Questions about your application?
The Admissions Office is always happy to schedule a call to talk about your application. Feel free to fill out this form to request an appointment for individual advising with a member of the Admissions Office.
The Admissions Office is always happy to schedule a call to talk about your application. Feel free to fill out this form to request an appointment for individual advising with a member of the Admissions Office.
Application Deadlines
Application Requirements
Applicants for transfer must have completed at least one semester of university by the time of their expected enrollment at BCB. All application materials should be in English or German, or should be submitted together with certified English translations.
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Online Application Form
Bard College Berlin does not charge an application fee.
We are now accepting transfer applications for entry in Spring 2027. Applicants can apply by filling out and submitting the Common Application online form for transfer students (please add Bard College Berlin). Alternatively, transfer applicants may use Bard College Berlin's Online Transfer Application form to apply.
Please create an account on either one of these application platforms, and follow the steps indicated in the registration form by filling out the required information carefully. After registration, log in with your credentials and complete the application form.
Motivation Statement
The motivation statement is one of the most important components of your application. This should be a brief essay about your academic history and why you want to study here. It’s also an opportunity for the Admissions Committee to get to know you better and should be between 250 and 500 words in length.
A strong motivation statement will address the following points:- Why you want to leave your current institution to study at Bard College Berlin
- How the academic offerings at Bard College Berlin fit with your aspirations and future plans
- Your interest in being part of an international community in Berlin
Graded Writing Sample
Bard College Berlin requests writing samples from applicants because we are interested in knowing how you engage with texts, develop your own analysis and arguments, and convey your thoughts on a particular topic or idea. Using generative AI undermines this process. The BCB Admissions Committee takes the time to read the writing in your application thoroughly - please take the time to reflect on the prompts in the application and write your own responses.
The graded writing sample should be an essay in English that you submitted as an assignment for a class or university course. It should include your instructor’s comments and the grade you received for the assignment.
We recommend selecting a sample on a topic that is related to the academic disciplines offered at Bard College Berlin. For the Graded Writing Sample, the Admissions Committee asks applicants to submit an essay or research paper displaying analytical ability rather than a creative writing piece. If you do not have a graded writing sample of this nature, please opt to write the alternative essay. You can request to receive the alternative essay prompts to your email address via the alternative essay prompt request form.
The graded writing assignment must be typed. It must be uploaded as a PDF attachment, and the size of the file should not exceed 500 KB. If you need to reduce the size of your PDF file, you may wish to use a free online service to do so.Official High School and University Transcripts
Transfer applicants should arrange to have official records of university coursework as well as their high school records sent to Bard College Berlin. Transcripts are considered official if they are sent by representatives of the institutions, not the applicants themselves.
The Admissions Committee will accept transcripts in English or German. If you do not have transcripts in either of these languages, you must submit an official translation along with the original transcript.
Students using the Common Application can request a transcript by adding their college adviser and high school guidance counselor, and having them submit their university transcript and school report. Schools and universities may also submit official transcripts electronically to [email protected], or have them mailed to the following address:
Admissions Office
Bard College Berlin
Platanenstrasse 24
13156 Berlin
GermanyTwo Letters of Recommendation
All applicants are asked to submit at least two academic letters of recommendation as part of their application. Letters should be written by teachers and/or professors who are familiar with your academic work. The Admissions Committee will accept letters of recommendation in English or German. Recommenders may also opt to use the recommendation form available below.
In order to request a recommendation letter, you will be able to add your recommenders in the relevant section of the Common Application Form. When you send a request, the recommender will receive an email with instructions and a link to the application system where they can enter their name and contact information, and submit their letter. Recommenders may upload a letter as a PDF or type a letter directly into the space provided. Alternatively, they can send their letters to admissions(at)berlin.bard.edu.
Please note that there is no required format for the letter of recommendation. If a recommender would like to use a recommendation form, please find the Bard College Berlin recommendation form here:
Download the Recommendation Form >>Proof of English Proficiency (if applicable)
Applicants who are not native English speakers must provide proof of English proficiency at C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
If you are currently enrolled at an institution where English is the primary language of instruction or have completed at least one year of high school courses with full instruction in English, you do not need to submit an English proficiency test result.
Please refer to the table below for an overview of the tests we accept and the required scores. Applicants should arrange to have official test results sent by the testing center to Bard College Berlin.
Bard College Berlin TOEFL Code: 8527
Test Minimum Required Score IELTS Academic 7.0 Cambridge CAE (A-C), CPE (A-C) TOEFL (iBT) 95 TOEFL Essentials 10 Duolingo English Test 130 Art Samples
Applicants to the BA in Artistic Practice and Society are required to submit samples of their artistic practice digitally via the application form.
For all other applicants, submitting art samples is optional.
This does not need to be a formal portfolio, rather the Admissions Committee would simply like to see samples of the kinds of art an applicant has produced to date. Samples could include: photos of paintings/drawings/sculpture/collage, photography samples, links to videos of performance pieces, audio recordings, or samples of creative writing. Applicants are encouraged to include up to 10 samples of artistic work.
More than just technical skill, the Admissions Committee is interested in gaining an impression of the media and topics an applicant has explored. Applicants who have not had formal instruction in the arts are also encouraged to submit their samples, as the APS program offers art courses at both foundational and advanced level.
Detailed instructions on how to upload art samples are available in the applicant portal. Please see below for further information on the file types our application system supports.
File Sizes and Types
We support media files as large as 5 GB, but please be advised that larger files will take longer to upload from your Internet connection and may stall if you are on a wireless connection or one that cannot be sustained for the necessary period of time. Uploaded documents may contain no more than 75 pages. We support the following file formats:
Video: .3g2, .3gp, .avi, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mxf, .webm, .wmv
Audio: .aac, .m4a, .mka, .mp3, .oga, .ogg, .wav
Slide: .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
Document: .doc, .docx, .odg, .odp, .odt, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .wpd
Link: Upload Link
Upload Instructions
1. To upload media to your digital portfolio, add the files using the "Select Files" button and click "Start Upload." Uploading may take anywhere from seconds to several hours depending on the size of the media file and your connection speed. If your file is large, we recommend that you upload from a wired connection if possible.
2. Once your file has been received, it will be displayed under the "Your Portfolio" tab. Your file will be processed and converted into its final form soon after uploading. Processing may take several minutes or hours depending on the file size. You do not need to remain on this page after the media have been uploaded, as processing will occur automatically and independently.
3. You may rearrange and reorder your uploaded media at any time by dragging the slides around. Please supply titles and media information by clicking "Edit Details."
4. Should you experience difficulties uploading your file, please ensure that you're using a modern web browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Safari) on the fastest wired Internet connection available. An intermittent or slow Internet connection may cause uploads to time out.Transfer Applicant FAQs
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In which languages can documents be submitted?
We accept documents such as transcripts or letters of recommendation in English or German.Do my documents need to be officially translated?
If your original documents are in a language other than English or German, they need to be translated by an official (notarized) translator. Copies of both the original documents and their notarized translations should be submitted as part of the application.
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 have your university's registrar's office submit your most recent university transcript. Recommendation letters and required educational records should be submitted by your recommenders and school and university officials directly to BCB either through the application form or by email to admissions(at)berlin.bard.edu.
Why do I need to send my high school transcripts and diploma?
BCB is accredited in the United States and in Germany and awards two degrees upon graduation to qualifying students. In order for us to evaluate your eligibility for the German degree, we need information about your high school qualification.Can my recommenders send the letter of recommendation to the admissions office directly?
Yes, letters of recommendation can be sent directly to the admissions office email address at admissions(at)berlin.bard.edu.
How do I send in my English proficiency test scores?
If you are taking the TOEFL or IELTS, you can have the results sent to Bard College Berlin. The Bard College Berlin TOEFL code is 8527. If you are taking the Duolingo language test, you can have results shared with Bard College Berlin electronically through the "Send Results" tool available on the Duolingo platform after you receive your results.
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." 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 admission and financial aid decisions will be released. If you do not receive this email, please check your spam folder and if it is not there, please email the admissions office at admissions(at)berlin.bard.edu.
Where can I upload my portfolio?
If you opt to include a portfolio (required only for applicants to the BA in Artistic Practice and Society, otherwise optional) you can upload it directly in your applicant portal in the "Supplementary Materials" section.Where do I upload my complete financial statement form?
You can upload your complete financial statement form, along with all supporting documentation, directly in your applicant portal. You can also send the complete financial statement and supporting financial documentation via email to the Financial Aid Office at finaid(at)berlin.bard.edu. We encourage you to complete your application for financial aid within a week after submitting your application for admission, but no later than the application deadline.Further Information for Transfer Students
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Credit Transfer and Advising
All transfer students who are accepted into the college receive a preliminary credit transfer estimate with their letter of admission. This overview lays out an estimated number of credits that can be transferred from previous university study to a specific concentration at BCB. What’s more, virtually any course taken at a prior college or university can be counted towards a transfer student’s elective course credits, regardless of the subject matter. The credit transfer estimate helps many transfer students answer the crucial question of how long they will need to complete their BA degree at BCB.
Because of the multidisciplinary nature of BCB’s core curriculum, many transfer students may wonder where they will "begin" in BCB’s core course sequence. All transfer students who enroll in the college take part in an individual advising meeting with BCB’s Registrar to discuss upcoming course selections and the overall outlook of their curriculum at BCB before the start of classes. After the meeting with the Registrar, the college’s examination board undertakes a final review of the transfer student’s past university coursework before officially transferring credits from another institution. The Registrar is there to answer any questions incoming students may have about the credit transfer process.Housing
It is common for transfer students, especially those transferring in from abroad, to live in one of BCB’s on-campus residence halls. Incoming students who have not yet completed two years of university-level study are required to live in the residence halls until they have completed their second year of university. Students can opt to live on campus longer than is required of them, should they wish to do so. In addition, many exchange students with years of prior university experience join our campus each semester. This ensures that transfer students are part of a larger cohort of students with a similar level of university experience.