bˈɑːɹnɑːɹd bɪɡˈʌn hɪz ˌɛdʒuːkˈeɪʃən æt ðə jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi ʌvðɪ ˈɔɹɪndʒ fɹˈiː stˈeɪt ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti ˈeɪt əbtˈeɪnɪŋ ɐ bˈætʃəlɚɹ ʌv ˈɑːɹts ɪn pəlˈɪɾɪkəl sˈaɪəns ænd hˈɪstɚɹi.
Barnard begun his education at the University of the Orange Free State in 1968 obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History.