In this blog, we'll explore the "Top Universities Abroad For Undergraduate Courses," we'll unravel institutions known for their excellence in providing quality education. Get ready to discover the world of education beyond borders.
Explore the SAT Course Book a Free Trial Session
1. Stanford University:
Stanford University is a well-respected and famous school in Stanford, California, right in Silicon Valley. Leland and Jane Stanford started it in 1885, and now it's a symbol of top-notch education, creativity, and business-minded thinking. The university is always among the best globally, thanks to its tough classes, advanced research, and lovely campus.
|
Ranking |
3 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
4% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
8049 |
|
SAT Range |
1500-1580 |
|
ACT Range |
33-35 |
|
High School GPA |
3.9 |
|
Tuition and Fees |
$62,484 |
|
Room and Board |
$19,922 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$72,000 |
2. Harvard University:
Harvard University is a private school established in 1636. It's in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Boston. Harvard has 12 graduate and professional schools, an undergraduate college, and the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. Some of its top schools are the Business School, Medical School, Graduate Education School, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Law School, and John F. Kennedy School of Government. The academic year of Harvard University is divided into semesters.
|
Ranking |
3 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
3% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
7,240 |
|
SAT Range |
1490-1580 |
|
ACT Range |
34-36 |
|
High School GPA |
3.9 |
|
Tuition and Fees |
$59,076 |
|
Room and Board |
$20,374 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$70,387 |
3. University of California, Los Angeles:
University of California, Los Angeles, (UCLA) is a public school established in 1919. It's situated in the Westwood area of Los Angeles, about five miles from the Pacific Ocean. UCLA includes the College of Letters and Sciences, as well as various graduate schools such as the well-regarded Anderson School of Management, and Henry Samueli School of Engineering. Additionally, UCLA has a respected School of Theater, Film, and Television, along with a School of Dentistry. The academic calendar at UCLA is organized into quarters.
|
Ranking |
15 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
9% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
32,423 |
|
SAT Range |
N/A |
|
ACT Range |
N/A |
|
High School GPA |
3.9 |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$46,326 |
|
Tuition and Fees (In Station) |
$13,752 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$26,566 |
4. Johns Hopkins University:
Johns Hopkins University is a private school that started in 1876. It follows a semester system for classes. The university has nine schools, and five of them are for undergraduates. The main campus for undergraduate students is called the Homewood Campus, and it's one of the four campuses in and around Baltimore where the university is located.
|
Ranking |
9 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
7% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
6,044 |
|
SAT Range |
1520-1570 |
|
ACT Range |
34-35 |
|
High School GPA |
3.9 |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$63,340 |
|
Room and Board |
$19,840 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$62,498 |
5. Yale University:
Yale University is a private school established in 1701 in New Haven, Connecticut. It's famous for its great drama and music programs, which go beyond classes through groups like the Yale Whiffenpoofs, a well-known singing group, and the Yale Dramatic Association.
When students attend Yale, they stay in one of 14 residential colleges. Each college has a head and dean living there, sharing meals with students in the dining halls. Cultural centers on campus give students a place to connect with their cultural identity. Yale follows a semester-based academic calendar.
|
Ranking |
5 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
5% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
6,645 |
|
SAT Range |
1500-1580 |
|
ACT Range |
33-35 |
|
High School GPA |
N/A |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$64,700 |
|
Room and Board |
$19,180 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$70,295 |
6. University of Michigan:
The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor is a public school established in 1817. It follows a schedule divided into three terms. First-year students are assured a place to stay on campus, but they aren't obligated to live there. There are over 1,500 student groups and 62 Greek chapters for students to join. Additionally, the School of Dentistry and Taubman College for Architecture and Urban Planning are highly respected.
|
Ranking |
21 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
18% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
32,695 |
|
SAT Range |
1350-1530 |
|
ACT Range |
31-34 |
|
High School GPA |
3.9 |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$57,273 |
|
Tuition and Fees (In Station) |
$17,786 |
|
Room and Board |
$13,171 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$26,947 |
7. University of Pennsylvania:
The University of Pennsylvania is a private school established in 1740 in Philadelphia by Benjamin Franklin. They have a variety of sports teams called the Penn Quakers, participating in over 25 NCAA Division I sports in the Ivy League. Their basketball and lacrosse teams are particularly successful. The university provides housing in 10 College Houses, but lots of students prefer to live in nearby off-campus apartments and houses. The academic calendar is divided into semesters.
|
Ranking |
6 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
7% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
9,760 |
|
SAT Range |
1500-1570 |
|
ACT Range |
34-35 |
|
High School GPA |
3.9 |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$66,104 |
|
Room and Board |
$18,496 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$62,265 |
8. Columbia University:
Columbia University is a private school that started in 1754. It follows a semester system for classes. Found in New York City, Columbia has three main undergraduate schools – Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, and the School of General Studies. It also has various graduate and professional schools, such as the highly respected Business School, Law School, and College of Physicians and Surgeons.
