Students are required to both register for classes and finalize their payment arrangements by the College's registration deadline in order to be considered officially enrolled for the semester.

Adding, Dropping and Withdrawing from Courses

Deadlines for dropping and withdrawing from courses are listed in the academic calendar. Students can add or drop courses online through the registration deadline (the second Friday of the semester). After the registration deadline:

• Students can no longer add credited courses. If you wish to add a lab, discussion section, zero credit course, or change a section of a course in which you are already registered, please use this form.

• To drop a course (course is removed entirely from the student’s transcript): Students should fill out this form, which is sent to their advisor for approval to drop a class after the registration deadline. 

• To withdraw from a course (the course remains on the transcript with a grade of W): Submit a withdrawal form with adviser approval to the Registrar’s Office before the withdrawal deadline.

• Please note that students must remain in at least 12 credits per semester, except in very specific circumstances.

• There is no refund for a course (or the fees attached to a course) that are dropped or withdrawn after the registration deadline.

Exceptions to add, drop and withdrawal deadlines:

Students with extenuating circumstances can petition to the Committee on Programs and Academic Standings.  They should start by speaking with their Class Dean. If approved to add a course late, the college will normally assess a fee ($25 - $150 per course).

You will add courses that you find in the Vergil Course Search. 

To see if a section has a note attached, click on the section itself.  Notes will identify a special requirement for the course (such as a required application or writing sample or attendance at the first class).   No time conflicts are allowed; you will not be able to register for two courses that overlap. If you think you have permission for a time conflict, please email the Registrar’s Office at registrar@barnard.edu.

Steps in the Registration Process

1. Review your online degree audit in Student Planning to identify classes you still need to take, to satisfy your degree requirements.You and your adviser should consult your degree audit as you plan your classes, and should notify the Registrar's Office of any inaccuracies or omissions, by filling out this request form.

2. Search for classes you need or want to take: students can search the Course Catalog in Vergil, which lists all Columbia and Barnard classes.  Barnard students can register for any Columbia class that says it is “open to Barnard” in its course listing.

3. Add classes to your Plan in Vergil.  Planning opens 3 weeks prior to the first registration period.

4. View your registration appointments in Vergil.  Students are assigned specific start and end times on designated registration days.
5. Resolve any registration holds: If you have a registration hold (e.g. a hold placed by the Bursar, Dean’s Office, Health Services, or due to missing information such as emergency contact information), you will need to clear the hold before you can register or add/drop courses.  You can check for registration holds in Vergil or in Slate. 
6. Sign the Financial Responsibility Statement in Vergil: For each semester or term of enrollment, students are required to sign and acknowledge the Financial Responsibility Statement. This document states that you are aware of and accept the defined costs of your Term Bill.

7. Consult your adviser: All students need their adviser’s permission at two stages of the process: once before their initial registration for the semester, and again to approve their final class schedule on/before the registration deadline (the second Friday of classes each semester).  Before declaring their major, students are assigned a “pre-major” adviser. When declaring a major, a student is connected with an adviser within their major department.

8. Register for classes: When your registration window opens, you can register for classes from your Planner in Vergil, or directly from the Course Search results.

9. Be sure to register for enough, but not too many credits:
    Students are generally required to register full-time (at least 12 credits) – and can take a maximum of 19 credits – each semester.  See below for more information.

10. Finalize your schedule & complete your enrollment confirmation by the registration deadline: Students can add and drop classes online through the second Friday of the semester.  By this date, students must successfully register for a full-time schedule (unless otherwise permitted to enroll in a reduced courseload) and complete payment of the term bill (for students on payment plans, be up to date on scheduled payments) in order to confirm enrollment for the semester.  

All Barnard students are required to be enrolled full time.  Full-time enrollment status is defined as a minimum of 12 credits per semester and a minimum of 24 credits over the course of the academic year.  Except in very specific circumstances as described in the Reduced Courseload policy, Barnard students are not permitted to enroll part time. In a given semester, the maximum number of credits a student may take is 19 credits.

Students with compelling circumstances may request additional credits during the shopping period in September and January. An adviser must grant approval for a student to take more than 19 credits.  To request permission from your adviser, use this Slate form beginning the first day of classes.

