University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass)

• Location: Amherst, Massachusetts, USA,
• Year of foundation: 1863,
• Number of students: about 31,800,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of study: mixed.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) is one of the leading public universities in the United States, recognized for academic excellence and commitment to innovation. UMass Amherst offers more than 100 higher education specializations at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels, as well as university entrance preparation courses in the USA.

Founded as the Massachusetts Agricultural College, UMass has grown rapidly following current educational trends. The Amherst campus became the first link in the University of Massachusetts system, and to this day it offers the best conditions for obtaining applied professional skills and competitive qualifications. The university boasts many advantages, including an experienced teaching staff of more than 1,900 specialized experts, some of whom speak several languages and have citizenship of other countries. Thanks to the comprehensive support of teachers, both in the classroom and outside of school hours, students achieve excellent academic results.

Another advantage of UMass Amherst is the international student community, which creates a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Many extracurricular activities, thematic communities, sports and creative teams are organized for students in order not only to unite students, but also to help them realize their potential.

Valentina Nikitina

Senior Marketing and Recruitment Manager at Kaplan Pathways with a focus on students from Russia and the CIS.

What advice would you give to students aiming for top U.S. universities, with 3-4 years to prepare?

This period is perfect for assessing capabilities and exploring options of universities. Focus on achieving high grades and improving English proficiency. Strong English skills enhance your learning experience, and good grades can lead to scholarships or honors college admissions.

• Education
• Engineering
• Humanities, Fine Arts
• Information, Computer Science
• Science
• Nursing
• Social, behavioral sciences
• Commonwealth Honours College
• Isenberg School of Management
• Public Health, Medical Sciences
• Stockbridge Agricultural School
• Higher school.

Within the framework of bilateral cooperation with the National Institute of Astrophysics, Optics and Electronics, the Large Millimeter Telescope was opened in 2006. It is located in Mexico at the top of the Sierra Negra.

One of the known discoveries of the research team can also be called a synthetic polymer that does not ignite.

A team of UMass scientists led by Vincent Rotello has developed a molecular "nose" that can detect and identify different proteins. The study was covered in the 2007 issue of Nature Nanotechnology. Currently, a team of university researchers is developing sensors capable of detecting deformed proteins produced by cancer cells.

• Funding for the institution's research activities in 2014 cost more than $ 200 million.
• The campus has its own CHP plant, which replaced the coal-fired power plant and reduced greenhouse gas emissions from the territory by about 75%. In 2011, it was voted the cleanest power plant of its size in New England.

Umass Amherst has 51 residences in seven residential areas: Central, Northeast, Orchard Hill, Southwest, the Commonwealth Honors College District, Sylvan, and North. Each of the complexes has distinctive characteristics: architecture, cultural extracurricular programs, and types of accommodation. Some residential buildings house women and men separately, while others share a building.

Standard rooms, apartments and suites with a capacity of one to eight people are prepared for accommodation. Most often, residents of the entire floor share bathrooms and showers, kitchens and recreation areas, but in apartments these rooms are equipped only for the owners.

Some residences provide services such as:

• Round-the-clock quiet floors,
• Alcohol-free campus,
• Open buildings during Thanksgiving,
• Winter session and Spring break,
• Apartments for couples.

UMass Amherst provides a variety of meal plans for both on- and off-campus residents. The plans consist of a certain number of meals per week and lunch dollars that can be used in restaurants, food trucks, and the university cafeteria.

The university's campus offers a variety of art venues for both performances and visual arts. Students have the opportunity to attend clubs and master classes in the field of music, theater, drawing, participate in exhibitions, organize concerts and festivals. The most popular entertainment programs are:

• Summer Music Program "Jazz in July"
• Asian Arts and Culture Program
• Series "Center", "Magic Triangle" – musical, theatrical and dance performances
• Multicultural Film Festival organized by the Interdepartmental Association of Film Studies since 1991.

The University Museum of Modern Art has a permanent exhibition - a collection of 2600 works by local and foreign artists who periodically come to the campus to conduct master classes and seminars.

More than 200 student organizations are registered on campus: fraternities and women's societies, associations in the field of creativity, sports, science, religion and many others.

UMass Amherst has the largest orchestra in New England: it consists of 390 people and regularly participates in football matches. The university is a member of NCAA Division I, Atlantic 10, participates in hockey competitions Hockey East Association. Football, basketball and hockey are the main sports areas. Students can also attend the following sections:

• Baseball
• Cross-country running
• Lacrosse
• Swimming
• Athletics
• Tennis
• Struggle
• Rowing
• Fencing
• Alpine skiing.

• No26 in U.S. News & World Report's Best National Universities rankings,
• No1 in Best Campus Food – The Princeton Review,
• Included in the TOP-50 institutions with the best price-quality ratio,
• More than 1900 highly qualified teachers, 12 of whom are the most cited researchers in the world, members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine,
• Partnership with 100+ foreign, national research-based organizations,
• About 400 students are from other countries,
• R1 classification: "Very high research activity",
• A wide variety of extracurricular activities and additional opportunities for development.

The university campus is located on 1450 acres in the town of Amherst, and also has a training site in Hadley. Academic buildings and research laboratories, residential buildings, sports facilities and parking lots have been built on this territory. The University of Massachusetts has three libraries, one of them is a scientific and engineering library.

UMass Amherst is part of the Consortium of Five Colleges, allowing students to attend classes, borrow books and learn from faculty on the campuses of partner institutions: Pioneer Valley, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, Smith Colleges. Public transportation runs between colleges, and the distance between campuses is no more than 10 miles.

The academic year covers almost the entire calendar year, including several semesters and off-season sessions.:

• Fall semester: September-December,
• Winter session: December-January,
• Spring semester: January-May,
• Summer session: May-August.

Academic classes and extracurricular activities are held on weekdays, and rest is provided on weekends, national and international holidays, and during vacations.

An approximate list of additional expenses includes:

• Registration fees, deposits,
• Accommodation, meal plan,
• Some extracurricular activities, contributions to student clubs,
• Additional academic opportunities not provided for in the curriculum,
• Personal educational materials,
• Medical insurance,
• Personal expenses.

You can apply for admission on the official website of the institution by performing the following actions:

• Fill in the application form
• Attach required documents
• Pay the registration fee
• Wait for a response from the admissions committee
• In case of a positive decision, apply for a student visa.

To date, UMass Amherst has completed the training of more than 307,000 specialists in various scientific fields, 85% of whom have been employed in their specialty, entered the military or continued their educational path. Among the famous graduates are authors of books, presenters and correspondents, artists, professional athletes, founders of large international organizations.

For admission to Bachelor's degree programs:

• Completed application form
• Official transcript of secondary school (grades 9-11)  or high school exams
• Official transcripts of all completed coursework
• Letter of recommendation
• Application fee of $85
• English language proficiency requirements: TOEFL (from 80), IELTS (from 6.5), Duolingo (from 105) (Optional) SAT and/or ACT results.

For admission to the Master's program:

• Bachelor's degree, official transcript
• English proficiency test results: TOEFL (from 80), IELTS (from 6.5), PTE (from 53)
• Personal statement, resume
• Letters of recommendation (at least two)
• The application fee is $85.

In order to enroll in one of the summer programs:

• A written Statement of Interest: A brief one-page statement describing why you want to attend the summer College preparatory at UMass Amherst, and specifically the program you have chosen.
• Unofficial High School Transcript (PDF), including fall grades for the current academic year
• A letter of recommendation written by a teacher or counselor who can tell you about your skills, abilities, maturity level, and academic achievements.
• Non-refundable registration fee of $35
• English language proficiency requirements: at least B1.

The university has a wide range of scholarship awards for all students, ranging from those newly enrolled. They are mainly paid on the basis of academic, athletic and social achievement.

Any student who has special social criteria can qualify for financial aid.

In addition to scholarships and material support, students can take advantage of federal assistance: grants, loans, loans.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision