Hampshire College is a liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America. It was established in 1970. It is a private college known for its alternative curriculum. It is a 4- year college that offers bachelor’s degrees. It is one of the Five Colleges together known as Five College Consortium. The other 4 colleges are Pioneer Valley: Amherst College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Around 1,191 students are enrolled in the college. It has a large campus located in a suburb. The college has an acceptance rate of 63% and a student-teacher ratio of 10:1. Around 62% of the students enrolled are female and 38% are male.

New England Commission of Higher Education has accredited the college. The college emphasizes on learning and not teaching. An average class consists of 14 students. Special focus is given on an individual student’s motivation and curiosity. There are experienced faculty to provide support and guidance to students at all times.

Rankings

Ranked 43rd in the list of Most Innovative Schools by US News in 2023.

Ranked 28th in Senior Capstone by US News in 2023.

Ranked 41st in Most Liberal Colleges in America by Niche in 2023.

Ranked 51st in Best Test Optional Colleges in America by Niche in 2023.

Ranked 86th in Best Colleges for Art in America by Niche in 2023.

Highlights

Programs offered at Hampshire College, USA

Hampshire College offers various programs for its Bachelor’s Degree. All the courses help gain competence in analytical writing, research, quantitative analysis, reasoning, multiple cultural perspectives, and independent project-based work. some of the areas of study include Art History, Africana Studies, Asian Studies, Dance, History, Literature, Religion, Theatre, Physics, Music, Philosophy, Psychology, etc. The college has 112 full- time professional faculty. The different interdisciplinary schools include:

• School of Cognitive Science
• School of Critical Social Inquiry
• School of Arts, Humanities, and Cultural Studies
• School for Interdisciplinary Arts
• School of Natural Science

Housing and Residential Facilities at Hampshire College

Hampshire College offers on-campus residence to its students. In 2018, 87% of the students resided on campus. There are various housing options for the students to choose from.

• There are 2 Dorms which include Merrill House and Dakin House.
• Merrill House provides residence to 247 students while Dakin House can house up to 280 students.
• They provide residence to most of the first-year students and have an option of single or double bedrooms.
• There are 3 apartment-style halls namely Greenwich, Enfield, and Prescott which are called Mods.
• Mods houses 4 to 10 residents.

Hampshire College Campus 

The campus of Hampshire College is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States of America. It is a part of the Five College Consortium so the students can take part in the events taking place at the other 4 college campuses. There are a number of centers and services on campus that include Career Options Resource Center (CORC), Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS) and Center for Academic Support and Advising (CASA).

The Office of Multicultural and International Student Services supports the personal, intellectual, social and cultural development of international students. There are cultural and spiritual life centers also.

Admission Process 

How to Apply: International students can apply through the Common Application.

Basic Admission Requirements: 

• Official transcripts of previously attended educational institutions.
• International applicants have to submit their English proficiency test scores.
• Scores of English Language Proficiency Tests 
• Writing supplement.
• 1 Letter of Recommendation by the teacher.
• School report
• Recommendation by the college counselor.

Application Deadlines: The application deadlines for international students are given below:

After being enrolled in the university, international students will have to apply for a student visa. You will have to fill up the housing application for on-campus housing or look for suitable off-campus housing.

Language Proficiency Requirements

International students who are non-native English speakers need to submit the scores of IELTS and TOEFL as a proof of English Proficiency. The minimum required scores for IELTS/TOEFL required to be eligible to gain admissions at the university are mentioned below:

• IELTS - 91
• TOEFL - 6.5

Cost & Expenses

The students who wish to take admissions in the Hampshire College will have to manage the cost of their living by covering the cost of food, accommodation, laundry, travel and other expenses according to their needs and capabilities. The estimated tuition cost and expenses for the session 2023-24 are given below: 

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Hampshire College offers international students scholarships to study in the USA. The university offers merit-based scholarships. The merit-based scholarships offered at Hampshire College are:

• Humanitas Award
• Novitatis Award
• Sustainable Futures Award
• Actio in Ideas Award

Alumni Network

Hampshire College has a vast alumni network comprising of students from all over the world. Some of the notable alumni include:

• Joseph Amon, human rights activist, epidemiologist,
• Autre Ne Veut, a musician
• Vincent Baker, role-playing game designer, Dogs in the Vineyard, Apocalypse World
• Math Bass, artist
• Madeleine Baran, host of the podcast ‘In the Dark’ and investigative reporter
• John Bechdel, Ministry, musician

Alumni can get involved in community building, fundraising, and more. Many services are made available to the alumni which include services like Career Options Resource Center, Career Networking, and Career Counselling services.