Frequently Asked Questions

At this time, the graduate school application fee is $65. You can read more about fee waiver opportunities here.

Attend one of our many events where we share information about the graduate programs or schedule a call with our Admissions Director today!

Complete a FAFSA or International Financial Aid Application AND indicate on your application that you are applying for financial aid.

Yes, Bard CEP offers financial assistance in the form of fellowships, scholarships, student employment, and student loans. Full information on types of financial aid options available can be found here.

Yes, Bard MBA offers financial assistance in the form of fellowships, scholarships, student employment, and student loans. Full information on types of financial aid options available can be found here.

Yes! We have a wide variety of student employment opportunities ranging from TA and RA positions to working with our marketing, sustainability, and leadership teams. Read more here.

The Bard GPS Admissions Office no longer requires the submission of GRE/GMAT scores. 

No, unless an applicant’s GPA is under 3.0. If you are an applicant with an undergraduate GPA of under 3.0 and have previously taken the GRE/GMAT, please submit your official score report to the Bard GPS Admissions Office for consideration. If you have not yet taken the GRE/GMAT, the Bard GPS Admissions office will be in touch with you to set up an alternative skills assessment exam to ensure academic readiness.

Yes. Each program has different prerequisite requirements. Students DO NOT have take these prerequisite courses in order to apply and be admitted to our programs. Admitted students who have not completed the prerequisites will be offered conditional acceptance and will need to complete the courses prior to enrollment. 

A grade of B- or higher in prerequisite courses is required to enroll in our programs. The required courses for each program can be found below: 

• The M.S. degrees require students to have completed two science courses intended for science majors (biology, chemistry, ecology, etc.). Students who have not completed these courses must complete them at another institution, as they are not provided by the Bard Graduate Programs in Sustainability.
   
• The M.Ed. degree requires students to have completed two science courses intended for science majors (biology, chemistry, ecology, etc.) and college-level algebra (or higher-level math). Students who have not completed these courses must complete them at another institution, as they are not provided by the Bard Graduate Programs in Sustainability.
  
  
• The MBA degree requires students to have completed introductory accounting and microeconomics courses. Students who have not completed these courses at the time of acceptance will take the courses through Bard MBA via online summer courses taught by Bard faculty.
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Students who attended an U.S. undergraduate college do not need to provide additional proof of English proficiency.

For students who did not attend a U.S. college, then proof of English proficiency is required. Students can complete the english proficiency requirement with TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores. Full application requirements for international students can be found here.

In order to complete your application, you must provide transcripts for each institution of higher education that you have ever attended. In an effort to simplify the application process and minimize barriers to applying, we are able to accept unofficial transcripts for the admissions process. You may upload your unofficial transcripts directly to your application, or you are also welcome to email unofficial transcripts to gpsadmissions@bard.edu. 

*Please note that we do require official transcripts upon enrollment for all admitted students. 

During the application process, you may upload your unofficial transcripts directly to your application, or you are also welcome to email unofficial transcripts to gpsadmissions@bard.edu. 

Please note that we do require official transcripts upon enrollment for all admitted students.  In order to send official transcripts,  you should contact the Registrar from your school(s) to request official transcripts be sent to the Bard GPS Admissions via physical mail (click here for our office mailing address) or email sent directly from the issuing institution to gpsadmissions@bard.edu). Official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Bard and arrive via secure email link or in sealed/stamped envelopes.

Yes, you can have the issuing institution send official digital transcripts to gpsadmissions@bard.edu.

Yes, they need to be translated into English by an official translation service. If you have questions about transcript translations, please email us at gpsadmissions@bard.edu. 

You can monitor the receipt of your application materials via your Applicant Status Page. You will also receive confirmation from the GPA Admissions Team confirming receipt of transcripts and scores (if submitted).

To monitor your application status, you can log in to your Applicant Status Page with the same credentials you set up to access the application. This page will include the status of your application checklist and other notifications.