Students who are registered with CARDS and need to take fewer than 12 credits (for students living on campus and students on F-1 visas) or fewer than 9 credits (for all other students) as a disability-related accommodation will need to request a Reduced Course Load through CARDS.  Students with approved reduced course loads lower than 6 credits who are on Financial Aid should also plan to schedule a meeting with their Financial Aid counselor to discuss any applicable loan implications.  
 

During the first two weeks of the semester, you have an opportunity to visit classes for which you are not registered, so that you can learn more about the class content and format. This may help you decide if you would like to enroll. 

To aid in your decision-making, the Courseworks/Canvas sites for some Barnard classes will be open for all students to access syllabi and course materials for class shopping purposes.  

• Find the class either in the Vergil Course Search or in the Directory of Classes (from the Directory, click on the “View in Vergil” link)
• In Vergil, click on the Course Title 
• Click on the “View in CourseWorks” tab - this will take you to the class’ CourseWorks site. (If you don’t see the “View in Courseworks link” initially, click the down arrow next to the section number to display more details.)

If you are interested in shopping a Barnard class that does not have materials visible in Courseworks, the instructor may be willing to share the syllabus with you.

If you decide to enroll, be sure to officially add the class in Student Planning before the January 31 deadline.  If you have any questions, email registrar@barnard.edu.

Most courses have a limit (also called a “cap”) on the number of students who can register.  Students can see the cap -- and how many students are already registered -- in the Vergil Course Search. 

If a class is full, students can choose to join the waitlist when registering in Vergil..  

• Students can only be on 3 waitlists at a given time.  

• Students can view their waitlisted classes - and their position on the waitlist, in Vergil.  

• Students who are accepted into the class will receive an email from the Columbia Registrar and will be automatically registered for the class in Vergil.  

Waitlist types:

The instructor of a course with an enrollment cap can set up a waitlist in one of three ways:

• Auto-fill: As seats open up, they are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  You can view your place in vergil.

• Instructor-managed: The instructor selects students individually from the waitlist according to their own criteria. Some waitlists may require
  students to complete an application or provide information on their interest in joining the course.

• Disabled waitlist: The course does not have a waitlist. Once the seat capacity is met, the course is full.

Courses with special registration procedures and policies:

• Physical Education:

  • Barnard P.E. classes: Only Barnard students who have not yet satisfied the P.E. requirement can register online for these classes.  Other students can attend the first class to request permission. P.E. classes begin on Monday of the second week of classes.

  • Columbia P.E. classes: Barnard students may only register at the discretion of the Columbia Physical Education Chair (336 Dodge Fitness Center).

  • Students participating in a varsity sport (PHED 1005) should register for the appropriate section of PHED 1005 in Student Planning.

  • Students who enter as first-years must complete the one required semester of PE by the end of the first year.  Transfer students should consult their transfer credit evaluation to see if a P.E. course is required.

• Dance Technique

  • ​​​​​​​Level I courses, except Dance Styles courses, receive a P/F grade and have no prerequisite. All others receive a letter grade and require a placement audition (at the first meeting) or instructor permission.

  • Dance technique classes are included in the maximum of 18 credits of studio, performance, and professional school credits that can be applied to the degree.

• Language Classes

  • Placement: To begin a language above an introductory level, contact the department to find out whether a language placement exam is required prior to registration.

  • Students who place into upper-level language classes are not exempted from the language requirement.

• Columbia Graduate & Professional School Classes

  • Barnard students can register online for 4000- and 5000-level graduate courses as long as the courses are listed as “open to Barnard” in the Vergil Course Search.  More advanced courses can only be added with the approval of the instructor and adviser.  

  • Barnard students can apply a maximum of two professional school courses (e.g. business school, journalism school, etc.) towards the Barnard degree. 

  • Students admitted to the 4 + 1 pathway programs should consult the appropriate faculty adviser prior to registering.

  • Students not in the 4 + 1 program at SIPA can cross-register into SIPA classes after the start of the semester. Interested students should complete the SIPA registration request form first.

  • Teachers College courses require special registration permission and the payment of additional tuition at the Teachers College per-point rate, over and above Barnard tuition.  Email registrar@barnard.edu to request additional information.