The university has other notable schools, including the College of Dental Medicine and a Journalism School for graduate studies. Columbia University's main campus is on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, specifically in the Morningside Heights neighborhood.
|
Ranking |
12 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
4% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
8,832 |
|
SAT Range |
1470-1570 |
|
ACT Range |
34-35 |
|
High School GPA |
N/A |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$65,524 |
|
Room and Board |
N/A |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
N/A |
9. Duke University:
Duke University is a private school in Durham, North Carolina, established in 1838. It follows a schedule based on semesters. The campus is in a city with lots of things to do like shopping and dining. They call Durham the "Bull City" because of the Bull Durham Tobacco.
At Duke, there are 10 schools for different subjects. Some are for undergraduates (people getting their first degree) and some are for graduates (people getting advanced degrees). They have top-ranked programs in business, engineering, law, medicine, public policy, nursing, divinity, and the environment.
First-year students at Duke have to live on campus, and they stay on the East Campus. Around 18 students from each class get a special scholarship for four years, giving them extra opportunities at both Duke and another university.
|
Ranking |
7 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
6% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
6,640 |
|
SAT Range |
1490-1570 |
|
ACT Range |
34-35 |
|
High School GPA |
N/A |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$66,172 |
|
Room and Board |
$19,066 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$63,935 |
10. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):
MIT is a private university established in 1861, with a unique academic calendar divided into four terms. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, near Boston, MIT is dedicated to scientific and technological research. The university comprises five schools and a college. Notable graduate schools at MIT include the School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management. MIT excels in programs such as economics, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and mathematics.
|
Ranking |
2 (among National Universities) |
|
Acceptance Rate |
4% |
|
Undergraduate Enrollment |
4,657 |
|
SAT Range |
1520-1580 |
|
ACT Range |
35-36 |
|
High School GPA |
N/A |
|
Tuition and Fees (Out of Station) |
$60,156 |
|
Room and Board |
$19,390 |
|
Average Need-Based Aid Package |
$60,077 |
Harvard University
Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. Harvard faculties are engaged with teaching and research to push the boundaries of human knowledge. For students, who are excited to investigate the biggest issues of the 21st century, Harvard offers an unparalleled student experience and a generous financial aid program, with over $160 million awarded to more than 60% of our undergraduate students. The University has twelve degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, offering a truly global education. Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States. The University, which is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has an enrollment of over 20,000 degree candidates, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Harvard has more than 360,000 alumni around the world.
Main Campus
Cambridge 02138
United States
Stanford University
Stanford University, founded in 1885, is recognized as one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions, with one of the most renowned faculties in the nation. Stanford students men and women of all races, ethnicities, and ages are distinguished by their love of learning and desire to contribute to the greater community. Stanford University offers its students a remarkable range of academic and extracurricular activities. We are committed to offering an education that is unrivaled among research universities. In this community of scholars, there is no greater objective than being at the edge of a field and advancing the frontier of knowledge. We believe that collaboration across disciplines will be key to future advances and are pursuing multidisciplinary initiatives in the areas of biosciences, the environment, and international affairs. As a research and teaching university, we offer both undergraduate and graduate students opportunities to work closely with faculty and researchers. The pioneering spirit that inspired Jane and Leland Stanford to start this university more than a century ago and that helped build Silicon Valley at the doorstep of the campus encourages boldness in everything we do – whether those efforts occur in the library, in the classroom, in a laboratory, in a theater or on an athletic field.
