Gail Holt, Dean of Financial Aid at Amherst College, explains how students who qualify for need-based financial aid are going to see the effects of the recently announced enhancements to our financial aid offerings for the upcoming year.
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 Submission Dates: | |
| Early Decision | November 16, 2020 |
| Regular Decision | January 4, 2021 |
| Spring 2021 Transfer | November 2, 2020 |
| Fall 2021 Transfer | March 1, 2021 |
“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 have awarded nearly $60 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. 72% of Amherst graduates in the Class of 2019 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:
Gail Holt, Dean of Financial Aid
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.
The MyinTuition tool will give you an early cost estimate using six basic financial questions.
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Timely financial aid topics in the Fall 2020 edition include: staff availability this semestser, the financial aid Peer Ambassadors, help with medical and dental expenses, books and supplies costs, the new emergency fund, and more!
To be considered for federal student financial aid, complete the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) after October 1, 2020. Amherst College's federal school code is 002115.
For institutional aid, Complete the CSS Profile form for 2021-2022 and submit it to the College Board. Amherst College’s CSS Profile code number is 3003. The 2021-22 Profile form is also available as of October 1, 2020.
If your family’s financial situation had some uncertainty when we read your financial aid application for the 2020-2021 academic year, 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 (2020), they may do so in January 2021 until February 12, 2021.
Legal, educational, on campus, and regional resources for undocumented students.