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IVY League Universities USA

Have you heard of IVY League Universities in the USA? If not, this blog is especially for you. Maybe most of you don't know what the Ivy phrase means. The Ivy League was established as an athletic conference encompassing eight top-ranked private educational institutes. Today, the term is broader than just college athletics. That being said, the Ivy League is defined by highly sought-after, competitive universities that are setting the benchmark in terms of providing a world-class education.

Initially, it came into existence in 1954 when the athletic conference of the NCAA took place. All eight universities under this organisation were the first to participate in inter-college athletics. Over the years, these universities have gained a worldwide reputation and have become the preferred choice of international students for pursuing undergraduate or master's studies in the United States of America. 

What Are Ivy League Universities?

Ivy League includes the eight elite research institutes that collectively form the Ivy League organisation. In simple words, it is a united group of institutes or universities in the United States of America.

Students these days dream of getting admission to these institutes. Some of them are consistently ranked among the top 20 universities globally and among the top 10 in the United States. All eight private institutions located in the Northeast are counted among the Ivy League.

These universities or institutions are:

  • Cornell University
  • Brown University
  • Columbia University
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Dartmouth College
  • Yale University
  • Harvard University
  • Princeton University

Note: The size of Ivy League universities varies from one another. However, each university offers admission to between 4,500 to 15,500 students who want to pursue UG courses. Also, they usually have extraordinary academic eligibility criteria, admission processes, and non-academic eligibility requirements.

Ivy League Universities List

The list below includes some of the authorised and well-known Ivy League universities around the world:


Ivy League Universities 


State


QS World Rankings


US News Rankings


Dartmouth College


Hanover


237


#12


Harvard University


Cambridge


4


#3


University of Pennsylvania 


Philadelphia


12


#7


Princeton University


Princeton


17


#1


Cornell University


Ithaca


13


#17


Brown University


Rhode Island


73


#13


Yale University 


New Haven


16


#3


Columbia University


New York


23


#18

Which are the Ivy League universities?

Ivy League Universities or institutes are nationwide authorised to be reputed educational centres with academic excellence. Let's check the top eight Ivy League Universities in the USA.

  1. Princeton University

Princeton University is one of the popular Ivy League universities providing a wide range of academic programs. It has world-class facilities, such as labs, art museums, etc. The institute majorly focuses on UG-level courses. The best part about this university is that one can pursue their education with zero debt. 

Courses offered: M.S Computer Science, Master of Finance, M.Eng Electrical Engineering, B.S Computer Science, etc.

2.Harvard University

As per Q.S. World Rankings 2023, Harvard is in the number 1 position. It is known for being a reputed educational centre worldwide. There are various courses offered by instituted, from U.G. to P.G., doctorate level across various disciplines.

Courses offered: M.Eng Computational Science and Engineering, MBA, etc.

3.Yale University

Yale is one of the oldest Ivy Universities. There are more than 12,000 students apply every year to this institute. Yale offers various courses across different disciplines, where drama and music are the most famous ones. In the United States, the law institute under yale university is considered to be the best. However, getting admission to this institute is quite challenging.

Courses offered: B.S. Computer Science, M.S. Statistics and Data Science, etc.

4.University of Pennsylvania

One of the highest Ivy League Universities to admit international students, it enrols 13% of all international students from different regions of the world. Various institutes under the University of Pennsylvania are being counted among the top. These schools are the School of Law, School of Education, etc.

Courses offered: M.S Computer and Information Science, B.S Computer Science, etc.

5.Columbia University

Initially known as King's College, Columbia University is one of the oldest and best institutions in the world. Their high-quality teaching and research programs are renowned worldwide. It houses more than 30,000 students and is famous for courses like science and liberal arts.

Courses offered: M.Eng Electrical Engineering, B.S Computer Science, etc.

6.Brown University

Brown University came into existence in 1764 and is one of the leading research-based universities. Brown University also offers personalised courses. The admission process is quite competitive and depends on the evaluation of transcripts.

Courses offered: Executive MBA, M.S Material Science, Engineering, etc.

