Financial Aid

We meet 100% of our students’ demonstrated need – for domestic and international students.

Amherst College Working Remotely

As of March 17th, the Office of Financial Aid, as well as many parts of the Amherst community, have transitioned to a remote work model, which means we are working off campus until further notice. We are providing full service remotely via our various online and virtual resources.  You may email finaid@amherst.edu.  If you prefer to call us at 413-542-2296, you may leave a message and we will return your call as soon as we are able.

Amherst College is doing our part to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus in our community, and hopefully, beyond. We want to do all we can to keep everyone safe and healthy in the midst of this crisis, while also providing support to our newly admitted and current students.

Financial Aid at Amherst

July 13, 2018

“The most rewarding part of the work that we get to do is to provide the resources that truly make an Amherst education affordable.” —Gail Holt, Dean of Financial Aid

We Can Do This, Together

We have awarded more than $56 million in Amherst scholarships this year.  That’s money dedicated solely to meeting the financial need of our students.

Students leave Amherst with an extraordinary education, a long list of exceptional accomplishments, and the freedom to build their future without the burden of student loan debt.  70% of Amherst graduates in the Class of 2018 graduated with no student loan debt. 

This approach makes us distinctive. We are proud to say it also makes us a leader. Only a few colleges in the country can say what we can about financial aid:

Nearly 60% of our students receive financial aid. Our average financial aid award last year was more than $55,000. So the majority of our students pay less – often far less – than the cost of attendance.

Gail Holt, Dean of Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Portal

If you have indicated an intention to apply for financial aid, the Office of Financial Aid will create a secure, personalized Financial Aid Portal (FAP) that will allow you to monitor the status of your financial aid application. The FAP is scheduled to be available online around mid-October. You will use the same Amherst online applicant account credentials to log into both your Admission Application Status Portal (ASP) and your Financial Aid Portal. If you never set up your user credentials or have forgotten your password, steps to access instructions are here.

Current students can check the status of their financial aid application, view award information and important messages through our online financial aid portal. 

Application Status & Award Information
My Intuition Quick College Cost Estimator

Quick Cost Estimator

The MyinTuition tool will give you an early cost estimate using six basic financial questions. 

También está disponible en español.

MyinTuition Tool

Noteworthy News

January Review

If your family’s financial situation had some uncertainty when we read your application for financial aid, we may have included a “January Review” notation in your award messages. In some cases, we have invited a “voluntary” January Review of family income. If your family wants to update their income information for the “anticipated" year (2019), they may do so until February 12, 2020.

Voluntary January Review

Money Matters Presentation

First year students were presented important information regarding financial matters by the deans in the Office of Financial Aid as part of New Student Orientation. A copy of the presentation is available at the link below.

Money Matters Presentation

International Applicants Applying For Aid

New: International aid applicants should upload original 2018 documentation of income and taxes paid/withheld for you and your parents, and employer provided documentation of 2018 income and benefits to the Financial Aid Portal. Applicants from China should submit a Salary Certificate issued by the parents’ employer.

All electronic documentation must be sent in .pdf format (images are not acceptable). All documentation should be in original foreign currency and your home language. All documentation and notations must be translated into English (it does not need to be a paid translation service; your own translation is sufficient).

Digital signatures are not accepted; original signatures are required on all forms.

International Applicants

US Students Submitting Tax Information

US applicants and current students are reminded that email is not a secure medium to submit sensitive financial information to the Office of Financial Aid. If documents need to be submitted to our office, it is suggested that you submit these documents via fax at (413) 542-2628.

Contact US
Immigration Resources

Resources for Undocumented and DACAmented Students

Legal, educational, on campus, and regional resources for undocumented students.

Learn more