Main Campus
450 Serra Mall
Stanford 94305
United States
University of California, Los Angeles
A Brief History of UCLA University of California, Los Angeles With only 11,000 inhabitants in 1880, the pueblo of Los Angeles convinced the state government to establish a State Normal School in Southern California. Enthusiastic citizens contributed between $2 and $500 to purchase a site, and on August 29, 1882, the Los Angeles Branch of the State Normal School welcomed its first students in a Victorian building that had been erected on the site of an orange grove. By 1914 Los Angeles had grown to a city of 350,000, and the school moved to new quarters – a Hollywood ranch off a dirt road that later became Vermont Avenue. In 1919, the school became the Southern Branch of the University of California and offered two years of instruction in Letters and Science. Third- and fourth-year courses were soon added; the first class of 300 students was graduated in 1925, and by 1927 the Southern Branch had earned its new name: University of California at Los Angeles. (The name was changed again in 1958 to University of California, Los Angeles.) Continued growth mandated the selection of a site that could support a larger campus, and in 1927, ground was broken in the chaparral-covered hills of Westwood. The four original buildings – Royce Hall, Powell Library, Haines Hall, and Kinsey Hall – formed a lonesome cluster in the middle of 400 empty acres. The campus hosted some 5,500 students in its first term in 1929. The Regents established the master's degree at UCLA in 1933 and, three years later, the doctorate. UCLA was fast becoming a full-fledged university offering advanced study in almost every field. The most spectacular growth at UCLA occurred in the 25 years following World War II when it tripled its prewar enrollment of 9,000 students and undertook what would become a $260 million building program that included residence halls, parking structures, laboratories, more classrooms, service buildings, athletic and recreational facilities, and a 715-bed teaching hospital that is now one of the largest and most highly respected in the world.
Main Campus
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles 90095
United States
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, founded in Baltimore in 1876, was the first university in the Western Hemisphere founded on the model of the European research institution, where research and the advancement of knowledge were integrally linked to teaching. Its establishment began a revolution in U.S. higher education. The university is named for its initial benefactor, Baltimore merchant Johns Hopkins, whose $7 million bequest — the largest U.S. philanthropic gift to that time — was divided evenly to finance the establishment of both the university and The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Main Campus
Baltimore 21218
United States
Yale University
Yale University was founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School in the home of Abraham Pierson, its first rector, in Killingworth, Connecticut. In 1716 the school moved to New Haven and, with the generous gift by Elihu Yale of nine bales of goods, 417 books, and a portrait and arms of King George I, was renamed Yale College in 1718. Yale embarked on a steady expansion, establishing the Medical Institution (1810), Divinity School (1822), Law School (1843), Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (1847), the School of Fine Arts (1869), and School of Music (1894). In 1887 Yale College became Yale University. It continued to add to its academic offerings with the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (1900), School of Nursing (1923), School of Drama (1925), School of Architecture (1972), and School of Management (1974). As Yale enters its fourth century, its goal is to become a truly global university educating leaders and advancing the frontiers of knowledge not simply for the United States, but for the entire world. Richard C. Levin, the president of Yale University, says: "The globalization of the University is in part an evolutionary development. Yale has drawn students from outside the United States for nearly two centuries, and international issues have been represented in its curriculum for the past hundred years and more. But creating the global university is also a revolutionary development signaling distinct changes in the substance of teaching and research, the demographic characteristics of students, the scope and breadth of external collaborations, and the engagement of the University with new audiences."
Main Campus
P.O. Box 208236
New Haven 06520
United States
University of California, San Francisco
In recent years, scientific and bioengineering advances, Nobel prizes, an entirely new biotechnology industry, health policy research, oncogenes, prions, and the AIDS epidemic have placed UCSF at the forefront of the development of modern American biomedicine and medical education. Yet the school's long tradition reaches back to the very beginnings of the city of San Francisco in the Gold Rush days, and that society laid the foundations for the academic medical center that we know today. To reconnect this complex institution with its lively past, we have designed and written this narrative history, drawing upon the rich historical materials in UCSF's institutional archives and the work of the UCSF Campus Oral History Program.
Main Campus
San Francisco CA 94143
United States
University of Pennsylvania
For more than two centuries, the University of Pennsylvania has been committed to excellence in scholarship, research, and service. From its highly regarded undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools to its wide-ranging program of interdisciplinary research and scholarship, Penn takes pride in being a place where students and faculty can pursue knowledge without boundaries, a place where theory and practice combine to produce a better understanding of our world and ourselves. We invite you to explore this great university and take advantage of all it has to offer.
Main Campus
3451 Walnut Street
Philadelphia 19104
United States
Columbia University
Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.
Main Campus
2960 Broadway
New York 1002
United States
Duke University
Duke University was created in 1924 by James Buchanan Duke as a memorial to his father, Washington Duke. The Dukes, a Durham family that built a worldwide financial empire in the manufacture of tobacco and developed electricity production in the Carolinas, long had been interested in Trinity College. Trinity traced its roots to 1838 in nearby Randolph County when local Methodist and Quaker communities opened Union Institute. The school, then named Trinity College, moved to Durham in 1892. In December 1924, the provisions of James B. Duke's indenture created the family philanthropic foundation, The Duke Endowment, which provided for the expansion of Trinity College into Duke University. As a result of the Duke gift, Trinity underwent both physical and academic expansion. The original Durham campus became known as East Campus when it was rebuilt in stately Georgian architecture. West Campus, Gothic in style and dominated by the soaring 210-foot tower of Duke Chapel, opened in 1930. East Campus served as home of the Woman's College of Duke University until 1972 when the men's and women's undergraduate colleges merged. Both men and women undergraduates now enroll in either the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences or the Pratt School of Engineering. In 1995, East Campus became the home for all first-year students.
