How to Apply to Mathematics at Barnard College: A Women’s Liberal Arts College Beside Columbia University With No Separate Schools, a Math Department Closely Integrated With Columbia’s, Several Math Majors, and Admission and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Barnard College is a women’s liberal arts college in Manhattan with no separate schools: mathematics is taught by the Barnard Department of Mathematics, and you apply to Barnard itself, not to a school within it. Barnard says its relationship with Columbia University is “unique in American higher education”: students share academic resources, extracurriculars, athletic fields and even dining halls, with small classes at Barnard and Columbia’s resources across the street. The math department puts it this way: Barnard has a distinct math department, but it is very integrated with Columbia’s, so you can take classes with any professor and there is generally no noticeable difference between a Barnard and a Columbia math class. This guide uses only Barnard’s own pages; for Columbia’s admission rules, see Columbia’s own site. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, for U.S. students, international students (including students from China) and transfer students. Computer science and economics are not covered here beyond a note on the joint majors with mathematics.

1. Programs and how admission works

• Majors in the department (catalog “Programs of Study”): Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics-Statistics, Mathematics-Computer Science and Economics-Mathematics; minors in Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences. The pages we read do not name the degree (such as B.A.); this is not published there, so ask admissions.
• How the majors are described (catalog): the Mathematics and Applied Mathematics majors are “appropriate for students who plan to continue their training in graduate school”; the Mathematical Sciences major combines mathematics, computer science and statistics and is designed to prepare students for employment in business, administration and finance, and for graduate study in a social science. Students who want a mathematics teaching qualification should plan with an advisor, since courses too far from mathematics do not count toward certification.
• You are not admitted to a major: the application pages we read do not ask you to choose mathematics at application. After entry, when you declare, any GPA or course threshold, and any cap are not stated on the department or catalog pages we read; this is not published there, so ask the department (the catalog lists Daniela De Silva as chair) or Barnard’s registrar.
• Advisors: the department FAQ says a major involving two disciplines needs a Barnard advisor in each department; the choice of advisor is yours, and it suggests meeting professors before declaring.
• Statistics: the department says statistics is not offered at Barnard, so students in Mathematics-Statistics need extra steps for advising and support; it suggests contacting the directors of undergraduate studies in Columbia Statistics.
• Capstone: it can be met by a senior thesis supervised by a faculty member in your area or by the Undergraduate Seminar in Mathematics. The FAQ says the seminar fulfills the Barnard capstone and can double count as a major elective; writing a thesis is possible but uncommon.
• Getting started: the catalog says Open House events each semester let prospective and current majors meet faculty, and a student-written Students’ Guide to Studying Math at Barnard is available. Students with placement questions can make an appointment with a faculty member or the chair.

