship is the defining factor in whether you are considered an international student. If a student is neither a U.S. citizen nor a U.S. permanent resident, she is considered an international applicant (non-U.S. citizen/non-permanent resident) for financial aid consideration and she should carefully review the information provided on the Financial Aid website for International Students applying for financial aid.

 Barnard is need blind in the review of applications for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and need aware for international students (as defined for financial aid consideration).  Qualifying for financial aid as an international student is a highly competitive process.  Barnard is committed to meeting full demonstrated need for those students we admit.

Non U.S.-Citizens Educated in the United States or at American or International Schools

Students who are not U.S.-citizens, but who have spent four years in a U.S. high school or at an American or International School abroad, may identify culturally as international students, but will not be required to complete an international supplement or provide translated credentials.

TOEFL/IELTS

Students whose primary language is not English, and who have been studying in a school where English is the primary language of instruction for less than five years, are expected to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).  This requirement is in addition to the SAT/ACT requirement.

Application Requirements for International Students

Interviews

An interview with a representative of the Barnard community (senior interviewer, staff member, alumna) is an option that is available, but not required, for first-year applicants in their senior year of high school.  International students are invited to contact us for an interview if they plan to be on campus between mid-June and mid-December.  If unable to interview on campus, an off-campus interview may be arranged with an alumna.*  Alumnae interviews take place between mid-September and December.  Finally, if an alumnae interview cannot be arranged, an interview with a Barnard alumna or senior may be arranged via Skype.

*The deadline for requesting an off campus interview for Fall 2013 first-year applicants has passed.

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