The Amherst experience cultivates independent habits and resourcefulness, both in the classroom and around campus. As your student navigates Amherst, it may be useful for you to know about some of the key resources available.
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Housing & Residential Life
Your student will receive a housing and roommate assignment by early August. All first-year students live in residence halls on our first-year quad, right in the heart of campus. New students are assigned housing based upon the preferences they indicate in the New Student Housing Questionnaire. The Office of Residence Life and Housing offers information specific to new students such as laundry and recommended packing lists. Learn more on our Information for New Students page.
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Dining
The Dining Services website provides weekly menus, dining locations, information about nutritional needs, and more.
Want to order a birthday cake for your student? Dining Services can do that too!
Academic Support
Amherst students have worked hard to get here and likely feel very confident in their academic abilities. However, some may find that their college courses challenge them in new ways or find it difficult to be surrounded by equally-competent peers when they may be used to standing out. Equally possible, they may be interested in ensuring that they are well positioned to achieve their ambitious academic and personal goals. The College offers a robust set of academic resources to address these needs.
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Counseling & Mental Health
Enrolled students have full access to the services provided by the Center for Counseling and Mental Health. We understand that families may have questions regarding those services. You can find more information on the frequently asked questions page.
In addition, we encourage all students and families to read our letter to families, which provides information to help prepare students for the transition to Amherst College.
Health Services
Health Services is located in the Keefe Health Center. Families can find information on required new and transfer student health form, student health insurance, and the available services. The latest COVID-19 immunization requirements are also available on the site.
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Athletics & Recreation
All students are encouraged to take advantage of the many ways to stay healthy and physically fit. Over a third of the student body participates in varsity sports with 80 percent involved in intramural and club sports teams. The school has 27 intercollegiate sports teams. Amherst offers a dozen Club Sports— everything from an equestrian team to rugby to wrestling. Intramurals provide athletic opportunities to all students on campus regardless of experience or skill level. Amherst also offers fitness and wellness programs open to all students. Learn more on our Athletics website.
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Career Exploration & Planning
The Loeb Center for Career Exploration and Planning creates opportunities for students to think intentionally about how their liberal arts education, interests, values, and skills all combine to formulate their individual career paths. We encourage students to engage with the center as early as possible so that they feel well-prepared to pursue summer and post-graduation opportunities.
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Religious & Spiritual Life
The Center for Religious and Spiritual Life serves the religious, spiritual and values-based lives of the Amherst College community. It seeks to cultivate understanding and appreciation across diversities of belief and identity, and to mobilize these connections toward bettering our world. Some of its activities include weekly faith-group meetings, guided mindfulness meditations, overnight interfaith retreats and one-on-one spiritual counseling.
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Identity & Cultural Resources
The Office of Identity and Cultural Resources has a number of Centers to support students during their college experience. Whether looking for resources, needing a supportive environment or looking to make new friends, the centers often become a second home for students on campus.
Student Code of Conduct
Our pluralism of ideas and passions will inevitably, on occasion, lead to conflicts that detract from our constructive educational climate. The College believes in a process that holds students accountable in a manner that respects their adulthood and their self-determination to make decisions based on as much information and relevant factors as possible. See our Student Code of Conduct and Community Standards.