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How much does it cost to attend Simon’s Rock and what kind of financial aid is available?
As is the case at most other private liberal arts colleges, the tuition at Bard College at Simon’s Rock is expensive; however, the College is committed to making a Simon’s Rock education available to a diverse group of highly motivated, academically qualified students. In a typical year, more than 80% of our students receive financial assistance. We offer both need- and merit-based financial aid through institutional and federal awards. Even though the majority of our students have not completed high school, as college students at Simon’s Rock they are able to apply for federal funding through federal student aid programs.

Merit scholarships are available to students who apply by February 1 and complete the additional requirements listed on the application. Merit awards for incoming students are renewable for four years, provided the recipients maintain full-time enrollment and meet the necessary GPA requirements. Acceleration to Excellence Program (AEP) Scholarships, range in size from $5,000 up to full tuition and are awarded to high-achieving sophomores and juniors. W.E.B. Du Bois Scholarships meet a significant portion of the financial need of eligible students of color who apply during the 10th or 11th grade and have a record of academic achievement and motivation. The Berkshire Regional Scholarship provides awards equal to 40% of tuition to academically qualified students from the 14 counties surrounding Simon’s Rock. You can read more about these and other institutional scholarships here. Most students receive financial aid packages that combine several awards, grants and loans, and students who receive merit based awards may also be eligible for additional need-based aid.

The cost of tuition, room, board and fees at Bard College at Simon's Rock can be found on the tuition and fees page. Financial aid application forms and guidelines can be found here. It is important to understand that the actual cost of attending Bard College at Simon's Rock depends greatly on each particular student’s financial aid award. While the tuition fees here are listed in full, the financial aid award letter articulates an admitted student’s individual cost, after all merit- and need-based awards have been taken into account.

How do I apply for financial aid? Scholarships?
Applicants seeking merit scholarships should submit their application for admission prior to the February 1 deadline. Please refer to the merit scholarship requirements and dates on the calendar included in the application for more information. Those seeking additional need-based financial aid should submit the financial aid forms at the same time as their admission application, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Applicants who complete the financial aid application process will be considered for all need- and merit-based awards for which they are eligible. Forms and guidelines can be found on the financial aid page. Outside of the requirements for merit awards, there are no separate applications for specific scholarships. All applicants are encouraged to submit their financial aid forms with their application for admission; those applicants who submit both the application for admission and financial aid by the April 15 priority deadline typically have a higher proportion of their need met.

What are the deadlines for financial aid applications?
Applicants wishing to be considered for merit scholarships must have their application materials submitted on or before the February 1 postmark deadline, and are strongly encouraged to complete the financial aid process as soon as possible after the February 1 deadline.

Applicants for regular fall admission are encouraged to complete the admission and financial aid application process by the April 15 priority deadline. Forms and guidelines can be found on the financial aid page. Students who submit their applications and financial aid paperwork by this date will be considered for the highest levels of funding. Applications for admission and financial aid received after May 31 will be considered on a space- and funds-available basis.

Applicants who wish to be considered for the January semester should submit their applications on or before the December 1 postmark deadline. November 1 is the financial aid priority deadline for spring applications.

Who qualifies for merit scholarships?
The merit scholarships described above are awarded to high-achieving sophomores and juniors. In addition to numerous smaller scholarships of $5,000 or $10,000, there are a limited number of full tuition and large partial scholarships available, and the application process is competitive. While there is no specific GPA cut-off for any of the merit scholarships, students with good records of academic success and demonstrated leadership both in and out of the classroom should consider applying for a merit award. That may seem vague, but that’s because we consider many different types of achievement and leadership when reviewing applications for merit scholarships. If you’re not sure whether or not to apply for an award you can always call your admission counselor to discuss the option.

When will I know if I received a merit scholarship?
All candidates for merit-based scholarships will receive their admission letter to the college within a few weeks of their application to the college becoming complete. Applicants will be notified about their scholarship(s) in mid-March. Admitted students who have been granted merit awards may still be eligible for additional financial aid; those who have completed the financial aid process will also receive a complete financial aid package around this time that will include any need-based aid available in addition the merit award.

Those applicants invited to interview for our most generous scholarships will be notified in mid-March of their invitation and will receive notification of their awards on April 15.

All admitted students applying for financial aid and/or a merit scholarship will receive a financial aid award letter with details about their financial aid package. Those students admitted through rolling admission will receive their award letter soon after all of their financial aid application has been submitted and processed. Most students receive financial aid packages that combine several awards, grants and loans.

Deadlines and notification dates can also be found on our admission calendar.