Main Campus
2138 Campus Drive
Box 90586
Durham 27708
United States
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
The mission of MIT is to advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century. The Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. MIT is dedicated to providing its students with an education that combines rigorous academic study and the excitement of discovery with the support and intellectual stimulation of a diverse campus community. We seek to develop in each member of the MIT community the ability and passion to work wisely, creatively, and effectively for the betterment of humankind. The Institute admitted its first students in 1865, four years after the approval of its founding charter. The opening marked the culmination of an extended effort by William Barton Rogers, a distinguished natural scientist, to establish a new kind of independent educational institution relevant to an increasingly industrialized America. Rogers stressed the pragmatic and practicable. He believed that professional competence is best fostered by coupling teaching and research and by focusing attention on real-world problems. Toward this end, he pioneered the development of the teaching laboratory. Today MIT is a world-class educational institution. Teaching and research – with relevance to the practical world as a guiding principle – continue to be its primary purpose. MIT is independent, coeducational, and privately endowed. Its five schools and one college encompass 34 academic departments, divisions, and degree-granting programs, as well as numerous interdisciplinary centers, laboratories, and programs whose work cuts across traditional departmental boundaries.
Main Campus
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge 02139
United States
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan, one of the world's leading public universities, has 28,000 undergraduate and 15,000 graduate/professional students from all 50 states and 113 countries. Students may choose from over 240 undergraduate majors, over 90 master's programs, and over 100 doctoral programs. Numerous research and study abroad opportunities are offered at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. A wide variety of social, cultural, and athletic activities are available. There is something for everyone here. Michigan's programs are responsive to the changing needs of society; relevant to the goals of our students and community partners; rich in opportunities for independent and collaborative study, research and practical applications; and reflective of the traditions of excellence, innovation, and leadership. The University is located in the culturally rich and exciting community of Ann Arbor. Distinct yet closely integrated with the University, Ann Arbor offers its own array of social and cultural offerings, to which University students are enthusiastically welcomed. The city is home to numerous parks and athletic facilities and boasts an excellent public transportation system. Michigan's primary international airport is conveniently located less than 25 miles (40 km) away.
Main Campus
Ann Arbor 48109
United States
University of Washington
Founded on 4 November 1861, the University of Washington is one of the oldest state-supported institutions of higher education on the Pacific coast. The University is comprised of three campuses: the Seattle campus is made up of seventeen schools and colleges whose faculty offer educational opportunities to students ranging from first-year undergraduates through doctoral-level candidates; the Bothell and Tacoma campuses, each developing a distinctive identity and undergoing rapid growth, offer diverse programs to upper-division undergraduates and to graduate students. The primary mission of the University of Washington is the preservation, advancement, and dissemination of knowledge. The University preserves knowledge through its libraries and collections, its courses, and the scholarship of its faculty. It advances new knowledge through many forms of research, inquiry, and discussion; and disseminates it through the classroom and the laboratory, scholarly exchanges, creative practice, international education, and public service. As one of the nation's outstanding teaching and research institutions, the University is committed to maintaining an environment for objectivity and imaginative inquiry and for the original scholarship and research that ensure the production of new knowledge in the free exchange of facts, theories, and ideas. To promote their capacity to make humane and informed decisions, the University fosters an environment in which its students can develop mature and independent judgment and an appreciation of the range and diversity of human achievement. The University cultivates in its students both critical thinking and the effective articulation of that thinking. As an integral part of a large and diverse community, the University seeks broad representation of and encourages sustained participation in that community by its students, its faculty, and its staff. It serves both non-traditional and traditional students. Through its three-campus system and educational outreach, evening degree, and distance learning, it extends educational opportunities to many who would not otherwise have access to them. The academic core of the University of Washington is its College of Arts and Sciences; the teaching and research of the University's many professional schools provide essential complements to these programs in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural and mathematical sciences. Programs in law, medicine, forest resources, oceanography and fisheries, library science, and aeronautics are offered exclusively (in accordance with state law) by the University of Washington. In addition, the University of Washington has assumed primary responsibility for the health science fields of dentistry and public health and offers education and training in medicine for a multi-state region of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. The schools and colleges of architecture and urban planning, business administration, education, engineering, nursing, pharmacy, public affairs, and social work have a long tradition of educating students for service to the region and the nation. These schools and colleges make indispensable contributions to the state and, with the rest of the University, share a long tradition of educating undergraduate and graduate students toward achieving excellence that well serves the state, the region, and the nation.
