Admission & Financial Aid

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Our students are passionate, engaged and curious. Are you?

Our Academic Offerings

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We meet 100% of our students’ demonstrated financial need.

Learn How We Can Help

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At Amherst we expect and encourage you to imagine, create and share.

What Sets Amherst Apart

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Talk with us to learn more. We can’t wait to meet you!

Virtual Tours & Sessions

We search for exceptional students from across the country and around the world, including from places and populations that are historically underrepresented in higher education. Our financial aid policies are among the most generous in the nation. In all we do, our efforts are guided by the principles expressed in our Mission Statement.

Join Us for a Virtual Campus Visit

Meet us on Zoom for an information session with an Admission dean and a virtual tour led by one of our student guides. Register for a virtual campus visit — we’re looking forward to meeting you!

Virtual Campus Visit

Discovering Amherst

College is a time of discovery, when you wrestle with difficult questions, connect disparate ideas and discover what’s possible. Here, discover Amherst and what sets us apart.

Discover Amherst

Meet Our Professors

Our Open Curriculum

Five College Consortium

Our First-Year Class

Student Organizations

Financial Aid & Costs

We offer one of the most comprehensive, ambitious financial aid programs in the country.

First-Year and Transfer Information

International Student Information

Tuition, Fees & Other Costs

"Affording Amherst" Brochure

Net Price Calculator

Office of Financial Aid

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Join Our Mailing List

Receive our information packet, including our Viewbook and Financial Aid Brochure, as well as announcements about Amherst events in your area and other important news.

Applying to Amherst

A successful Amherst student is someone who will embrace our open curriculum, engage our talented faculty and actively contribute to a student body that is diverse in both background and perspective.

Getting Started Admission Statistics

Hear From Our Students

Get to know some students, and what it’s like to attend Amherst, by checking out the work of our student bloggers, tour guides and diversity interns.

David Xu '22, blogger

Pleasanton, California

Majors: Economics and Law, Jurisprudence & Social Thought

Our Student Blogs

Trenati Baker '20, diversity intern

Chicago, Illinois

Majors: Black Studies and Political Science

Our Diversity Interns

Armando Brito '21, tour guide

Miami, Florida

Majors: Economics and Sexuality, Women's & Gender Studies

Our Tour Guides

Application Tips

Application Advice

Students who are interested in applying to Amherst should first be familiar with our available admission options, our application requirements, our deadlines, and our approach to reviewing and evaluating applications for admission.

Keep reading..... It's all here

Financial Aid Advice

We’re committed to making an Amherst education affordable for every accepted student. Your family’s financial circumstances will never affect whether you’re admitted or not. Our financial aid program is well known as one of the country’s best.

Here’s why

Quick Pass Application Fee Waiver

As part of our institutional commitment to expanded college access for students from all backgrounds, Amherst has added two new eligibility options for our Quick Pass application fee waiver, now extended to cover all first-generation applicants and all applicants from families with household incomes below $65,000. Fill out our fast-and-easy Quick Pass questionnaire to see if you qualify for our application fee waiver.

Quick Pass

Test-Optional for SAT & ACT

Given Covid-related limitations on SAT and ACT testing, Amherst has suspended its SAT/ACT requirement for the current application cycle. This one-year test-optional policy applies to all applicants -- domestic and international -- applying for admission to the Class of 2025. At their own discretion, applicants may still submit SAT or ACT scores for consideration.

Standardized Testing Policy

Application Advice

Amherst takes great care to review every application thoroughly. Each application is reviewed by at least two admission deans before being presented to the Admission Committee for discussion. Learn more about what we pay the closest attention to in evaluating your application.

Our Process

Writing Supplement Advice

There are two ways to satisfy Amherst’s supplementary writing requirement: Option A (responding to one of our faculty quotations) or Option B (submitting an analytical paper from one of your high school classes). Learn more about which option might be best for you.

Learn More

Virtual Campus Visits

Although we are unable to receive on-campus visitors at Amherst right now, there is so much that we want to share with you! Join us for a virtual campus visits, starting with a 45-minute information session (presented by an admission dean) followed immediately by a 45-minute virtual campus tour (led by a student tour guide).

Virtual Campus Visits

Application Deadlines

For first-year admission, our Early Decision application deadline is November 16, 2020; our Regular Decision deadline is January 4, 2021. For transfer admission, our application deadline for spring semester enrollment is November 2, 2020; for fall semester transfer enrollment, the deadline is March 1, 2021.

Application and admission timelines

Important Dates in the Admission Cycle

Jan 4

First-Year Regular Decision Application Deadline

Jan 4

Financial Aid Deadline for First-Year Regular Decision Applicants

Mar 1

Transfer Application Deadline for Fall Enrollment

Mar 1

Financial Aid Deadline for Transfer Applicants for Fall Semester Enrollment

Mar 19

Approximate Date for Release of Admission Decisions for Regular Decision Applicants

May 1

First-Year Admission Response Date: Admitted students must reply to our offer of admission by this date.

May 3

Approximate Date for Release of Admission Decisions for Fall Semester Transfer Applicants

Jun 20

Summer Solstice in Amherst, Massachusetts!

Nov 16

First-Year Early Decision Application Deadline

Nov 16

Financial Aid Deadline for First-Year Early Decision Applicants

Nov 2

Transfer Application Deadline for Spring Semester Enrollment

Nov 2

Financial Aid Deadline for Transfer Applicants for Spring Semester Enrollment

Dec 15

Approximate Date for Release of Admission Decisions for Early Decision Applicants

Dec 15

Approximate Date for Release of Admission Decisions for Spring Semester Transfer Applicants

Contact Information

How To Reach Us

Admissions

Wilson Admission Center
220 South Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01002 413-542-2328 admission@amherst.edu

Financial Aid

B-5 Converse Hall
100 Boltwood Avenue
Amherst, MA 01002 413-542-2296 finaid@amherst.edu

Admission Office Contact Information Join Our Mailing List Visit Us Amherst on the Road

Take the Next Step

Plan a Visit Apply for Admission Apply for Financial Aid

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