Visiting International Students Programs
Barnard College maintains collaborative relationships with universities from around the world through our Visiting International Students Program (VISP). Through these partnerships, students apply to spend a semester or year at our campus in New York City. VISP students are fully integrated into the Barnard College academic and co-curricular community and live on campus, generally in a double room and participate in the College meal plan. They gain a broad understanding of how liberal arts institutions in the United States function, exploring the American model of undergraduate education, and studying and researching with Barnard and Columbia University’s world-class faculty, while also contributing to the internationalization of the student body.
The Visiting International Student Program is open only to students who are nominated by our partners:
- Beijing Foreign Studies University
- Beijing Normal University
- China Foreign Affairs University
- Collegio Nuovo, Università di Pavia
- Ewha Womans University
- Shanghai International Studies University
- Trinity College Dublin
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra
- University of Copenhagen in partnership with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Melbourne
- University of New South Wales
- University of Oslo
- University of Trento
- Yonsei University: Underwood International College
Interested students from these colleges and universities should contact their study abroad office for more information. The application deadline is March 15 for the full academic year and September 15 for the spring semester only. Students will be notified of admission after May 1 (full academic year)and October 15 (spring semester only).
Requirements for admission
Students must have completed at least one year of higher education at their home institution and will be expected to show sufficient academic preparation for the courses they wish to pursue at Barnard.
Barnard also requires students to display English proficiency. Students may be required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Duolingo English Test. The most competitive candidates for admission generally receive a score of 7.5 or higher on the IELTS, a TOEFL score of 105 or higher, or a 135 or higher on the Duolingo English Test. Please note that we do not accept the TOEFL Essentials test nor do we consider TOEFL's MyBest score.
Should an applicant not meet these scores at a minimum, her application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Applicants are eligible to have the English Language Proficiency Requirement waived if they:
- Identify English as one of their first languages
- Have attended a school in which the primary language of instruction is English
- Earned one or more of the following subsection scores:
- 700 or higher on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing section of the redesigned SAT (beginning in March 2016)
- 29 or higher on the English or Reading sections of the ACT.
Once they are nominated by their home schools, students should submit their application materials, outlined below.
A completed application includes the following documents:
- VISP Application
- A Curriculum Vitae (uploaded to VISP application online)
- An essay describing why you wish to spend the semester at Barnard College (500 words or less) (uploaded to VISP application online)
- A copy of the identification page of your passport (uploaded to VISP application online)
- An official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo Score Report (for non-native English speakers only), sent to email@example.com
- An official university transcript, sent to firstname.lastname@example.org
- A high school transcript (optional);
- Two (2) letters of recommendation from university professors, sent to email@example.com
Once students are notified of admission, they will receive information on how to request a DS-2019 to apply for a J-1 visa.
Costs for 2023-2024
For more information, please contact your home institution coordinator or email firstname.lastname@example.org.
All VISP students are required to purchase medical insurance in accordance with Barnard policy and visa regulations for the duration of their time at Barnard. This comprehensive insurance will be billed automatically to each student.
Room and Board
All VISP students are required to live on-campus (usually a double room) and participate in a meal plan.
Questions about room selection and living in the residence halls should be directed to the Residential Life and Housing Office via phone 212-854-65561, email: email@example.com.
Barnard has agreements with the Institut d'Etudes Politiques ("Sciences Po") in France, The University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and University of New South Wales ("UNSW") in Australia which allow international students to study at Barnard for an entire academic year.
If you are a student currently enrolled in one of these institutions and are interested in studying at Barnard for a full year, please contact the study abroad/away office at your home institution.
Preparing for your semester at Barnard
Once you are accepted to VISP, you will receive an email from International Student Services with information on the visa application process.
You will also receive your acceptance packet from Admissions, which includes required forms and information on:
- meal plans
- medical forms and insurance
- setting up your Barnard email account
- what to bring
- arrival information
and much more.