Main Campus
Seattle 98195
United States
Washington University in St. Louis
Welcome to Washington University in St. Louis. I hope the information accessible here will help you learn more about the University. While this electronic visit will prove informative, we invite you to come in person and visit our campus. You will find an intellectually vibrant and diverse community of scholars who challenge themselves to seek new knowledge and a greater understanding of our ever-changing, multicultural world. I think you will be impressed by the energetic teaching and learning and the path-breaking research that goes on here. The University and its people also play a significant role in the St. Louis, national and international communities. We would welcome the opportunity to show you the campus and introduce our faculty, students, and staff to you.
Main Campus
One Brookings Drive
St Louis 63130
United States
University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Innovation is our tradition: Nestled along the Pacific Ocean on 1,200 acres of coastal woodland, UCSD is a powerful magnet for those seeking a fresh, next-generation approach to education and research. Since its founding over four decades ago, UCSD — one of the ten campuses in the world-renowned University of California system — has rapidly achieved the status as one of the top institutions in the nation for higher education and research. UCSD's interdisciplinary ethos and tradition of innovation and risk-taking, underlie its research strength and ability to recruit top scholars and students. Budget: UCSD's annual revenues are $1.9 billion. (33% of this total is from the federal government for research; 14% is from the State of California for education.) Students: UCSD received over 40,000 applications for fall 2005 admission (the second-highest application rate in the University of California system and possibly in the nation). The average high school GPA of enrolled freshmen for fall 2005 was 3.93 and the average SATI score was 1251. Total campus enrollment for fall 05 was approximately 26,140. UCSD ranks 2nd nationally among major research universities sending students abroad in full-year programs, and 3rd among University of California schools in graduation rates at 83%. Economic Impact: UCSD is an engine for regional economic growth. UCSD faculty and alums have spun off close to 200 local companies, including over a third of the region's biotech companies. In addition, UCSD is San Diego County's largest single employer, with a monthly payroll of over $76 million, and over 23,500 employees. Specialized Resources: UCSD's graduate and professional schools include Scripps Institution of Oceanography; School of Medicine; School of International Relations and Pacific Studies; Center for U.S. – Mexican Studies; Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Jacobs School of Engineering (graduate and undergraduate), and Rady School of Management. The campus is also home to the San Diego Supercomputer Center; California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2); Center for Research in Computing and the Arts; Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation; and the Institute of the Americas. Main address: University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla,
Main Campus
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093
United States
New York University (NYU)
One hundred and seventy years ago, Albert Gallatin, the distinguished statesman who served as secretary of the treasury under President Thomas Jefferson, declared his intention to establish, in this immense and fast-growing city, a system of rational and practical education fitting for all and graciously open to all. At that time, in 1831, most students in American colleges and universities were members of the privileged classes. Albert Gallatin and the University's founding fathers planned NYU as a center of higher learning that would be open to all, regardless of national origin, religious beliefs, or social background. While the University’s commitment to these ideals remains unchanged, in many ways Albert Gallatin would scarcely recognize NYU today. From a student body of 158, enrollment has grown to nearly 40,000 students attending 14 schools and colleges at six different locations in Manhattan and over 20 study-abroad countries around the world. Students come from many foreign countries. The faculty, which initially consisted of 14 professors (among them artist and inventor Samuel F. B. Morse), now totals over 3,100 full-time members. University Seal The seal is composed of five emblems that embrace the goals and traditions of NYU. These include the NYU name and founding year. The motto perstare et praestare, to persevere and to excel, underscores the depiction of classic runners, and when combined, they represent the continued pursuit of academic excellence. Finally, there is the upheld torch of the Lady of the Harbor, which signifies NYU in service to the metropolis – New York City
Main Campus
70 Washington Square South, 12S
New York 10012
United States
Cornell University
Once called "the first American university" by educational historian Frederick Rudolph, Cornell University represents a distinctive mix of eminent scholarship and democratic ideals. Adding practical subjects to the classics and admitting qualified students regardless of nationality, race, social circumstance, gender, or religion was quite a departure when Cornell was founded in 1865. Today's Cornell reflects this heritage of egalitarian excellence. It is home to the nation's first colleges devoted to hotel administration, industrial and labor relations, and veterinary medicine. Both a private university and the land-grant institution of New York State, Cornell University is the most educationally diverse member of the Ivy League. On the Ithaca campus alone nearly 20,000 students representing every state and 120 countries choose from among 4,000 courses in 11 undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools. Many undergraduates participate in a wide range of interdisciplinary programs, play meaningful roles in original research, and study in Cornell programs in Washington, New York City, and the world over.
