Founded in 1821, Amherst College is widely considered to be one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the nation, enrolling about 1,900 talented, energetic and diverse students. A commitment to diversity, defined in its broadest sense, is fundamental to Amherst’s mission. Coming from nearly every state and more than 76 countries, 46% of Amherst students self-identify as U.S. students of color, 13% of students are international, more than 19% of students are the first in their family to attend college, and nearly 59% of students receive financial aid from Amherst. With a wide variety of backgrounds, identities and interests, Amherst students create a vibrant college community.

Located in Amherst, Massachusetts, a town of 35,000 people in the western part of the state, the College’s 1,000-acre campus includes top-notch academic, athletic and residential facilities, as well as access to a wildlife sanctuary and a 10-mile bike path. As a residential college, 94% of students live in on-campus dormitories, and on-campus housing is guaranteed for all four years of college.

With an emphasis on small classes, close one-on-one contact between students and professors with a student-faculty ratio of 7 to 1, and extensive undergraduate research opportunities, Amherst offers 43 majors in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and the arts, and students can also create their own interdisciplinary majors.
The open curriculum provides students with an unusual degree of independence and flexibility to design an individualized academic program, without being constrained by general area, distribution, or core requirements.

Through Amherst's membership in one of the oldest and most extensive college consortiums in the country, Amherst students may also take courses at Smith College, Mount Holyoke College and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, and participate in a wide range of cooperative academic and extracurricular options.

80% of Amherst alumni attend graduate or professional school within their lifetimes.
Nearly half of Amherst students study abroad. When participating in a study abroad or educational exchange, a student’s family contribution remains the same as if they were studying at Amherst College.