International First-Year Applicants
Applying as an International First-Year Student
Each year, we search for international students who will bring their unique strengths and diverse talents to the UMass Amherst campus. We conduct an individualized review of applications with careful consideration of a student’s academic achievements, personal qualities, and motivation.
Dates & Deadlines
Deposit Deadline
Common App Opens
Spring Application Deadline
Early Action Deadline
A note on spring admission for international students:
Due to the lengthy student visa process we are unable to admit international students for the spring semester unless they are currently in a U.S.-based high school with a valid student visa.
Choosing a Major
With nearly 100 majors to choose from, as well as Exploratory Tracks in many schools and colleges, and a program to build your own major, undergraduates can easily find areas of study that align with their interests, skills, and goals!
Schedule a Visit
We know that during your college search nothing compares to seeing a campus in person, and are excited to welcome you to UMass Amherst. In-person campus visits can be very challenging for international students, but we're offering several online events where you can interact, ask questions, and learn all about the UMass Amherst experience.
We are offering virtual one-on-one meetings to connect directly with our international team. Our counselor will be happy to answer your questions about applying to UMass Amherst.
Questions?
Admissions representatives are here to assist you! Please reach out if you cannot find the answer to your question on our website.
Maggie Chen Brackenridge 陳夢琪
Additional languages spoken: Taiwanese and Mandarin
Kregg Strehorn, Ph.D.
Ahmed '25 (he/him)
Hometown: Karachi, Pakistan
Major: Computer Science
Additional Language Spoken: Urdu and Punjabi
Activities/Involvement: Pakistani Student Organization, Muslim Students Association, UMass Outing Club, Intramural Soccer, New Student Orientations and Transitions & Residence Hall Association
Why UMass? Attending UMass Amherst has been a dream come true. I love learning about different cultures as well as having new experiences and here at UMass, at this large campus, I found myself immersed in a diverse yet inclusive community. At UMass we’re told to “Be Revolutionary” and that’s something I find that aligns with my own aspirations and core values.
UMass Hidden Gem: The Durfee Conservatory near Franklin Dinning Commons. I find it very relaxing to be around all the greenery and just enjoy the humid atmosphere especially in the cold winters of Amherst.
Ana '24 (she/her)
Hometown: Arequipa, Peru
Major: Biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) and applied math
Additional Language Spoken: Spanish and French
Activities/ Involvement: Fashion Club (Make-up Committee), Biochemistry Club, Women in STEM Club, Women in Math Club, Undergraduate Math Club, Latinos Unidos, and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP).
Why UMass? I chose UMass for its great undergraduate research opportunities. I also wanted to be in a smaller town to feel safer and in a big school to be able to bond with students from multiple diverse backgrounds. Coming from a city that has desert-like weather, I am also a great fan of the western Massachusetts weather.
Favorite UMass activities: My favorite UMass activity is going to the games. Even though I had never seen a football or hockey game before coming to the states, it is one of the ways I started to bond with my new friends. There is an intense sense of community in those games. There is nothing better than chanting: “Go UMass!” at the hockey games with a plate of fried chicken and French fries.
UMass always surprises me with all its quirks. There are so many things to do on and off campus and the nature in this area is amazing! One of the best things so far has been doing undergraduate research and tutoring; it has helped me decide to become a college professor and give back to society.
Francis ’24 (he/him)
Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Major: Marketing BBA
Minor: Studio Art and Business Analytics Certificate
Additional Language Spoken: Vietnamese and elementary Korean
Activities/ Involvement: K-Pop Dancing Club (Media Team and Performer), UMass Fashion Organization
Why UMass? To be honest, UMass Amherst is very generous with giving tuition scholarships to international students, considering it is a public university. After receiving the scholarship, it was more affordable for me to come. And later, I found out that UMass has an amazing dining program, which my mom was very happy with (my diet was always a concern for her since I live so far away from home). The last reason why I chose UMass is because of the diversity of the student population; I’m glad that I get to meet people from different backgrounds and nationalities, which will fulfill my wish to learn more about the world.