Main Campus
Day Hall Lobby
Ithaca 14853
United States
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago was founded in 1890 by the American Baptist Education Society and oil magnate John D. Rockefeller, who later described the University of Chicago as the best investment I ever made. The land for the new university, in the recently annexed suburb of Hyde Park, was donated by Marshall Field, owner of the Chicago department store that bears his name. William Rainey Harper, the first president, imagined a university that would combine an American-style undergraduate liberal arts college with a German-style graduate research university. The University of Chicago quickly fulfilled Harper's dream, becoming a national leader in higher education and research. Frederick Rudolph, professor of history at Williams College, wrote in his 1962 study, The American College and University: A History, No episode was more important in shaping the outlook and expectations of American higher education during those years than the founding of the University of Chicago, one of those events in American history that brought into focus the spirit of an age. One of Harper's curricular innovations was to run classes all year round and to allow students to graduate at whatever time of year they completed their studies. Appropriately enough, the first class was held on Saturday at 8:30 in the morning. Just as appropriately, Harper and the other faculty members had pulled a feverish all-nighter beforehand, unpacking and arranging desks, chairs, and tables in the newly constructed Cobb Hall. Although the University was established by Baptists, it was non-denominational from the start. It also welcomed women and minority students at a time when many universities did not. The first buildings copied the English Gothic style of architecture, complete with towers, spires, cloisters, and gargoyles. By 1910, the University had adopted more traditions, including a coat of arms that bore a phoenix emerging from the flames and a Latin motto, Crescat Scientia, Vita Excolatur (Let knowledge increase so that life may be enriched). In 1929, Robert Hutchins became the University's fifth president. During his tenure, Hutchins established many of the undergraduate curricular innovations that the University is known for today.
These included a curriculum dedicated specifically to interdisciplinary education, comprehensive examinations instead of course grades, courses focused on the study of original documents and classic works, and an emphasis on discussion, rather than lectures. While the Core curriculum has changed substantially since Hutchins' time, original texts and small discussion sections remain a hallmark of a Chicago education. Less well-known is that the University was a founder member of the Big Ten Conference. The University's first athletic director, Amos Alonzo Stagg, was also the first tenured coach in the nation, holding the position of Associate Professor and Director of the Department of Physical Culture and Athletics. In 1935, senior Jay Berwanger was awarded the first Heisman trophy. Just four years later, however, Hutchins famously abolished the football team, citing the need for the University to focus on academics rather than athletics. Varsity football was reinstated in 1969. In the early 1950s, Hyde Park, once a solidly middle-class neighborhood, began to decline. In response, the University became a major sponsor of an urban renewal effort for Hyde Park, which profoundly affected both the neighborhood's architecture and street plan. As just one example, in 1952, 55th Street had 22 taverns; today, the street features extra-wide lanes for automobile traffic, the twin towers of University Park Condominiums (I. M. Pei, 1961) and one bar, the Woodlawn Tap. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, the University began to add modern buildings to the formerly all-Gothic campus. These included the Laird Bell Law Quadrangle (Eero Saarinen, 1959) and the School of Social Service Administration (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, 1965). In 1963, the University acquired the Robie House, built by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1909. By 1970, the Regenstein Library — at seven stories, and almost a block square, the largest building on campus by far — occupied the site of Old Stagg Field.
