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    Bard College Berlin offers high-quality small-group teaching in the humanities and social sciences.

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      • BA in Economics, Politics,
        and Social Thought
      • BA in Humanities,
        the Arts,and Social Thought
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    Bard College Berlin accepts applications for first-year and transfer admission to its BA degree programs. Students can also apply for one-year programs, such as the Academy Year and Project Year.

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    The student body at Bard College Berlin is small yet highly international.

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    Through Fellowships, conferences, events and community initiatives, the college encourages students to organize and lead their own volunteer projects and to connect with activists around the world.

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Discover Bard College Berlin

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With small seminars, dedicated faculty, an international student body, courses in English, and a residential campus in Germany's capital city, Bard College Berlin offers an educational experience unlike any other. Bard College Berlin offers Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees and one-year programs in the fields of economics, politics, art, philosophy, and literature. 
Students at Bard College Berlin

Students at Bard College Berlin

The student body at Bard College Berlin is small yet highly international, and includes full-time Bard College Berlin students, visiting students from the international Open Society University Network (OSUN), the European ERASMUS exchange network and other exchange partner institutions, as well as students from areas of crisis. 

At a Glance

Academics

Bard College Berlin offers two B.A. programs, as well as one-year Academy Year and Project Year programs.

Academics

Academics

Small classes and high quality teaching

Learn more

  • Degree Programs
    Bachelor programs in the humanities and social sciences
  • Concentrations
    Choose between five different specializations in your Bachelor's degree.
  • Semester and One-Year Programs
    BCB offers opportunities for students at all stages of their undergraduate career.

The Degree Programs

The backbone of a Bard College Berlin education is the Core Curriculum, a series of six team-taught and interdisciplinary courses that provide all BCB students with an intellectual history from ancient Greece to Modernism.

BCB's new BA program in Artistic Practice and Society will launch in Fall 2023. To view the program structure and components, please click here.

BA Programs Poster

The Language and Thinking Program

Language & Thinking

Language & Thinking

The introductory Language and Thinking Program is unique to Bard, offering an immersive and innovative introduction into reading, writing, thinking, and questioning at Bard College Berlin.

The Language & Thinking Program

Practicing Arts at BCB

Practicing Arts

Practicing Arts

Bard College Berlin offers a variety of dedicated arts classes in theater, dance, performance, sculpture, drawing, painting, architecture, video, and more. Students take classes with expert practitioners in a world capital of contemporary art.

Explore the Arts "Factory" at BCB

Discover the World

Study Abroad
Students at Bard College in Annandale-upon-Hudson (photo by Karl Rabe)

Study Abroad

At Bard College Berlin, BA students can study abroad for up to one academic year in the 3rd year of the program. With connections to the Open Society University Network, ERASMUS, and various bilateral exchange agreements, students enrich their study experience all across the globe.

Study Abroad

Student Opportunities

Students interested in gaining practical experience alongside their studies can complete an internship. Students have been active in a wide range of fields, including the arts, human rights, publishing, education, and more. 

Internships
Students in the internship class visit Betahaus, a coworking space in Berlin

Internships

The Internship Program gives students the opportunity to complement theoretical knowledge from the classroom with practical skills obtained in a professional setting. BCB students have interned in the fields of education, human rights, publishing, the arts, film, theater, startups, international relations, and politics.

The Internship Program

Get Engaged!

Civic Engagement
Student at a BCB Swap Shop event

Civic Engagement

Recent projects include BCB Goes Green, a student-led initiative for a more sustainable campus; the BCB Swap Shop, a campus-wide sustainability project promoting the exchange of clothing and various reusable items; and the English hour, a volunteer project where BCB students meet with participants from the neighborhood to discuss, explore, and connect across languages and cultures. 

Civic Engagement

Student Life

Students are encouraged to start their own clubs and organizations, and start new organizations every semester. 

Clubs and Organizations

Clubs and Organizations

Recent clubs include the Latin(x) Club, the Postdramatic Performance Collective, and the Running Club. 

Student Activities

A Strong Network

Bard College Berlin graduates join a large network of alumni/ae after they graduate.

Alumni/ae
Bard College Berlin's graduates celebrating Commencement in May 2022

Alumni/ae

Bard College Berlin graduates don’t end their journeys at college graduation. 55% of recent BA alumni/ae have chosen to pursue graduate studies at institutions such as the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Yale University, or Columbia University, while 33% of them have secured nonprofit and private-sector jobs.

Alumni/ae

Educational Mission

It is by posing the “big questions” that have echoed over time, and by giving young individuals the skills necessary to comprehend and answer them in dialogue with contemporary challenges, that Bard College Berlin enables personal flourishing and prepares its students to contribute to a shared global future.

Educational Mission

Educational Mission

Educational Mission

Curious to learn more?

See yourself here

See yourself here

Visit us

Prospective Student FAQs

Q: How do I apply to Bard College Berlin?
A: Bard College Berlin accepts applications through Common Application or our own application portal. You can find these links and learn more about the application process and deadlines in the How to Apply section.

Q: When will I receive access to my BCB applicant portal? 
Within 24 hours of submitting your application, you will receive an email with the subject line "Thank You for Applying | Financial Aid." This email will include information about setting up your applicant portal. It is very important that you access your portal and note down your login information, since your applicant portal will serve as the space where your admissions and financial aid decisions will be released. If you do not receive the aforementioned email, please check your spam folder and if it is not there, please email the admissions office at [email protected]. 

Q: Can I submit my transcripts or letters of recommendations myself?
No. Please have your high school transcript submitted by your high school counselor, teacher or principal and/or your university's registrar's office submit your most recent university transcript. Recommendation letters and required education records should be submitted by your recommenders and school/university officials directly to BCB either through the application form or by email to [email protected]. 

Q: Does Bard College Berlin accept transfer students?
A: Yes. Transfer students can apply for Fall or Spring semester entry. See application deadlines here: Transfer Students.

Upon admission, each transfer student will receive a statement of estimated transfer credits.

Q: Does Bard College Berlin offer financial aid?
A: Yes. In 2022, 79 percent of Bard College Berlin students received financial aid. Financial aid is available for BA, Academy Year, and transfer students.

Bard College Berlin’s financial aid packages are need-based and contribute to the cost of tuition and fees. Financial aid at Bard College Berlin is awarded in the form of tuition waivers covering from 20% to 100% of the comprehensive fee.

Find out more about financial aid at Bard College Berlin here: Financial Aid.

For information about particular scholarships, which are offered on the basis of need and merit, in conjunction with other criteria, click here: Scholarships.

Q: How do I apply for financial aid?
To apply for financial aid, complete our financial statement form and upload it in your applicant portal or send it digitally to our financial aid office before the application deadline for your admissions cycle. This form also requires official documentation, such as tax returns.

We recommend that you complete this form and provide supporting documentation within one week of submitting your application for admissions. Without a completed financial statement, Bard College Berlin will be unable to award any aid.

For more information, including the financial aid forms, click here: Financial Aid.

Q: How do I send my FAFSA information to BCB?
Please select Bard College NY (school code 002671) as the recipient of your FAFSA information.

Q: When will I find out about my admission and financial aid decision?
A: The date of your admissions notification depends on the cycle in which you submitted your application. Click here for more information: Application Deadlines BA; Application Deadlines Transfer. 

The sooner you submit your financial aid form, the sooner you will know about your financial aid offer. Financial aid notifications are sent out a few weeks after your admission decision.

Q: Do I need to have a German high school degree?
A: No. You only need a valid high school diploma to matriculate at Bard College Berlin. All students admitted to Bard College Berlin qualify for a BA degree (accredited in the United States).

Applicants with a German Abitur (or Abitur equivalency) can receive a German BA degree in addition to an American BA degree. There are no differences in requirements in the degree program itself, but rather in the high school course of study before entering college. The German BA degree offers visa benefits that may be of interest.

Though both German and American BA degrees are accepted in graduate school applications in Germany, those without EU citizenship and a German BA degree will receive an 18-month “job search” visa upon graduation. This allows the graduate to remain in Germany and search for employment post-graduation. You can learn more about Abitur equivalency here: Abitur Equivalency (see bottom of page).

Q: Do I need to speak German?
A: You do not need to speak German to be admitted to Bard College Berlin. We do require all students to achieve B1 German competence by the end of their second year. This can be accomplished through German language classes or a proficiency exam.

Q: Do I need to speak English?
A: Yes. The majority of courses at Bard College Berlin are conducted in English, and students must demonstrate C1 proficiency in order to enroll at Bard College Berlin. Students who do not speak English as a native language (or have not studied at an English-language international school) must submit documentation to confirm their level of English.

We require a minimum TOEFL score of 95 or an IELTS score of 7.0 for admission to Bard College Berlin. These scores must be supported by official documentation.

Q: What programs do you offer?
A: Bard College Berlin offers two four-year bachelor of arts programs.

The program in Economics, Politics, and Social Thought offers specializations in Economics and in Politics. The BA program in Humanities, Arts, and Social Thought includes specializations in Literature and Rhetoric, Art and Aesthetics, and Ethics and Politics. Find out more about our courses of study here: Degree Programs.  

Bard College Berlin also offers two one-year programs: Academy Year, which is intended as an introduction to academic life at the university level, and Project Year, a year in which students conduct research with a faculty member to deepen their individual studies. Find out more about one-year programs here: One-Year Programs.

Q: How can I visit Bard College Berlin?
A: You can schedule a campus tour by completing the online form available at this link. If there is no appointment available, please contact the Admissions Office ([email protected]) in advance of your visit.

Bard College Berlin also hosts Open Weeks. Open Weeks are a fantastic opportunity to learn more about life at Bard College Berlin. You can attend a class, get to know faculty, meet other prospective students, and speak with Admissions Office representatives. Learn more about upcoming Open Weeks here: Connect with Us.

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    Phone: +49 (0)30 43733 116
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Bard College Berlin, A Liberal Arts University gGmbH

Mailing address: Platanenstrasse 24, 13156 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 30 43733 0
Fax: +49 30 43733 100
Email: [email protected] 
[email protected]

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Bard College Berlin is institutionally accredited at the national level in Germany by the Wissenschaftsrat.

In the United States, Bard College Berlin is accredited through
Bard College by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Qualifying students receive both a German BA and an American BA. 
© 2023 Bard College Berlin, A Liberal Arts University gGmbH
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