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. We currently enroll students from more than 40 different countries, ranging from Japan to Jamaica and everywhere in between and nearly 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 us at admissions@barnard.edu or by call us at (212) 854-2014.

Am I considered an International Student?

You will notice that our enrollment statistics indicate that nearly 10% of our student population has been educated abroad. At Barnard, the term "international student" applies to:

a citizen of a country other than the U.S. who has been educated abroad
a U.S .citizen educated abroad
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.

It is important to know that 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 admissions requirements or documents, depending your program of study or years studying in English, may change, reflecting your individual circumstances. In terms of financial aid consideration, citizenship is the defining factor. 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. It is important to know that Barnard is need blind for U.S. citizens and permanent residents and need aware for international students (as defined for financial aid consideration). Barnard is committed to meeting full demonstrated need for those students we admit.

Non U.S.-Citizens Educated in the United States

Students who are not U.S.-citizens, but who have spent four years in a U.S. high school, may identify as international students, but may not be required to complete an international supplement or provide translated credentials. Students whose primary language is not English and who have been studying in English for less than five years should submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Any documents from a non-U.S. high school should be submitted with official translations (if necessary) and the Common Application international supplement. Certificates are not required.