The University experienced its share of student unrest during the 1960s, beginning in 1962, when students occupied President George Beadle's office in a protest over the University's off-campus rental policies. In 1969, more than 400 students, angry about the dismissal of a popular professor, occupied the Administration Building for two weeks. In 1978, Hanna Gray, Professor of History, was appointed President of the University, becoming the first woman to serve as president of a major research university. During Gray's tenure, both undergraduate and graduate enrollment increased, and a new science quadrangle was completed. In the 1990s, controversy returned to campus — but this time, the point of contention was the undergraduate curriculum. After a long discussion process that received national attention, the new curriculum was announced in 1998. While continuing the dedication to interdisciplinary general education, the new curriculum included a new emphasis on foreign language acquisition and expanded international and cross-cultural study opportunities. The University of Chicago has had a profound impact on American higher education; curricula across the country have been influenced by the emphasis on broad humanistic and scientific undergraduate education. The University also has a well-deserved reputation as the teacher of teachers — teaching is the most frequent career path for alumni, luring more than one in seven. The question before us is how to become one in spirit, not necessarily in opinion, President Harper said at the first faculty meeting in 1892. In the intervening century, the University's programs, curricula and campus have undergone substantial changes, many of which were deeply controversial. However, as President Don Michael Randel pointed out in his inaugural speech of 2000, A number of words and phrases recur through the eleven administrations and 108 years since that first faculty meeting. They speak of the primacy of research, the intimate relationship of research to teaching, and to the amelioration of the condition of humankind, a pioneering spirit, the great conversation among and across traditional disciplines that creates not only new knowledge but whole new fields of knowledge, the experimental attitude and the intellectual freedom that makes this attitude possible, the intimate and essential relationship to the city of Chicago, and, fundamental to all this, a distinguished faculty committed to this spirit, he said. At no other university is such a spirit so deeply and widely shared among faculty, students and alumni.
Main Campus
5801 South Ellis Avenue
Chicago 60637
United States
University of Pittsburgh
Founded in 1787 as a small, private school, the Pittsburgh Academy was located in a log cabin near Pittsburgh’s three rivers. In the 219 years since, the University has evolved into an internationally recognized center of learning and research.
Main Campus
Pittsburgh 15260
United States
Boston University
Boston University — independent, coeducational, and non-sectarian — is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research located along the banks of the Charles River and adjacent to the historic Back Bay district of Boston. With more than 30,000 students from all 50 states and 135 countries, it is one of the largest independent universities in the United States. For over 150 years, Boston University has anticipated the changing needs of its students while serving the greater needs of society. As one of the nation's premier research universities, Boston University believes that all students benefit by learning from dedicated teachers who are actively engaged in original research. The University's learning environment is further enriched by an extraordinary array of direct involvements with the community's broader artistic, economic, social, intellectual, and educational life. These relationships provide a distinctly practical edge to the University's educational and research programs while enhancing the life and vitality of one of the world's great cities. Boston University's policies provide for equal opportunity and affirmative action in employment and admission to all programs of the University.
Main Campus
One Silber Way
Boston 02215
United States
Oxford University
Oxford is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and lays claim to nine centuries of continuous existence. As an internationally renowned center for teaching and research, Oxford attracts students and scholars from across the globe, with almost a quarter of our students from overseas. More than 130 nationalities are represented among a student population of over 18,000. Oxford is a collegiate university, with 39 self-governing colleges related to the University in a type of federal system. There are also seven Permanent Private Halls, founded by different Christian denominations. Thirty colleges and all halls admit students for both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Seven other colleges are for graduates only; one has Fellows only, and one specializes in part-time and continuing education. There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris. Oxford is one of Europe's most innovative and entrepreneurial universities. Drawing on an 800-year tradition of discovery and invention, modern Oxford leads the way in creating jobs, wealth, skills, and innovation for the 21st century. The leading UK university for knowledge transfer and commercial spin-outs, Oxford was also the UK pioneer in developing a university intellectual property policy. Each year, Oxford welcomes students with great potential, at both undergraduate and graduate levels, from all over the globe. Our students are attracted by the chance to study at an internationally renowned seat of learning, with a centuries-old reputation for outstanding academic achievement and innovation. Oxford meets the needs of students, teachers, and the international research community with an extremely rich and diverse range of library resources provided by over 100 separate libraries. Oxford's museums and collections are world-renowned. They provide an important resource for scholars internationally and welcome visits from members of the public. Admission is free, except for the Botanic Garden, where visitors are charged a small admission fee, and Christ Church Picture Gallery, which makes a small charge, with concessions for children, students, and senior citizens.
