Amherst College
Finalists who rank Amherst
If you are a Finalist who ranked Amherst, your National College Match application will be sent to Amherst, and you will need to submit the following requirements to the school by November 1. If you have questions after reviewing the information below, please view the FAQs for Amherst Applicants or reach out to the school directly.
Requirements
Amherst College Application Status Portal Activation
QuestBridge will send Finalists’ applications to Amherst College on October 18, and Amherst College may need a couple days to import them into their system. Once processed, Amherst College will then email you instructions to log in and activate your applicant portal, where you can track the status of the materials you submit to Amherst College.
Requirements will be updated in fall 2024.
Please have your school counselor send any available senior year grades to us by email at [email protected] as soon as possible so that your application can proceed through the evaluation process. Even if official grades for senior year are not yet available, please have your counselor send us progress report grades to date for each of the classes you are taking this year.
Amherst is test-optional. The test-optional policy applies to all applicants - domestic and international - applying for first-year admission. At their own discretion, students may choose to submit SAT/ACT test scores for consideration in the application review process. Once Amherst receives your QuestBridge Application, your required Test Preference Form will be available for you to complete on your Application Status Portal. Amherst will not consider SAT Subject Tests.
Students can choose to submit scores by self-reporting them on their QuestBridge Application or on their Application Status Portal, having them emailed to [email protected] from a high school counselor, or sending them directly from College Board/ACT.
You can learn more about Amherst’s test optional policy here.
If you would like to include an arts supplement (music, dance, theater, or visual arts) to your application, you may do so through your Amherst Applicant Portal. You can learn more about submitting optional arts supplements here.
2024-2025 CSS Profile
Please select "Early Decision" or "Regular Decision" as your admission application type.
If your parents are divorced or separated:
- Both of your biological/adoptive parent(s) will complete their own CSS Profile. Each parent will access the CSS Profile with different log-in credentials. The non-custodial parent will need to create a College Board account before providing their information. It's highly recommended that the student and custodial parent start the CSS Profile first, as the non-custodial parent cannot submit information until the student selects a school that requires the submission of non-custodial parent information.
- If you do not have any contact with your non-custodial parent, then you may submit a request to waive the requirement of their financial information. Download the Noncustodial Parent Waiver Petition.
Both parents must also submit copies of their 2022 federal tax returns with all schedules, attachments, W-2 Forms, and other earnings statements to IDOC. Include personal and/or corporate and partnership tax returns. Submit the CSS Profile Business/Farm Supplement, if applicable.
Submit directly to IDOC. You will receive information about submitting tax documents to IDOC after completing the CSS Profile.
2024-2025 FAFSA
FAFSA code: 002115
Submit as soon as available
The FAFSA will not be available until at least December 2023. Please complete the FAFSA as soon as it is available and submit it directly to Amherst by February 1, 2024.
US Citizens and Eligible Noncitizens only. Canadian and other international students do not complete the FAFSA.
To be considered for the federal student financial aid, complete the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You will report your 2022 federal tax information on the 2024-2025 FAFSA. Your eligibility for all federal aid will be based on the results of your processed FAFSA.
Finalists who ranked Amherst for the Match and were not matched with a QuestBridge partner school may apply to Amherst College Early Decision.
Students must submit first marking period grades (sent directly from your school to [email protected], the signed Amherst College Early Decision Agreement Form and the Amherst College Early Decision Supplement to the QuestBridge Application by Wednesday, December 6 by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
All Finalists who ranked Amherst for the Match, but did not match to a binding college will automatically have their applications moved into the Regular Decision process.
If you no longer wish to be considered, you must contact the Admissions Office to withdraw your application (email [email protected] or see Contact Information below).
Regular Decision Requirements:
Step 1: Select Amherst College on the QuestBridge Regular Decision Form on your Application Management page between November 3 - December 10. Only check the box if you fully intend to submit a complete application to Amherst College (including all of the materials detailed in the table below).
Step 2: Activate your Amherst College Applicant Portal. QuestBridge will send Finalists’ applications to Amherst College on December 13 and Amherst College may need a couple days to import them into their system. Use the Amherst College applicant portal, sent to you via email, to track the status of your materials you submit to Amherst College.
Step 3: Submit all additional required application and financial materials by the applicable deadlines directly to Amherst College as detailed in the table below.
Finalists who ranked Amherst and submitted all materials (but did not match to a binding college)
Finalists who did not rank Amherst
Update including first trimester/first semester senior grades
Update including first trimester/first semester senior grades
Only if new scores to report
Finalists who ranked Amherst and submitted all materials (but did not match to a binding college)
Finalists who did not rank Amherst