Choosing courses for your VISP semester
You will not register for courses until you arrive on campus in January. Courses which VISP students are eligible to take while at Barnard include:
- Courses designated BC, UN, C, R, V, and W
- Courses numbered from 1000 through 4999
- VISP students are not eligible to take classes in Journalism, Law, Engineering (except for "The Art of Engineering")
- Students may not register for more than two Business courses
Please note that you are welcome to search for courses but you should plan to work closely with your academic advisor during Orientation to put together an appropriate program. The Columbia online catalog includes courses from Columbia, Barnard, and even some graduate schools. Remember, undergraduate students may not enroll in graduate school courses.
Please review our Frequently Asked Questions for even more helpful information as you prepare for your semester at Barnard.
When they first arrive on campus, VISP students will participate in a special track of Barnard’s New Student Orientation Program that will integrate them into campus life, introduce them to other new students at Barnard and also address concerns and questions specific to VISP. The VISP Extended Orientation Program follows Barnard’s general New Student Orientation Program, adding additional sessions throughout the spring semester to help VISP students adjust to life at Barnard. These events include:
Welcome meeting specifically for VISP students
Individual Advising Appointments with a faculty member or academic dean
Sessions on American Culture, Culture Shock, American Slang and Colloquial English
Sessions on Public Speaking, Writing Papers, Study Skills
Barnard Reach Out (BRO)— VISP students will be eligible to participate in a variety of community service projects on the final day of NSOP. This is a great way to start becoming familiar with various neighborhoods in New York City, to get to know other visiting students, and to meet other Barnard students and faculty/staff. The program is modeled on Barnard’s well-known programs for first-year and transfer students during fall Orientation.
Prior to coming to Barnard, VISP students will be matched with a Visiting International Student Ambassador (VISA), a current Barnard student interested in introducing VISP students to the Barnard campus, to the University, and to New York. Ambassadors will be matched for the entire semester, and are available to the incoming students before the semester begins, to answer questions and give advice.
All VISP students will also be assigned a full-time faculty member to assist them in choosing and signing up for courses when they arrive.
All VISP students are eligible to take an American Language Course through Columbia’s American Language Program. Placement will be determined upon arrival; depending on TOEFL/IELTS scores, some students may be required to take a course through ALP.
Throughout the semester, VISP students will have the option of participating in:
- Monthly food and cultural festivals sponsored by VISP students from different countries, in collaboration with various Barnard offices and student cultural groups
- Sporting/Cultural Events on and off-campus
- And much more!
General Campus Resources
VISP students have access to the same services and support as all Barnard students, including but not limited to:
The I-20/DS-2019 document will enable you to secure your F-1 or J-1 visa for study at Barnard. The Application for I-20/DS-2019 is a fillable form. Please see our detailed instructions on how to qualify for an I-20/DS-2019.
A complete application must include:
- Your I-20 Request Form
- Copy of your passport photo page
- Financial documentation
- Sponsor's Affidavit of Support Form (if applicable)
- F-1 Transfer Verification Form (if applicable)
You must email your completed applications as one file in PDF format to: firstname.lastname@example.org.
Once your I-20 request has been approved, we will mail the I-20 to you via express mail. You will then need to make an appointment with your nearest American embassy or consulate to apply for your F-1 student visa.
Once you've read the instructions carefully, you may discover that you need to submit the forms below in addition to the I-20 request form posted above. The forms below are not fillable online, so you will need to download them, fill them out, and submit them via email with your application.
F1 Transfer Certification: Please submit this form ONLY IF you attended another U.S. secondary school or U.S. college/university within the last six months.
Dependent Information: Please submit this form ONLY IF you plan to bring a spouse and/or children with you.
Sponsor’s Affidavit of Free Room and Board in the New York City Metropolitan Area: Please submit this form ONLY IF you will be sponsored for free room and board.
Sponsor’s Affidavit of Support Form: Please submit this form ONLY IF you have a sponsor (parent or relative) supporting you financially. Each sponsor must complete a separate Affidavit of Support Form.
Questions about these forms may be directed to Office of International & Intercultural Student Programs via email at email@example.com or by phone at 212-854-1777. Remember, your application should be submitted as one file in PDF format