Applying for Financial Aid at Amherst
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the ONLY form used to determine eligibility for the more than $6 million federal dollars administered each year by Amherst College. The CSS Profile form is used to determine eligibility for all Institutional sources of assistance, which total more than $70 million last year.
| Submission Dates | |
|---|---|
| Early Decision | November 15 |
| Regular Decision | January 10 |
| Fall Transfer | March 1 |
| Spring Transfer | November 1 |
| Returning Students | All materials due by March 1 |
Financial aid application materials will be accepted and considered without penalty even if submitted after the priority consideration date.
To be considered for Amherst College financial aid for the 2023-2024 academic year, all financial aid applicants must submit the following materials:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Federal school code: 002115
If you are a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States, its territories, or associated states (Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau), you must complete the FAFSA to be considered for federal financial aid. The FAFSA may be completed on-line. You will report your 2021 federal tax information on the 2023-24 FAFSA. After you submit the FAFSA, the federal government will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR) with information about your eligibility for federal aid. Amherst’s FAFSA code number is 002115. All federal aid eligibility is determined by the results of your FAFSA.
Canadian and other international students do not complete the FAFSA.
Federal FSA ID
You and, if you are dependent, one of your parents must use an FSA ID to sign the FAFSA electronically. Each person must have a separate FSA ID. You may create an FSA ID on-line. You may also use your FSA ID to access federal financial aid records, to make revisions or corrections to the FAFSA, and to view and sign loan records if you borrow a federal student loan.
Two-step verification, a form of multi-factor authentication (MFA), helps protect your StudentAid.gov account. Each time you log in, you’ll be asked to provide a one-time code that is delivered to you via email, text message, or an authenticator app.
If you are married, or have dependent children of your own, you must complete an Independent Student Supplement and submit it to the Office of Financial Aid.
CSS Profile
- CSS Profile code number: 3003
Complete the CSS Profile form for 2023-2024 and submit it to the College Board. Amherst College’s CSS Profile code number is 3003.
If your parents are separated or divorced, both of the student's 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 can't submit information until the student selects a school that requires the submission of non-custodial parent information.
International students must also complete the CSS Profile for 2023-2024 and submit it to the Office of Financial Aid.
Federal Tax Returns
Your and your parents' 2021 US, Canadian, Puerto Rican, or other government's income tax return(s) will be required. All schedules and attachments must be submitted. All tax forms must be notated or translated into English. Copies of appropriate earnings statements (e.g. W-2 or 1099 forms) also must be submitted. If a return has been filed electronically, please transcribe that information onto standard forms for submission to the College Board. Amherst College uses the College Board's Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) to collect all tax information associated with applying for financial aid at Amherst.
If you or your parents did not and will not file an income tax return for 2021, this non-filing must be certified on the non-filer statement; copies of earnings statements (W-2 forms) for any reported earnings must be included.
If your parents own an interest in a business corporation, submit a copy of the corporate tax return (and/or a copy of your parents' statement of "Shareholder's Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc.," IRS Form 1120S, Schedule K-1). If your parents have income from a partnership, submit a copy of the partnership tax return (and/or a copy of your parents' statement of "Partner" Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc.," IRS Form 1165, Schedule K-1).
U.S. Department of Education rules stipulate that you cannot receive federal student financial aid unless proper tax forms (and appropriate filing status) have been filed with the Internal Revenue Service if required. Because of parity of treatment of all aid applicants, these rules also apply to institutional aid. More details are available here.
| Submission Dates | |
|---|---|
| Early Decision | November 15 |
| Regular Decision | January 10 |
| Fall Transfer | March 1 |
| Spring Transfer | November 1 |
| Returning Students | All materials due by March 1 |
Note: Applications for financial aid will be accepted through February 9, 2024, for the 2023-24 academic year.
IF YOU WILL BE SEEKING ONLY U.S. FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID, such as a Federal Direct Stafford Loan or Federal Direct PLUS (parent) Loan, please submit the following:
- Free Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2023-24, which may be completed on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov after October 1, 2022. Amherst’s FAFSA code number is 002115.
Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC)
US citizens and permanent residents who file the CSS PROFILE will receive an e-mail from the College Board on behalf of Amherst College. This e-mail will outline the Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) which Amherst College uses to collect all tax information and supplements associated with applying for financial aid at Amherst.
Canadian and other international applicants should upload tax information to Amherst College directly via the Financial Aid Portal and not to IDOC.
IDOC Processing Tips
All documents should be uploaded to the College Board (http://idoc.collegeboard.com) as one complete packet. Tax returns must be signed. Do not submit state tax returns.
In the case of divorced or separated parents, documents may be uploaded online separately and securely by each parent.
This page was last updated January 21, 2023.