Financial Aid

The College will again be providing additional financial support to our students with the greatest needs over the next few weeks. These grants will be funded in large part by the The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, also known as the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds II (HEERF II), with the College providing funds to those who are not federally eligible for HEERF II funds. The College will act as a conduit for the federal student funds. The direct grants to students are intended to support students’ needs related to the student’s cost of attendance (COA) or for emergency costs that arise due to coronavirus. Ranging from $500 to $1500, these grants will be provided to students based on demonstrated financial need for the 2020-21 academic year and they will go to all students whose annualized family contribution is less than $16,000. Eligible students received emails from the Office of Financial Aid last week with information about how to claim your funds. No application will be necessary, but students will need to certify that expenses have been incurred that meet the criteria for receipt of a cash grant.

A change in federal law has made more students temporarily eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Under regular SNAP rules, students enrolled at least half-time are ineligible for SNAP. However, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, temporarily expands SNAP eligibility to allow students who either:

1. Are eligible to participate in Federal work study during the academic year, or
   
   
2. Have an expected federal family contribution (EFC) of 0 in the 2020-21 academic year.

State SNAP agencies may contact educational institutions to request verification of students’ eligibility for work study or an EFC of 0. With prior written consent of the student, institutions may provide a student’s FAFSA data (including aid awarded) to a State or entity for the purposes of applying for or receiving SNAP benefits.

Students should contact their local SNAP offices to find out how to apply, or for other questions about their SNAP eligibility. State SNAP agencies administer the program, process applications, and determine eligibility.

The Office of Financial Aid is providing full service remotely via our various online and virtual resources. Please feel free to be in touch with us by:

> Phone at 413-542-2296 where a staff member will answer your call during business hours,
> Email us and we will reply to you as soon as possible,
> Current students can schedule an appointment to speak with a dean,

Please note that the physical office space will remain closed until further notice.

Amherst College is doing our part to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus in our community, and 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 students.

Applicants for the Class of 2025 can get great information about the financial aid program at Amherst by visiting the section of our website specifically for First Year and Transfer Students. Subsections on Applying for Aid, Cost Information, the Financial Aid Award and Frequently Asked Questions are among the topics presented. It's a great way to learn about Amherst College's generous aid program and to start your financial aid education.

The Quick Cost Estimator and Net Price Calculator on our website are a couple of tools available to estimate your expected family contribution. You must use accurate 2019 income data to obtain a reasonably good output, and note that the result can vary from Amherst's calculations if your family's financial situation is more complex (such as owning a business, farm or rental property, or having capital gains or losses).  

Please contact our office (top of this page) if you have any questions.

** Financial aid application materials will be accepted and considered without penalty even if submitted after the priority consideration date. 

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.