Campus Address
Wellington Square
Oxford
NY
OX1 2JD
United Kingdom
Cambridge University
The University of Cambridge is rich in history – its famous Colleges and University buildings attract visitors from all over the world. But the University's museums and collections also hold many treasures which give an exciting insight into some of the scholarly activities, both past and present, of the University's academics and students. The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world and one of the largest in the United Kingdom. Its reputation for outstanding academic achievement is known world-wide and reflects the intellectual achievement of its students, as well as the world-class original research carried out by the staff of the University and the Colleges. Its reputation is endorsed by the Quality Assurance Agency and by other external reviewers of learning and teaching, such as External Examiners. These high standards are the result of both the learning opportunities offered at Cambridge and by its extensive resources, including libraries, museums and other collections. Teaching consists not only of lectures, seminars and practical classes led by people who are world experts in their field, but also more personalised teaching arranged through the Colleges. Many opportunities exist for students to interact with scholars of all levels, both formally and informally. There are 31 Colleges in Cambridge. Three are for women (New Hall, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish) and two admit only graduates (Clare Hall and Darwin). The remainder house and teach all students enrolled in courses of study or research at the University Each College is an independent institution with its own property and income. The Colleges appoint their own staff and are responsible for selecting students, in accordance with University regulations. The teaching of students is shared between the Colleges and University departments. Degrees are awarded by the University. Within each College, staff and students of all disciplines are brought together. This cross-fertilisation has encouraged the free exchange of ideas which has led to the creation of a number of new companies. Trinity and St John's have also established science parks, providing facilities for start-ups, and making a significant contribution to the identification of Cambridge as a centre of innovation and technology. In addition to the collections on display in the University's libraries & museums, there is a wealth of sporting and cultural activity at the University of Cambridge, much of it organised by individual clubs and societies run by staff and students. Although the University does not offer courses in the creative arts or sport, there is a strong tradition of achievement in these fields, with many former students going on to gain international standing as artists, performers and athletes. Initiatives ensure that aspiring performers enrich their education with a high level of activity outside the lecture.
Main Campus
Trinity Lane
Cambridge
CB2 1TN
United Kingdom
UCL (University College London)
Described by The Sunday Times as 'an intellectual powerhouse with a world-class reputation', UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top three multi-faculty universities in the UK and features in the top 5 universities worldwide. The university is located on a compact site in the heart of London and is surrounded by the greatest concentration of libraries, museums, archives, and professional bodies in Europe. UCL is a multidisciplinary university with an international reputation for the quality of its teaching and research across the academic spectrum. Teaching at UCL is ‘research-led’: the programs that we offer reflect the latest research and are often taught by active researchers who are world leaders in their fields. UCL has more than 4,000 academic and research staff and one of the best student-to-staff ratios in the UK (approximately 9:1). UCL academics and alumni have been awarded 21 Nobel Prizes, the most recent of which was in 2009. As well as being dynamic and intellectually challenging, UCL is also a very cosmopolitan and international environment in which to study. Nearly 40% of our students come from outside the UK and they represent more than 140 different countries.
Main Campus.
Gower Street
London
WC1E 6BT
United Kingdom
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a university of world-class scholarship, education, and research in science, engineering, and medicine, with particular regard to their application in industry, commerce, and healthcare. Established in 1907, it is located in the heart of London. It is consistently rated among the United Kingdom's top three universities and was ranked 8th in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012-13. The College has over 3,000 academic and research staff and approximately 15,000 students from over 125 different countries. Our reputation for excellence in teaching and research in science, engineering, medicine, and business attracts students and staff of the highest international caliber. Imperial staff are frequently consulted by governments and also act as members of professional bodies, advise industry, and offer informed comment to the media. Imperial has three Faculties: Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Medicine; the Imperial College Business School; and the Centre for Co-Curricular Studies. Interdisciplinary research is promoted through several Institutes, for example, the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Energy Futures Lab. We provide undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in all branches of science, engineering, and medicine. The financial support package for 2013 entry will provide generous help to undergraduate students (Home students) from households with an annual income of up to £60,000. Details of student finance and scholarships for Home, EU, and international students are available on our website: www.imperial.ac.uk/studentfinance. College accommodation is provided for undergraduate students in their first year.
Main Campus
South Kensington Campus
London
SW7 2AZ
United Kingdom
King's College London (KCL)
King's College London is one of the top 30 universities in the world (2012/13 QS international world rankings) and was The Sunday Times 'University of the Year 2010/11', and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King's has more than 25,000 students (of whom more than 10,000 are graduate students) from nearly 140 countries, and more than 6,500 employees. King's is in the second phase of a £1 billion redevelopment programme which is transforming its estate. King's has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 percent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world-leading. The College is in the top seven UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of nearly £525 million (year ending 31 July 2011). King's has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine, nursing, and dentistry), and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones, and radar. King's College London and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital, and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts are part of King's Health Partners. King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC) is a pioneering global collaboration between one of the world's leading research-led universities and three of London's most successful NHS Foundation Trusts, including leading teaching hospitals and comprehensive mental health services. For more information, visit www.kingshealthpartners.org. The College is in the midst of a five-year, £500 million fundraising campaign – World Questions |King’s Answers – created to address some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity as quickly as feasible. The campaign’s five priority areas are neuroscience and mental health, leadership and society, cancer, global power, and children's health.
Main Campus
The Strand
London
WC2R 2LS
Leave a Reply