Amherst College

Apply for first-year Apply for transfer

Amherst College

Apply for first-year Apply for transfer

Amherst College searches for exceptional students from across the country and around the world. And we offer one of the most comprehensive, ambitious financial aid programs in the country. The liberal arts experience at Amherst is rooted in the flexibility and freedom of our open curriculum, a curriculum that very few other institutions offer. With no distribution or general education requirements, Amherst allows you to choose the courses that define the shape of your education. The breadth and depth of diversity in our student body creates a lively community on our campus and in our surrounding Five College Consortium.

Virtual Tour

Academic Programs

Research
Science
Liberal Arts
Music
Art & Design
Economics
Government/Political Science
Performing Arts
Social Science
Visual Arts

Student experience

Athletics
Co-op/Internship Opportunities
Disability Services
Intramural/Club Sports
LGBTQIA Services
Military/Veteran Services
On-Campus Housing
Study Abroad
Undergraduate Research
Veteran Fee Waiver

Application information

Find out about requirements, fees, and deadlines

First-year

First-year students may submit applications for admission under either the Early Decision or Regular Decision options. Students who have completed college coursework as part of any program of early graduation from secondary school or other accelerated completion of secondary school are considered first-year applicants. Applicants otherwise eligible for transfer status (see below) may instead elect to apply for first-year admission.

Transfer

A student may apply for transfer admission to Amherst after completing the equivalent of 32 semester hours of transferable liberal arts coursework at another college or university. (Courses in progress at the time of application are included in determining transferable credit.) We do not accept applications from individuals who have already earned a bachelor's degree. Nor do we accept transfer applications from students whose only college coursework was completed as part of any program of early graduation from secondary school.

Additional Information

We hope that you, your family and your community are well and managing the dizzying changes all of us have been experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 public health crisis.

Given the enormous disruptions, we know there's a lot of uncertainty and concern about many aspects of life, including education and the college process. We created a COVID-19 Considerations page that shares some important admission-related updates, including our test-optional pilot program. You can also learn about college-wide developments at the College's COVID-19 Updates page.

We hope the additional information provided there will add some clarity in these unpredictable times and make this one part of life a little less stressful for you and your family.

Visit us

We're delighted to be once again welcoming visitors to our beautiful campus for in-person visits and we look forward to having you with us. Additionally, we will continue to offer virtual visits hosted by our admission officers and student guides. Whether doing an in-person or virtual visit, be sure to check out our campus tour video.

Intellectual life at Amherst is broad and deep; it is enlivening, as are the opportunities for a wide range of extra-curricular activities that engage students’ many talents and interests. It is a friendly and creative place, combining a strong sense of community with openness—to people, ideas, and differences.
Biddy Martin, President