• Variable Credit Classes

  • Classes that can be taken for a variable credit amount will default to lowest possible credit value.  Students can change the credits when registering in Vergil by clicking the “Manage” button.

• Independent Study

  • To request credit for an independent study, submit the Request for Approval of Independent Study by the registration deadline. Follow the independent study guidelines.

• Music Lessons

  • Voice Lessons at Barnard require an audition (find details here).  If approved to register, please note that there is a $500 course fee attached to voice lessons (except for students majoring in Music).  

  • Instrumental Lessons at CU.  A supplemental fee applies (except for students majoring in Music or performing in the orchestra).  See the course listing in the Vergil Class Search.

  • Lessons at MSM: Students must audition at Manhattan School of Music and then send this form to registrar@barnard.edu by the registration deadline in order to have the class added to their Barnard schedule.   

• Jewish Theological Seminary Courses

  • Students in the dual-degree program with JTS should see Professor Beth Berkowitz for the list of approved courses.  Registration and tuition payment for JTS courses should be done through JTS (not in Vergil).

  • Students not in the dual-degree program with JTS can cross-register for individual classes at JTS.  Email registrar@barnard.edu for more information.

Barnard Summer Course registration begins in Vergil for Summer 2025.

Summer courses at Barnard: For all course listings regarding summer classes, click here.

All summer credit taken outside of Barnard must be pre-approved using the Summer Course Approval form, or credit will not be granted.  Students will be responsible for the tuition charged for all summer credit taken elsewhere. **PLEASE NOTE: If you are a Barnard student and you plan on taking any Columbia summer course, your student record will be affected and could impact your ability to register for upcoming Fall or Spring classes. Please contact registrar@barnard.edu prior to the next registration week to ensure your information is correct.**

If a student is approved to take courses elsewhere, these credits will count as transfer credit and will not count towards a student’s Barnard GPA.  These credits will also count towards the maximum of 16 summer credits --  and the overall maximum of 60 external credits – that Barnard students are allowed to count towards the Barnard degree.  

Online courses taken elsewhere will not be approved for credit unless they are delivered synchronously, with regularly scheduled meeting times during which students and faculty meet, albeit remotely, for the requisite 35 hours per session. 

Current juniors and rising seniors who would like to participate in study abroad opportunities in summer 2021 must first submit an application to the Barnard Global Office.  

If approved to take credits elsewhere, students must complete this form in order to apply to receive credit for each individual course.  This must be done in advance of starting the program.  Credit will not be granted unless a course has been pre-approved.

Summer 2021 coursework at Barnard or at eligible Columbia programs

Barnard students enrolled full-time in the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters may earn a maximum of 45 credits offered by Barnard or eligible Columbia programs during academic year 2020-21.  (Eligible course lists to follow.)  Of these 45 credits, a maximum of 19 credits can be earned during the summer 2021 semester at no additional tuition charge.  (Students will be responsible for paying supplementary course fees, however.).  Students cannot enroll in more than 45 credits for the academic year. 

As an exception for summer 2021:

• Credits taken at Barnard or through eligible Columbia programs during summer 2021 are excluded from the maximum of 16 summer credits -- as well as from the overall maximum of 60 external credits – that Barnard students are allowed to count towards the Barnard degree.
• Credits taken at Barnard or through eligible Columbia programs in summer 2021 will count as institutional (not transfer) credit and will count towards a student’s Barnard GPA.
• Courses and grades taken at Barnard or through eligible Columbia programs will display on the Barnard transcript as they do during the fall and spring semesters. 

Advisers can view their advisee list in the Slate Advising Portal (https://slate.barnard.edu/portal/advising).  This portal is a landing page where you can navigate to a student’s record in Vergil (registration) and Student Planning (degree audit, transcript), email your advisees, take advising meeting notes, and confirm that you’ve met with the student (the former “Review Complete” process).

Resources for advisers – including detailed how-to guides - are available in the myBarnard portal, under Advising.

These links are useful in registering for classes to track your degree progress and to select your courses.

• Columbia Directory of Classes
• Courses that will satisfy "Foundations" general education requirements