2. Prerequisites and course sequence

• High school: the department and catalog pages we read publish no specific high school math courses or grades; this is not published there. The catalog says students who have not studied calculus begin with Calculus I, and offers College Algebra and Analytic Geometry (MATH UN1003) as a refresher for students who intend to take calculus but lack the background.
• Mathematics major (14 courses, at least 40 credits) in three groups:
  • five courses in calculus and linear algebra (at least 13 credits), by one of three routes: Calculus I-II-III-IV (UN1101, 1102, 1201, 1202) plus Linear Algebra (UN2010); or Calculus I, II, Accelerated Multivariable Calculus (UN1205, covering Calculus III and IV) and Linear Algebra; or Calculus I, II, Honors Mathematics A (UN1207, covering linear algebra) and Honors Mathematics B (UN1208, covering Calculus III and IV). Students who place out of Calculus I or II by AP/IB credit take a replacement course for each;
  • four courses in algebra and analysis (Intro to Modern Algebra I-II and Intro to Modern Analysis I-II: GU4041, GU4042, GU4061, GU4062) plus a one-semester senior seminar (UN3951 or UN3952), at least 15 credits. Students not contemplating graduate study in mathematics may replace one or both semesters of analysis with courses such as complex variables, partial differential equations, Fourier analysis or analysis and optimization, and replace Modern Algebra II with number theory and cryptography or a codes course;
  • four electives in mathematics (2000 level and above) or cognate courses (at least 12 credits).
• Applied Mathematics major (14 courses, at least 40 credits): the same five calculus and linear algebra courses; three required courses (analysis GU4061, a year-long applied math seminar APMA E4901 and E4903, and undergraduate research APMA E3900, which requires a mentor in Columbia Applied Math); and six electives in mathematics and cognate courses, at least two of them mathematics.
• Mathematical Sciences major (14 courses, at least 42 credits): six mathematics courses (Calculus I-III, Linear Algebra or Honors Mathematics A, Intro to Higher Mathematics UN2000, Ordinary Differential Equations UN2030), five statistics and computer science courses, and a capstone plus two electives.
• Mathematics-Statistics (14 courses, at least 38 credits) and Mathematics-Computer Science (15 courses, at least 38 credits): the catalog lists the course requirements for each; for Mathematics-Computer Science the catalog notes that AP Computer Science with a 4 or 5, “or similar experience”, is a prerequisite for COMS W1007. For Economics-Mathematics, see its own catalog entry; it is not covered here.
• Calculus notes (catalog): credit is allowed for only one of the calculus sequences; Calculus II is not a prerequisite for Calculus III, so a student taking one year of calculus may choose I and II or I and III, the latter requiring a B or better in Calculus I. Intro to Higher Mathematics (UN2000) is for first- or second-year students with an aptitude for mathematics who want to practice writing and understanding proofs.
• Honors Mathematics A-B: the catalog says it is for “exceptionally well-qualified students who have strong advanced placement scores”, covers Calculus III, IV and linear algebra with an emphasis on theory. Students with a 5 on AP Calculus BC who have strong talent and motivation should start with Honors Mathematics A, which the catalog calls the most attractive course for well-prepared first-years whether or not they intend to major in mathematics; they should consult the instructor, or register and attend the first class if that is not possible.
• AP Calculus credit and placement (catalog): a 4 or 5 on Calculus AB or a 4 on BC earns 3 points; a 5 on BC earns 4 points, or 6 points on placing into Calculus III or Honors Mathematics A and finishing with a C or better. Starting points: 4 or higher on AB or BC may start with Calculus II; a 5 on BC starts with Calculus III. The pages we read do not give placement for AP Statistics or IB Mathematics.
• AP and the major: the catalog says Barnard does not grant major credit on the basis of exam scores, only course exemptions, and majors must substitute another course for any exemption earned by an exam score; talk to your advisor or chair. See also Barnard’s “AP Scores by Subject” page (not read for this guide).
• Courses at Columbia: the catalog advises asking your advisor or chair which Columbia College courses count toward the math major before registering.
• Help rooms: the department runs help rooms in 502 Milstein (Barnard) and in the Columbia Mathematics Building, open to Barnard and Columbia students.

3. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Dates on the application process page (no year is printed; confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry; the aid page gives 1 November 2026 for Early Decision and QuestBridge and 15 January 2027 for Regular Decision aid materials for 2027-2028): Early Decision 1 November, decisions mid-December; Regular Decision 1 January, decisions late March. Applications, essays and short answers are due at 11:59 pm local time.
• Materials deadlines: for ED, school report and counselor recommendation, teacher recommendations and self-reported scores by 20 November, first-quarter grades 25 November; for RD, school report, counselor and teacher recommendations 15 January, self-reported scores and mid-year grades 28 February (another line on the same page says counselors submit the mid-year report by 1 March, so confirm in your portal).
• Common App (QuestBridge also accepted). The application fee is $75, non-refundable, with waivers available.
• Essays: the personal essay plus Barnard short answers (for 2026-27, a “bold question” of 50 words and a response about a woman whose approach differs from yours, 200 to 250 words). Two teacher recommendations from core academic subjects (English, foreign language, mathematics, science or social studies; Barnard does not say they must come from a math teacher), preferably from the last two years but 10th-grade teachers are accepted; a counselor recommendation (if the counselor cannot, an additional teacher letter is encouraged), transcripts and school profile.
• No interviews. Applicants at US high schools may submit an optional Glimpse video; international applicants may submit an optional InitialView or Vericant interview, by 1 November (ED) or 1 January (RD).
• Test optional: Barnard says SAT/ACT stays optional through the 2027 cycles; self-reported scores are accepted, SAT and ACT composites are superscored, official scores are needed on enrollment, and the ACT science and writing sections are not required.
• Math competitions: the application pages we read do not say how math competition results are viewed; this is not published there.

4. U.S. students

• Admission and aid: Barnard practices need-blind admission for first-year U.S. citizens and permanent residents. All aid is need-based (no merit awards) and the College meets 100% of demonstrated need through grants, loans and work.
• Apply for aid at the same time as admission. Deadlines: ED and QuestBridge Match 1 November 2026; RD 15 January 2027 (FAFSA, CSS Profile and supporting documents). Aid applicants must report a Social Security number; Barnard does not use IDOC.
• Barnard reports that about 35% of students received need-based aid in 2025-26, with an average need-based grant of about $68,562.
• The cost page we read lists a single tuition with no in-state or out-of-state difference; any in-state preference is not published.