Favorite Dining Hall: Hampshire, especially their Bun Bo Hue, which I’m obsessed with. I live off campus, but I come all the way to Hamp just for it. I also attended the Princeton Preview 2022 held at Hampshire in competition with four other college dining halls. I would say UMass has the best food.
Jenny '25 (she/her)
Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Major: Nursing
Additional Language Spoken: Vietnamese
Activities and Involvement: Commonwealth Honors College
Why UMass? I decided to attend UMass since I wanted to live in an environment where my dorm and classes are proximal to each other. At UMass, there are various residential areas with different accommodations for students to choose from. Furthermore, most buildings for lectures are in the central area of the campus, making it fairly easy to come to classes regardless of where you live. UMass also offers four dining halls around campus, so you can quickly grab some food during breaks between your classes.
Coming to UMass was not an easy decision for me. Something that worried me was how I could adjust to the unfamiliar environment while keeping up with studying. However, UMass offers a great setting to help newcomers learn about their new place. There are various student support services for academics and research opportunities. Student organizations also organize many events throughout the semester, in which you get to engage with other people of similar interests. With those opportunities, I am having a better experience at UMass than I had expected. I have a supportive network of friends to share about our everyday life, and I feel more confident about my studies thanks to the available resources at UMass.
JJ ‘24 (she/her)
Hometown: Seoul, South Korea
Major: Physics and math double major
Additional Language Spoken: Korean
Activities and Involvement: Undergraduate Research in Soft Matter Physics
Why UMass? UMass has a great research environment with amazing faculty who always support the students. As part of the undergraduate researchers, I feel very supported and cared for by the professors and fellow students, which always motivates me academically.
Favorite Place in UMass: My favorite place on campus is the bench next to the library. It is one of the places where I can sit down and relax looking at the campus pond, especially when I’m stressed from schoolwork.
Rashi’ 25 (she/her)
Hometown: Gujarat, India
Major: Psychology (BS)
Additional Language Spoken: Hindi and Gujarati
Activities/Involvement: Research assistant for War and Peace laboratory, teaching assistant for the first-year seminar for international students, SPACE peer mentoring program.
Why UMass? I chose UMass because it has a fantastic psychology department and a lot of opportunities in the career path I want to pursue, along with research opportunities! The ideals of UMass represent me and my ideologies and the beauty of the campus still surprises me!
My favorite part about UMass: I love how diverse UMass is. I am constantly meeting people from all over the world, and I get to learn so much about diverse cultures through them! It is uniquely beautiful how UMass makes people from everywhere feel very welcome!
Studying in the U.S. has always been a dream for me, and I am glad that I chose a place like UMass to pursue my education. UMass has offered me many opportunities to grow and succeed in my career and go after what I am passionate about!
Wendy '24 (she/her)
Hometown: Taichung, Taiwan
Major: Operations and Information Management
Additional Language Spoken: Mandarin and Taiwanese
Activities and Involvement: National Society of Minorities in Hospitality, Isenberg Women in Business, Protect Our Breasts
Why UMass? Coming to UMass was one of the best decisions I have made because I got to meet many awesome people. As an international student from Taiwan, UMass makes me feel at home. We also have a very diverse community, so we can get to know people from all over the world. Furthermore, I can’t describe how good UMass dining is.
Yukika '24 (she/her)
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan; Cohasset, Massachusetts
Major: Marketing and Informatics
Additional Language Spoken: Japanese and Mandarin (conversational)
Activities/Involvement: Taiwanese and Chinese Students’ Association (TCSA), UMass AdLab, UMass Design, Isenberg Freshmen Transitions Teaching Assistant, Commonwealth Honors College
Why UMass? The main reason I chose UMass was because of their wide selection of majors and organizations and the cost of attendance. UMass isn’t too far or too close to my home, which made it a great choice for me since I wanted to be more independent but also still be able to visit family over breaks. It is a large university, so I was intimidated at first, but being part of student organizations helped me build strong connections.
Favorite part about UMass: I’ve especially enjoyed working with the TCSA e-board, studying at the Student Union, eating at Blue Wall (I love Tamales!), and attending amazing cultural events where my friends and I cheered for unbelievably skilled guest artists and student dance teams.