New York, New York — USA
Barnard College
A women's college affiliated with Columbia University in NYC that meets 100% of demonstrated need for international freshmen with all-grant, no-loan packages. But admissions is need-aware, and international transfers get zero aid.
Last updated July 2026. Always confirm details on the school's official page before applying.
Barnard College is a women's college affiliated with Columbia University in New York City — Barnard students take classes at Columbia, use its libraries and facilities, and earn a degree tied to the Columbia name, all from a small liberal arts campus in Manhattan's Morningside Heights. For international first-year students, Barnard meets 100% of demonstrated financial need with packages made up of grants (no loans to pay back). There is an important catch: admissions is need-aware for international freshmen, meaning the committee considers how much aid you're requesting when deciding whether to admit you — so asking for a full scholarship makes an already competitive process significantly harder, and your application needs to be exceptional. And this generosity applies to freshmen only: Barnard offers no financial aid to international transfer students, who are explicitly ineligible for institutional aid and must fully self-fund. If you need funding at Barnard, the freshman route is your only route.
At a glance
- SAT Required
- No — test-optional for the 2026–27 enrollment cycle. International freshmen are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
- English Proficiency Required
- Yes, if English isn't your native language — TOEFL iBT 105, IELTS Academic 7.5, or Duolingo 135. Waived if your secondary school's primary language of instruction was English, or you score 700+ on SAT EBRW (or 29+ on ACT English).
- Apply With CSS Profile
- Yes — the CSS Profile is required for need-based aid.
- CSS Fee Waiver
- No — Barnard doesn't generally accept College Board fee waivers, but there's a free alternative.
- CSS Waiver Type
- If you can't submit the CSS Profile online due to financial hardship or technical barriers in your country, submit the free ISFAA paper form from Barnard's financial aid site and upload it to your applicant portal.
- Acceptance Rate (Freshman)
- ~8.8% (Class of 2028) — lower for internationals requesting full aid
- Application Fee (Freshman)
- $75 — hardship waiver available in the Common Application.
- Transfer Students
- Accepted, but with ZERO financial aid for international transfers — explicitly ineligible for institutional aid. You must fully self-fund.
- Acceptance Rate (Transfer)
- ~20–25%
- Application Fee (Transfer)
- $75
What “full scholarship” means here
This school guarantees it will meet 100% of your demonstrated financial need. In simple English: if you get accepted and you've applied for financial aid and you don't have any money to attend, they can give you a full scholarship to cover your cost of attendance. Both conditions matter — and the CSS Profile is how you prove your need.
Barnard Need-Based Financial Aid (100% demonstrated need)
Need-based · Bachelor's
What it covers
- 100% of your demonstrated financial need
- Packages composed entirely of grants — no loans to pay back
Who qualifies
International first-year (freshman) applicants who apply for financial aid. Admissions is need-aware for international freshmen — requesting a full scholarship makes admission significantly more competitive, so the rest of your application must be exceptional. International transfer students are ineligible for institutional aid and receive no funding.
Key deadlines
How to apply
- 1Apply through the Common Application with the Barnard Writing Supplement ($75 fee — a hardship waiver is available inside the Common App).
- 2Submit your official high school transcripts.
- 3Provide one counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations from core academic subjects.
- 4Complete the CSS Profile — or, if you can't submit it online due to financial hardship or technical barriers in your country, submit the free ISFAA paper form from Barnard's financial aid site and upload it to your applicant portal.
- 5Include English proficiency scores if required (TOEFL iBT 105, IELTS Academic 7.5, or Duolingo 135).
Good to know
- Barnard is a women's college affiliated with Columbia University — you can take classes at Columbia, use its libraries and facilities, and join Columbia clubs while receiving your financial aid from Barnard.
- English proficiency is required unless your secondary school's primary language of instruction was English, or you score 700+ on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section (or 29+ on ACT English). Accepted exams: TOEFL iBT 105, IELTS Academic 7.5, or Duolingo 135.
- Barnard doesn't generally accept College Board fee waivers for the CSS Profile. If the online CSS Profile is a barrier — because of financial hardship or technical limits in your country — you can submit the free ISFAA paper form instead and upload it to your applicant portal.
- Transfer students: Barnard admits international transfers (roughly a 20–25% acceptance rate, statistically easier than the freshman rate IF you can pay full tuition), but they are ineligible for any institutional aid and must fully self-fund. Transfer applicants need the Common App for Transfer, all college transcripts, a final high school transcript, a College/Registrar's Report, one academic recommendation from a college instructor, and course descriptions for credit evaluation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Barnard College give full scholarships to international students?
Yes — for freshmen. Barnard is a women's college affiliated with Columbia University in New York City, and it meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for international first-year students with packages made up entirely of grants (no loans). However, admissions is need-aware for international freshmen, so requesting a full scholarship makes acceptance significantly more competitive. International transfer students receive no aid at all.
Is Barnard need-blind for international students?
No — Barnard is need-aware for international applicants. The admissions committee considers how much financial aid you're requesting when deciding whether to admit you, so requesting a full scholarship makes admission significantly more competitive. Once you're admitted as a freshman, Barnard covers 100% of your demonstrated need.
Does Barnard require the SAT for international students?
No. Barnard is test-optional for the 2026–2027 enrollment cycle, so international freshman applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Does Barnard require an English proficiency exam for international students?
Yes, unless you qualify for a waiver. If English is not your native language, you must submit TOEFL iBT (minimum 105), IELTS Academic (minimum 7.5), or Duolingo English Test (minimum 135). The requirement is waived if your secondary school's primary language of instruction was English, or if you score 700+ on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section (or 29+ on ACT English).
Is there a CSS Profile fee waiver for international students at Barnard?
Barnard doesn't generally accept College Board fee waivers. Instead, if you can't submit the CSS Profile online because of financial hardship or technical barriers in your country, you can submit the ISFAA — a free paper form available on Barnard's financial aid site — and upload it to your applicant portal. So you can still apply for aid at no cost.
What is Barnard's acceptance rate?
About 8.8% for the freshman Class of 2028, and even lower for international students requesting full financial aid. Transfer admission is less competitive at roughly 20–25% — but international transfers must fully self-fund, since they're ineligible for institutional aid.
Does Barnard accept international transfer students with full funding?
No. Barnard offers no financial aid to international transfer students — they are explicitly ineligible for institutional aid and must fully self-fund. While transfer admission (~20–25%) is statistically easier than freshman admission, that path only works if you can pay full tuition. If you need funding at Barnard, apply as a freshman.
What is required to apply to Barnard as an international freshman?
The Common Application with the Barnard Writing Supplement, official high school transcripts, one counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations from core academic subjects, English proficiency scores if applicable, and the CSS Profile (or the free ISFAA) if applying for aid. The $75 application fee can be waived for hardship inside the Common App.
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