5. International students

• Admission and aid: citizenship is not a prerequisite. For students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents Barnard is need-aware, with limited funding for international first-years; it can award only a small number of need-based scholarships in each class. International students must apply for aid at the time of admission to be eligible in later years.
• Transcripts and national exams: schools send official transcripts and national or board exam results by e-docs or mail, with certified English translations if not in English; students who took external national or board exams submit the results plus transcripts for each secondary year. Barnard says certificates or copies of certificates are not required and should not be submitted.
• English proficiency: TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo may be required unless waived: English as a first language, English-medium instruction throughout secondary school, an English-taught IB Diploma or A Levels, SAT EBRW 700+ or ACT English or Reading 29+. Scores are valid for two years; TOEFL iBT Home Edition and IELTS Indicator are accepted; TOEFL Essentials is not accepted and MyBest is not considered. Barnard says the most competitive candidates generally have IELTS 7.5+, TOEFL 105+ or Duolingo 135+, and at least 5.5 on the new TOEFL scale for tests taken on or after 20 January 2026.
• Funds and visas: the pages we read do not list proof-of-funds documents; contact international@barnard.edu.

6. Applicants from China

• The pages we read have no China-specific section and do not say whether the Gaokao is considered; this is not published, so ask admissions (international@barnard.edu, 212-854-2014).
• The international page says schools send official transcripts and national exam results, non-English documents need certified translations, certificates should not be submitted, and an InitialView or Vericant interview is optional.
• How Chinese huikao or other school-level exams are handled is not published.

7. Costs and department resources

• 2026-27 (US$): tuition 73,120 ($36,560 per semester); comprehensive fee 2,472; first-year housing 14,054 (upperclass 14,190; studio single 23,126); meal plans from 1,200 to 9,204 depending on plan (one is required). The page prints no total, so none is given here.
• Health insurance is required; students without coverage can buy the College plan ($5,126 for the year) and others can waive it.
• Department resources: the department is an institutional member of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM), and all Barnard math majors get a free student membership. The department web page lists summer undergraduate research opportunities (including Barnard’s Summer Research Institute and Columbia’s mathematics summer research programs; some are limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, so check each program page). The catalog says prizes are listed on the department website; we did not read specific scholarship amounts.
• Outcomes: the department pages we read say only that an undergraduate degree in mathematics “opens the door to a wide range of careers and to graduate study”; they print no placement data, so none is given here.

8. Transfer students

• Who can apply: students with 24 to 60 transferable credits after high school; with fewer than 24 you apply as a first-year; second-semester first-years cannot apply for spring; holders of a bachelor’s degree cannot apply. AP or IB credit does not count toward the 24.
• Deadlines: fall 1 March (mid-term report 1 April; rolling notification after 1 May); spring 1 November (mid-term report 15 November; notification after 1 December). Common App for transfer; $75 fee. Fall transfer aid materials are due 15 March 2027.
• Materials: three Barnard short answers for Spring and Fall 2027 (1,250 characters each), final high school transcript, all college transcripts, College Report, Mid-Term Report, course descriptions and one academic recommendation from a college instructor within the last year; English tests as above. No interviews. Standardized tests are optional for the 2026-2027 cycles.
• Mathematics: neither the transfer pages nor the department pages we read set a separate threshold for the math major (such as GPA or a calculus or linear algebra sequence); this is not published there, so ask the department and transfer admissions (transfer@barnard.edu). The catalog says transfer coursework is first evaluated for elective credit by the Registrar, and only approved courses can then be considered by the department for the major or minor; talk to your advisor or chair. For a summer course taken at another institution (including Columbia) to count toward the major, submit the Summer Course form on Slate and obtain approval from both the Registrar and the chair or department representative.
• Credit: no pre-evaluation; an evaluation comes with the offer. Courses must be similar in content and depth; no credit below C-; applied or professional courses are not usually accepted; at most 60 credits transfer toward the 121 needed to graduate, with at most 16 per term; online courses are generally not credited.
• Aid: institutional grant aid is available only to fall transfer applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents (need is considered in review). Spring and international transfer applicants receive no institutional aid.

Checklist

U.S. students:

• Apply by 1 November (ED) or 1 January (RD); $75 fee; two short answers, two core-subject teacher recommendations
• After entry, place into calculus by your AP score (a 5 on BC can start with Calculus III or Honors Mathematics A); ask the department when to declare

International students (including China):

• Same deadlines; schools send official transcripts and national exam results with certified translations; no certificate copies
• Meet the English requirement or a waiver; apply for aid at application; ask admissions whether the Gaokao is used

Transfer students:

• Fall 1 March (spring 1 November); 24 to 60 transferable credits
• No published math-specific threshold; credits are evaluated by the Registrar first, then the department decides what counts toward the major

Sources: Barnard College, About Barnard; Department of Mathematics; Catalog: Mathematics; First-year applicants; The application process; International applicants; Transfer applicants; Transfer credit evaluations; Costs and aid; Apply for aid; 2026-27 tuition and fees. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures). Check Barnard for the latest details.