Amherst College is one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the nation, enrolling 1,800 talented, energetic and diverse young men and women. Our open curriculum is one of the boldest, most productive experiments in higher education.

Our Students

Our students—1,800 of the most interesting, intellectually adventurous, independent-minded people you’d want to meet—publish papers in major journals; present at conferences worldwide; and undertake research, internship, study and community engagement projects around the world.

Our Campus

Amherst is a place where discovery happens—in labs, in classrooms, in libraries and over lunch in Valentine Dining Hall. The campus is located in Amherst, Mass., a town of 35,000 people in the western part of the state. Our scenic 1,000-acre campus is adjacent to downtown Amherst and includes a 500-acre wildlife sanctuary.

Diversity

Amherst is one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country. As Amherst has become more diverse, the quality of our students has also risen by every standard measure. We are proud of our work to achieve and sustain both diversity and selectivity in their many forms.

A Community that Looks Like the World

Diversity is a natural condition of the modern world. And, not coincidentally, it is a foundational part of an Amherst education. We believe that a great intellectual community should look like the world, and with every incoming student, that community comes to life here.

Diverse by Many Measures

• Geographic Diversity: Our students come from 49 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and 54 countries around the world. Approximately 10 percent of our students are international, with non-U.S. citizenship. Another 5 percent hold dual citizenship with the United States and another country and have lived or studied outside the United States.

• Racial and Ethnic Diversity: Forty-four percent of our U.S. students identify as students of color (Hispanic/Latino, 13 percent; Asian-American, 14 percent; African-American, 12 percent; biracial or multiracial, 5 percent).

• Socioeconomic Diversity:  At Amherst, 58 percent of students receive need-based financial aid, 23 percent receive Pell Grants and 17 percent are the first members of their families to attend college. The average annual financial aid package is more than $50,000. Diversity Programs for Prospective Students

Amherst is proud of its work to recruit, admit and enroll a diverse student body. As part of these efforts, the Office of Admission hosts two weekend Diversity Open Houses to introduce prospective applicants to Amherst's campus, student body, faculty, classes and residence halls. Diversity Interns are current Amherst students who work with the Office of Admission to reach out to prospective students from different cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Diversity Interns provide information and personal perspectives on what the Amherst College community has to offer. Meet these students, learn more about their work and contact them with questions through our Diversity Interns page.