Helping parents understand dorm options, safety, accessibility, and what to expect at Amherst College.
Amherst College requires all students to live on campus all four years. Housing is guaranteed and the college has a very high residential satisfaction rate.
First-Year Students: Incoming students are placed into residence halls by the Housing Office using a comprehensive questionnaire covering sleep schedules, study habits, cleanliness preferences, and social temperament.
Upperclass Housing (Room Draw): Returning students participate in a lottery-based room draw each spring. Students form groups of 1–4 and receive a draw number based on a combination of class year and a random factor. Seniors generally receive preferential lottery numbers. A wide variety of residential options are available to upperclass students.
Amherst features centralized dining, so students dine together regardless of their residence. For current room-draw procedures and lottery timelines, see the Housing & Residential Life website.
Amherst, MA
Private Liberal Arts College
1,900 total students
42 dorm buildings reviewed on DormScouter
| Dorm | Overall ★ | Safety ★ | Cleanliness ★ | Reviews | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicklas Hall | ★5.0 | — | ★5.0 | 1 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| James Hall | ★4.5 | ★5.0 | ★4.5 | 2 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Morris Pratt Hall | ★4.5 | — | ★4.0 | 2 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Charles Pratt Hall | ★4.0 | — | — | 1 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| King House | ★4.0 | — | ★4.0 | 1 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| South Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator |
| North Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator |
| Appleton Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator |
| Williston Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator |
| Stearns Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Morrow Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Tyler House | — | — | — | 0 | 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Welcoming 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Plimpton House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Marsh House | — | — | — | 0 | 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Porter House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator |
| Garman House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Lipton House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Charles Drew House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Hitchcock House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Seelye House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Mayo-Smith House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Newport House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Seligman House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Ford Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Lee Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Welcoming 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Nicholls Biondi Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Wieland House | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Humphries House | — | — | — | 0 | 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Taplin House | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Asian Culture House | — | — | — | 0 | |
| La Maison Française | — | — | — | 0 | |
| La Casa / Spanish House | — | — | — | 0 | |
| German House | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Russian House | — | — | — | 0 | |
| 55 South Pleasant St | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Crossett Hall | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Chapman Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Cohan Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Jenkins House | — | — | — | 0 | |
| Moore Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Welcoming 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Valentine Hall | — | — | — | 0 | 🛗 Elevator 🍳 Shared Kitchen |
| Hastings Building | — | — | — | 0 |
Year-specific advice for Amherst College dorms — what changes from freshman to senior year:
Looking for something specific? Browse Amherst College dorms filtered by amenity: