Bard Prison Initiative

The Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) enrolls students at seven men's and women's correctional facilities in New York: Albion, Coxsackie, Eastern, Fishkill, Green Haven, Taconic and Woodbourne. Students enroll full-time and take in-person courses across a range of academic disciplines, earning Bard College associate and bachelor's degrees. To apply, one must be at one of the seven prisons where BPI operates and have a high school diploma or its equivalent. The application process includes a writing session and interview; candidates who are not offered admission may apply again. BPI students and alumni are also eligible for BPI services in reentry and alumni engagement, which begin while students are incarcerated and continue after they return home.