Barnard Pre-College is offering four exploratory summer programs and one credit-bearing option in Summer 2026:

NextGen Leadership Institute, Athena Summer Innovation Institute, Health and Society Institute, Plate + Planet Lab, and the Pre-Baccalaureate Program.

The three-week exploratory programs run in two sessions: Session 1 is June 29 through July 17, 2026, and Session 2 is July 20 through August 7, 2026.

The Pre-Baccalaureate Program runs July 6 through August 14, 2026.

The Pre-Baccalaureate Program is the only program that offers college credit. Students who successfully complete the program earn 3 credits and can request an official Barnard transcript.

All applicants must be current high school students who are at least 14 years old by the start of the program, enrolled in academically rigorous coursework, and maintaining strong grades.

Exploratory programs are open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The Pre-Baccalaureate Program is open to rising juniors and seniors.

Yes. Students may attend the exploratory programs as commuters or residential students. The Pre-Baccalaureate Program is commuter-only for Summer 2026.

Yes, as long as the program dates do not overlap. Students may submit applications to multiple programs, but admission to a second program may depend on space availability once first-choice applicants have been placed.

Applications for Summer 2026 open on December 1, 2025.

We review applications on a rolling basis, so applying early gives students the best chance of finding space in their preferred program and course. The application fee is waived through the priority deadline of February 9, 2026, and the final application deadline is April 15, 2026.

Applicants should be prepared to submit an online application, an unofficial high school transcript, a list of extracurricular activities, teacher recommendation materials, and a 500-word statement of purpose. Pre-Baccalaureate applicants must also submit an additional writing sample.

Yes. Applications submitted after the February 9, 2026 priority deadline are subject to a $75 application fee.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Students can generally expect a decision about 2 to 3 weeks after we receive a completed application, with decision releases beginning in mid-January.

Application fee payments may take 2 to 3 business days to appear in the portal because payments are manually verified. If the payment still does not appear after 3 business days, students and families should email pcp@barnard.edu rather than submit a second payment.

The final application deadline for all our Summer 2026 programs is April 15, 2026.

Course selection occurs during the registration and enrollment process in CampDoc, not on the initial application. A deposit is required at registration to secure your place in a specific class. If your preferred class is full, our office will contact you to select an alternative. Please note that we cannot honor requests for class changes once enrollment is finalized, and we reserve the right to cancel under-enrolled courses.

Yes. Homeschooled applicants should provide at least one recommendation from a non-parent who can speak to their academic performance, such as an instructor from a course, extracurricular activity, community program, or job setting.

You can access our FAQ specific to our Pre-Baccalaureate Program here.

Still have questions? You can reach our office via email (pcp@barnard.edu).