diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
index a541b35fd91e..3029a24f6db0 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.spec.ts
@@ -62,34 +62,13 @@ import {
 /** The debounce interval when typing letters to select an option. */
 const LETTER_KEY_DEBOUNCE_INTERVAL = 200;
 
-const platform = new Platform();
-
-
 describe('MatSelect', () => {
   let overlayContainer: OverlayContainer;
   let overlayContainerElement: HTMLElement;
   let dir: {value: 'ltr'|'rtl'};
   let scrolledSubject = new Subject();
   let viewportRuler: ViewportRuler;
-
-  // Providers used for all mat-select tests
-  const commonProviders = [
-    {provide: Directionality, useFactory: () => dir = {value: 'ltr'}},
-    {
-      provide: ScrollDispatcher, useFactory: () => ({
-        scrolled: () => scrolledSubject.asObservable(),
-      }),
-    },
-  ];
-
-  // NgModule imports used for all mat-select tests.
-  const commonModuleImports = [
-    MatFormFieldModule,
-    MatSelectModule,
-    ReactiveFormsModule,
-    FormsModule,
-    NoopAnimationsModule,
-  ];
+  let platform: Platform;
 
   /**
    * Configures the test module for MatSelect with the given declarations. This is broken out so
@@ -99,14 +78,28 @@ describe('MatSelect', () => {
    */
   function configureMatSelectTestingModule(declarations) {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
-      imports: commonModuleImports,
+      imports: [
+        MatFormFieldModule,
+        MatSelectModule,
+        ReactiveFormsModule,
+        FormsModule,
+        NoopAnimationsModule,
+      ],
       declarations: declarations,
-      providers: commonProviders,
+      providers: [
+        {provide: Directionality, useFactory: () => dir = {value: 'ltr'}},
+        {
+          provide: ScrollDispatcher, useFactory: () => ({
+            scrolled: () => scrolledSubject.asObservable(),
+          }),
+        },
+      ],
     }).compileComponents();
 
-    inject([OverlayContainer], (oc: OverlayContainer) => {
+    inject([OverlayContainer, Platform], (oc: OverlayContainer, p: Platform) => {
       overlayContainer = oc;
       overlayContainerElement = oc.getContainerElement();
+      platform = p;
     })();
   }
 
@@ -283,6 +276,40 @@ describe('MatSelect', () => {
           expect(formControl.value).toBeFalsy('Expected value not to have changed.');
         }));
 
+        it('should should close when pressing ALT + DOWN_ARROW', fakeAsync(() => {
+          const {select: selectInstance} = fixture.componentInstance;
+
+          selectInstance.open();
+          fixture.detectChanges();
+
+          expect(selectInstance.panelOpen).toBe(true, 'Expected select to be open.');
+
+          const event = createKeyboardEvent('keydown', DOWN_ARROW);
+          Object.defineProperty(event, 'altKey', {get: () => true});
+
+          dispatchEvent(select, event);
+
+          expect(selectInstance.panelOpen).toBe(false, 'Expected select to be closed.');
+          expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true, 'Expected default action to be prevented.');
+        }));
+
+        it('should should close when pressing ALT + UP_ARROW', fakeAsync(() => {
+          const {select: selectInstance} = fixture.componentInstance;
+
+          selectInstance.open();
+          fixture.detectChanges();
+
+          expect(selectInstance.panelOpen).toBe(true, 'Expected select to be open.');
+
+          const event = createKeyboardEvent('keydown', UP_ARROW);
+          Object.defineProperty(event, 'altKey', {get: () => true});
+
+          dispatchEvent(select, event);
+
+          expect(selectInstance.panelOpen).toBe(false, 'Expected select to be closed.');
+          expect(event.defaultPrevented).toBe(true, 'Expected default action to be prevented.');
+        }));
+
         it('should be able to select options by typing on a closed select', fakeAsync(() => {
           const formControl = fixture.componentInstance.control;
           const options = fixture.componentInstance.options.toArray();
diff --git a/src/lib/select/select.ts b/src/lib/select/select.ts
index 5e8b8b76f204..b87327b0ddc8 100644
--- a/src/lib/select/select.ts
+++ b/src/lib/select/select.ts
@@ -647,6 +647,7 @@ export class MatSelect extends _MatSelectMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
     const isArrowKey = keyCode === DOWN_ARROW || keyCode === UP_ARROW;
     const isOpenKey = keyCode === ENTER || keyCode === SPACE;
 
+    // Open the select on ALT + arrow key to match the native <select>
     if (isOpenKey || ((this.multiple || event.altKey) && isArrowKey)) {
       event.preventDefault(); // prevents the page from scrolling down when pressing space
       this.open();
@@ -658,23 +659,27 @@ export class MatSelect extends _MatSelectMixinBase implements AfterContentInit,
   /** Handles keyboard events when the selected is open. */
   private _handleOpenKeydown(event: KeyboardEvent): void {
     const keyCode = event.keyCode;
+    const isArrowKey = keyCode === DOWN_ARROW || keyCode === UP_ARROW;
+    const manager = this._keyManager;
 
     if (keyCode === HOME || keyCode === END) {
       event.preventDefault();
-      keyCode === HOME ? this._keyManager.setFirstItemActive() :
-                         this._keyManager.setLastItemActive();
-    } else if ((keyCode === ENTER || keyCode === SPACE) && this._keyManager.activeItem) {
+      keyCode === HOME ? manager.setFirstItemActive() : manager.setLastItemActive();
+    } else if (isArrowKey && event.altKey) {
+      // Close the select on ALT + arrow key to match the native <select>
+      event.preventDefault();
+      this.close();
+    } else if ((keyCode === ENTER || keyCode === SPACE) && manager.activeItem) {
       event.preventDefault();
-      this._keyManager.activeItem._selectViaInteraction();
+      manager.activeItem._selectViaInteraction();
     } else {
-      const isArrowKey = keyCode === DOWN_ARROW || keyCode === UP_ARROW;
-      const previouslyFocusedIndex = this._keyManager.activeItemIndex;
+      const previouslyFocusedIndex = manager.activeItemIndex;
 
-      this._keyManager.onKeydown(event);
+      manager.onKeydown(event);
 
-      if (this._multiple && isArrowKey && event.shiftKey && this._keyManager.activeItem &&
-          this._keyManager.activeItemIndex !== previouslyFocusedIndex) {
-        this._keyManager.activeItem._selectViaInteraction();
+      if (this._multiple && isArrowKey && event.shiftKey && manager.activeItem &&
+          manager.activeItemIndex !== previouslyFocusedIndex) {
+        manager.activeItem._selectViaInteraction();
       }
     }
   }