Internationalization is vitally important to Amherst. Our programs prepare students for the realities of global interdependence.”
— Biddy Martin, 19th President of Amherst College
International students
Dual-citizenship students
Countries represented
Languages spoken
Students who study abroad
Students who graduate having completed a senior thesis
Classes with fewer than 30 students
Student organizations
Amherst offers the Bachelor of Arts degree in 41 majors in the arts, sciences, social sciences and humanities. Students can carry more than one major, create their own interdisciplinary major or engage in independent scholarship.
Amherst College offers an open curriculum: There are no distribution requirements, so our students can focus on the courses that are most interesting to them. This allows each student, in consultation with faculty advisors, to chart an individualized program from among the more than 850 courses offered at Amherst.
With an average class size of 19 students, and a student-faculty ratio of 7-to-1, Amherst faculty are committed to their students’ success. They work with students from the first year through graduation—and often beyond—to choose courses, conduct research and make career decisions.
Amherst is a member of the Five College Consortium, along with nearby Smith, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire Colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students may take courses at any of the Five Colleges, and the schools’ proximity (within a 10-mile/16-kilometer radius) adds to Amherst’s rich academic, social and extracurricular life.
Amherst is among the country’s most diverse colleges. Our 1,898 bright, ambitious, high-spirited students come from all walks of life, from every U.S. state and 70 countries. Typically, 48% of our U.S. students identify as coming from traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups and about 11% of our students are international.
Amherst provides no-loan financial aid packages; student loans have been replaced by additional scholarship funds.
In 2022–2023, our average financial aid award for international students was $76,000 per year, and 80 percent of our current international students received need-based aid.
Amherst is one of only a handful of U.S. institutions committed to need-blind evaluation of ALL applicants, domestic and international. That means that your need for financial aid will not negatively affect your chances of admission.
Amherst follows a need-based financial aid policy. All financial aid is awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need; we do not offer merit or athletic scholarships.
Amherst provides financial aid to meet 100 percent of your family’s calculated financial need. If you are admitted—based on your merit and accomplishments—Amherst will review your family’s financial circumstances and use a “need analysis” formula to determine what you and your family can afford to pay (called your “family contribution”). Amherst subtracts your family contribution from our total cost of attendance (tuition, housing, meals, travel, health insurance, personal expenses, etc.) to find your family’s calculated financial need.
Demonstrated financial need met; no loans required
International students on aid last year
Average international financial aid reward, 2022-2023
Admission rate for Class of 2026
93% of Amherst graduates in the Class of 2022 were either employed (80%) or attending graduate/professional school (13%) within six months of graduation.
Healthcare, Management Consulting, Internet & Software, Investment Banking, Higher Education, Financial Services, Investment/Portfolio Management, Research, Non-Profit, K-12 Education
** The following information represents outcomes data collected by the Loeb Center in accordance with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards. Our knowledge rate was 89% for the class of 2022. Knowledge rate includes data collected through surveys, employers, staff, fellow graduates, LinkedIn profiles, or other online sources.
Optional testing: SAT or ACT
Required testing (for non-native English speakers who have not had the most recent two years of school curriculum delivered in English): TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition, Duolingo English Test, and IELTS Academic
Learn more about our application requirements...
Students
Majors
Courses each term