Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, says it will permanently close after the fall 2026 semester. The announcement made Tuesday comes after the college has faced years of declining enrollment.
The decision was reached following a recent Board of Trustees vote.
For much of the past decade, the college, which emphasizes experimental and unconventional higher-ed learning, has been looking to boost its enrollment numbers. The closure announcement to the campus community described how extraordinary cuts would be needed to deal with Hampshire's ongoing struggles.
The college fell well short of its enrollment goals last year, reportedly adding only about 170 students instead of 300.
About 750 students were believed to have been enrolled as of fall 2025, down from 1,400 students a decade prior.
Hampshire College to close after fall semester
James Paleologopoulos
