MCLA Named Teach-Out Partner for Closing Hampshire College
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) has been designated as a teach-out partner for Hampshire College, providing a pathway for Hampshire students to complete their undergraduate degrees.
The Hampshire College Board of Trustees voted to close the college due to ongoing financial pressures and inability to increase enrollment or refinance debt after fall 2026.
MCLA has already reached a formal agreement with Hampshire College and mapped the curriculum to ensure a seamless credit transfer, so students can move forward with confidence and without losing ground on the work they have already completed.
MCLA will accept all currently matriculated Hampshire students who are in good academic and judicial standing.
Application fees will be waived, and students can expect an admission decision within 72 hours of submitting a completed application and required supporting documents.
"Hampshire College has long been a place where curious, creative students come to do serious work, and those students deserve a path forward that honors that," said MCLA President James F. Birge. "At MCLA, we believe access to a quality liberal arts education is a public good, and stepping up in moments like this is exactly what we are here to do. We have the support structure in place to help students achieve their academic and personal goals, including Success Coaches, Academic Support Services, our Wellness Center, and the opportunity to live on campus and build community together. We welcome Hampshire students to come together and build community here alongside our own, in an environment where difference is celebrated, belonging is prioritized, and the full college experience is available to them from day one."
MCLA will offer members of the Hampshire cohort the opportunity to live together in campus housing, ensuring a supportive community, familiarity, and peer connection outside the classroom as they make this transition, stated a press release.
As a publicly funded institution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, MCLA benefits from stable state funding and financial support that helps keep costs accessible for students and families. That foundation means Hampshire students can transfer to MCLA with confidence, knowing they are choosing an institution with the resources and stability to support them through to graduation. MCLA will work to ensure that Hampshire students can attend at the same cost of attendance or lower than they were paying at Hampshire College.
The college has previously partnered with the College of Saint Rose, Bard College at Simon's Rock, and Southern Vermont College to ensure students could continue their education without interruption.
Hampshire students interested in transferring to MCLA should visit The Hampshire Cohort at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts or contact the Office of Admission at admissions@mcla.edu or 413.662.5410.
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