1. If you applied for financial aid, you will receive your financial aid notification within a week of your admission decision.
   
   
2. You will be invited to attend an Admitted Students Reception to meet other applicants as well as students and alumni of the programs.
   
   
3. You will be asked to reply to our offer of admission within one month. To accept admission, you will need to complete the reply forms outlined in your letter and pay the enrollment deposit of $515.*
   
   
4. Once you accept the offer of admission, our Program Team will be contact with next steps for enrollment.

*Please note that the enrollment deposit is non-refundable. 

Yes, admitted students may opt to defer enrollment for one year. The enrollment deposit of $515* is required to reserve your seat in the following year’s cohort.

*Please note that the enrollment deposit is non-refundable. 

The Admissions Team will be in touch with waitlisted applicants as seats become available in the program. If no seat becomes available, waitlisted applicants will be offered the option to accept deferred enrollment for the following year.

You may apply for any future application cycles. You are encouraged to stay connected to the Admissions Office on strategies to strengthen your candidacy.

We have resumed in-person visits. However, at this time all visitors are required to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination prior to arriving on campus. Additionally, the Bard Covid-19 Response Team is requiring all visitors to remain masked while inside. These policies are subject to change, as we continue to closely monitor CDC guidelines. 

If you would like to schedule a class visit, you can find additional information here. 

Simple! Just book a meeting through our calendar. Click here to schedule a call with our Admissions Director, Katie Boyle.

If you are unable to find a time that works for you on Katie's calendar, please feel free to schedule a call with our Admissions Manager, Margo Bogossian. 

Yes, of course! You can view our faculty and alumni profiles here.

If you would like to be introduced to a faculty member, alum or current student, please email us at gpsadmissions@bard.edu so that we can get you connected. 

Our alumni are working around the globe in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to drive sustainability at all scales. Bard is transparent about career success. Our Alumni LookBook provides details on the jobs of our alumni. Flip through and let us know who you'd like to chat with today. 

1. In the MBA program, we offer 2 optional concentrations — Circular Value Chain Management and Impact Finance. 
2. In the M.S. and M.Ed. programs, the students define their concentrations via the 4-6 months professional internship and Capstone Project.

We created this Guide to Graduate Programs in Sustainability to help students understand the differences between our M.S., MBA, and M.Ed. programs. We would also be happy to advise you on your options — schedule a call today to help you identify the best program(s) for you!

International students applying to the M.S.  or M.Ed. programs are eligible for admission and can qualify for an F-1 student visa.

International students interested in the MBA program are not eligible for an F-1 student visa due to the hybrid structure, so they must either be lawful permanent residents, temporary residents, asylees, refugees, or possess certain nonimmigrant statuses that allow for academic study in the U.S.

Bard GPS welcomes applicants from all academic and professional backgrounds. Applicants must have earned a college degree prior to enrolling in August OR be part of a 4+1 or 3+2 program. Bard offers flexible options to complete prerequisite coursework and can offer students with a GPA below a 3.0 an option to demonstrate their academic readiness through a skills assessment.

You! Bard’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability enroll motivated students who want to change the world. We invite applications from students of all academic and professional backgrounds.  Our students range from those just graduating college to those who have been in the workforce for 30+ years, and from dancers to scientists to finance professionals to climate activists. We welcome applications from diverse candidates—representing all races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identifications, abilities, socioeconomic statuses, and political affiliations. We believe that everyone needs to be part of creating a sustainable future and look forward to reviewing your application.

Bard’s Center for Environmental Policy classes (M.S. and M.Ed. programs) range in size from a total of 5-20 first-year students. These cohorts are made up of 3-6 environmental education students,  8-12 environmental policy students, and 4-8 climate science and policy students.

The Bard MBA in Sustainability enrolls first-year cohorts of 40-50 students per year. The cohorts are split into sections to ensure a high-touch, small class experience.