Supplemental essays · 2026–27 application
Bard College Berlin supplemental essays.
All 2 essay questions Bard College Berlin asks this year, word for word, with the word limits and how to approach each one.
Checked against berlin.bard.edu on October 18, 2026
What you write: A motivation statement (250–500 words) and a graded writing sample, plus an optional international-experience answer.
Common App applicants type the motivation statement into Bard Berlin's Questions section. The writing sample is a graded class essay in English with your teacher's comments; if you don't have one, BCB will email alternative essay prompts.
Write every word yourself
Bard College Berlin says using generative AI undermines what the writing is for. Our free review only comments and never writes for you, so every change stays in your words.
Motivation statement
A brief essay about why you want to study at Bard College Berlin. A strong motivation statement will address the following points: why you want to study at Bard College Berlin; how the academic offerings at Bard College Berlin fit with your aspirations and future plans; and your interest in being part of an international community in Berlin.
How to approach it
- Name things you could only find at this college: a class, a professor, a program, a tradition.
- Tie every detail to something true about you.
- Swap test: if another college’s name fits your sentence, it’s too general.
Your international experience
If you have had the opportunity to study abroad or otherwise gain international experience, please describe your experience here.
Only if it applies to you.
How to approach it
- Pick one activity, not your whole resume.
- Show one moment of what you actually did.
- Say why it matters to you, not only what it is.
Want a mentor on your essays?
Clarity Prep members get a mentor who reads every draft with them, knows their whole application and checks in every week until it’s done.