Internationalization is vitally important to Amherst. Our programs prepare students for the realities of global interdependence.”
— Biddy Martin, 19th President of Amherst College

Amherst’s Students at a Glance

Located in scenic western Massachusetts, Amherst College is one of the premier, highly selective liberal arts colleges in the United States.

Open Curriculum

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.

Small Classes and Approachable Faculty

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.

Five College Consortium

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.

Diversity

Amherst is among the country’s most diverse colleges. Our 1,850 bright, ambitious, high-spirited students come from all walks of life, from almost every U.S. state and 70 countries. Typically, 48 percent of our U.S. students identify as coming from traditionally underrepresented racial/ethnic groups and about 11 percent of our students are international. 

Need-Blind for All Applicants

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 Meets 100% of Demonstrated Need

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.

91% of Amherst graduates in the Class of 2021 were either employed (70%), attending graduate/professional school (21%) or volunteering within six months of graduation.

80% of Amherst alumni report attending graduate or professional schools within five years of graduation.

Sampling of Employers — Class of 2021

Bain & Company, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Deloitte, Fox Sports, Google, Goldman Sachs, Mass General Hospital, National Institutes of Health, Netflix, U.S. House of Representatives, Yale School of Medicine. 

Countries and Regions of Students Currently Enrolled

For the 2023-24 Admission Cycle

Optional testing: SAT or ACT
Required testing (for non-native English speakers): TOEFL, iBT, IELTS, TOEFL Special Home Edition, TOEFL Paper-Delivered, TOEFL ITP for China, or IELTS Indicator

Learn more about our application requirements...