University in United States
Amherst, MA, United States
University profile
The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is the flagship campus of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, set in the Connecticut River Valley in Amherst. It enrolls more than 31,000 students and has more than 1,900 faculty and over 307,000 alumni worldwide. It grew from the Massachusetts Agricultural College, founded in 1863 under the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act, into a comprehensive public research university with a continuing commitment to public service.
Academic work is organised in colleges and schools that include the College of Education, the Riccio College of Engineering, the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, the College of Natural Sciences, the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, the Commonwealth Honors College, the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing, the Isenberg School of Management, the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences, the School of Earth and Sustainability, the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, the School of Public Policy, the Stockbridge School of Agriculture, University Without Walls and the Graduate School. The university offers 114 undergraduate degree programs, 84 master's programs and 51 doctoral programs, and undergraduates can also design their own major through the Bachelor's Degree with Individual Concentration.
Research is a defining strength: the university reports $282 million in research expenditures (FY23), more than 60 campus-based research centers and institutes, and 12 faculty who are members of the National Academies. Students also have access to courses, libraries and facilities across the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges.
Student life centres on one of the largest on-campus housing systems in the United States, organised in six residential areas (Central, Commonwealth Honors College, Northeast, Orchard Hill, Southwest and Sylvan) with residence halls, suites, apartments, Residential Academic Programs and Defined Residential Communities. UMass Dining operates four dining commons, 12 eateries, 20 cafes and two food trucks, and more than 300 student organizations are active on campus. The W.E.B. Du Bois Library is a landmark of the campus.
International undergraduates come from more than 70 countries. International applicants follow the Common Application route, certify their funding and receive their I-20 through the International Programs Office after enrolling. Non-native speakers of English must demonstrate English language proficiency. Massachusetts higher education admissions standards set by the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education apply to admission decisions.
UMass Amherst is need-blind in admission. Incoming first-year students are automatically considered for merit scholarships: the Flagship Award, Dean's Award and Chancellor's Award, with no separate application for many of them. Need-based aid requires the FAFSA, and awards are shown in the financial aid offer. Continuing students can search more awards through AcademicWorks, and the university awards more than $8 million a year in scholarships to current students.
Most U.S. financial aid is restricted to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and legal residents, and the university cannot offer need-based aid to international undergraduates. Qualified international first-year undergraduates are automatically considered for academic awards of up to $16,000 USD per academic year once admitted; no separate application is needed. International students pay the out-of-state tuition rate, which varies by college and major. Students must certify funds to cover the first calendar year of expenses.
The Graduate School provides funding to departments to recruit students, and funding opportunities are available to international graduate students; programmes list their own assistantship and fellowship details.
Scholarships | Financial and visa information for international students
UMass Amherst Merit Scholarships (Flagship, Dean's and Chancellor's Awards) →
UMass Amherst International Student Academic Awards →
Browse the scholarships listed for University of Massachusetts Amherst and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for University of Massachusetts Amherst →Admission is selective and holistic, and depends on completing the required high school courses at a level consistent with the university's standards and the minimum standards of the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education. Applicants use the Common Application, choose an intended major (and may add a second), write the required essay, and provide at least one academic letter of recommendation plus the Common App School Report and an official transcript for grades 9-11. Standardized tests (SAT/ACT) are optional for first-year applicants in all majors; the university reviews applications with or without scores. The application fee is a nonrefundable $90, paid through the Common Application.
Common Application opens August 1; Early Action deadline November 5; Regular Decision deadline January 15; FAFSA priority deadline March 1. Art, dance and music majors require an audition or portfolio with the department, and some majors have special selective requirements.
Transfer applicants typically need a GPA of 2.7 or higher, with holistic review of recent grades, course rigour and major-related courses. MassTransfer students with a final community college GPA of 2.5+ are guaranteed admission to a mapped or linked programme. Spring application opens August 1 (deadline November 5); fall application opens January 1.
International first-year applicants follow the Common Application with deadlines of November 5 (Early Action) and January 15 (Regular Decision); the spring deadline is October 15, but spring admission is limited to international students already in a U.S. high school with a valid student visa. Non-native English speakers must demonstrate English proficiency. No visa documents are needed at application; after admission and payment of the enrolment fee, the International Programs Office sends instructions for the I-20.
Applicants need a bachelor's degree equivalent to a U.S. four-year degree (a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale, higher for some programs), apply through Slate for Grad Admissions and pay a nonrefundable $90 fee. Most programs require two letters of recommendation, a personal statement, resume and a short essay; GRE or GMAT is required only where the program specifies. Spring deadline for most programs is October 1; other deadlines vary by program. International graduate applicants need one of: TOEFL iBT (80 for tests before January 2026; combined 4 on the new scale from January 2026), IELTS Academic 6.5, Duolingo 115 or PTE Academic 53, unless waived (citizens of listed English-speaking countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, or holders of a degree from the U.S. or those countries, are exempt). Three-year degrees from India and other Asian countries, and the ND and HND, are not treated as equivalent to a U.S. bachelor's degree. Graduate applicants must show funds for a full 12 months before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued.
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