7.Dartmouth University

Among all the Ivy League, Dartmouth is the smallest university and houses only 6,400 candidates. The institutions have gained a reputation through their programs, such as liberal arts, medicine, and international relations. 

Courses offered: M.Eng Biological and Chemical Engineering, etc.

8.Cornell University

Ithaca-based Cornell University was founded in 1865. It is the newest among all the Ivy League institutes. Admission to Cornell is highly difficult, with an acceptance rate of 8.7%.

Courses offered: M.Eng Engineering Management, B.Sc Computer Science, etc.

Things to know before you apply for IVY League Universities

Before applying to an Ivy League university for higher education, you should consider a few aspects mentioned below:

  • Applicant must obtain higher academic performance, such as a bachelor's degree, along with entrance test marks, such as GMAT or GRE, and a high GPA in high school.
  • The applicant must show proof of involvement in cultural activities, sports, and other achievements acquired outside academics.
  • Bear in mind that Ivy League universities' fee structure is slightly higher. If you are not able to meet financial expenses, then you may apply for other authorised institutes, such as UT Austin, etc.
  • Before applying to a specific Ivy University, make sure to meet the eligibility criteria.

Acceptance Rate for the Ivy League Universities

Getting enrolled into an Ivy University or school is a daunting task. According to the 2021 data collected by researchers, the acceptance rate of Ivy League universities is lower than the previous year. Check out the list below to understand the individual acceptance rate of each Ivy League university


List of Ivy League Universities


Acceptance Rate


Dartmouth College


6.2%


Harvard University


3.4%


University of Pennsylvania 


5.7%


Princeton University


4.0%


Cornell University


8.7%


Brown University


5.4%


Yale University 


4.6%


Columbia University


3.7%

How to Get into Ivy League University? Application Process

Being one of the high academic requirements and highly competitive, getting admission into an Ivy League university is challenging. For information on how to apply for undergraduate and graduate programmes at Ivy League Universities, see the procedures below:

Note: Since Ivy League institutions offer admission at UG, PG, and PhD levels, the admission requirement may vary from course to course as well as from university to university.

  • Applicant should have good academic records from Class 9th to the latest diploma or degree attained.
  • He or she should have received high scores on language proficiency exams like the TOEFL or IELTS.
  • He or she should be involved in extracurricular activities.
  • Documents required, such as resume, Letter of recommendation, financial proof, statement of purpose, visa, etc.

Ivy League Universities and their special requirements

To be eligible for Ivy League universities, one must meet general and specific requirements, such as previous degree course scores. The special requirement includes a GPA of 4.0 or higher. To take admission to undergraduate courses, applicants must appear for GMAT or GRE 


Ivy League Universities


Courses


Admission Requirements



Columbia University


MBA, B.S Computer Engineering, etc

 


GPA Scores: 4.12



Harvard University


B.A Applied Mathematics, M.S Data Science, etc


GPA Scores: 4.18



University of Pennsylvania 


MBA, M.S Robotics, etc


GPA Scores: 3.9



Princeton University


Master of Finance, M.S Computer Science, etc


GPA Scores: 3.9



Cornell University


MBA, M.A MRM (executive), etc


GPA Scores: 4.07



Brown University


Master of Public Health, B.S Mechanical Engineering, etc


GPA Scores: 4.08



Yale University 


M.S Computer Science, MBA, etc


GPA Scores: 4.19



Dartmouth College




M.S Computer Science, MBA, BA Computer science, etc


GPA Scores: 4.11

Ivy League Universities USA are considered the most sought-after universities in the world. All eight are important parts of the Association of American Universities, which is why called the most prestigious association of American research institutions. These universities are capable of offering abundant resources for their financial aid, academic courses, and research endeavours. For more information, contact our AECC experts

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Ivy League universities are there in the USA?

There are eight private Ivy League universities in the United States, which include Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, Dartmouth College, Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Brown University 

Why are they called Ivy League?

Ivy League was used in 1937 by Caswell Adams, who was a famous sports writer. The Ivy League refers to the strong Eastern Football League, which was put together by the eight universities mentioned above.

Why is Stanford, not Ivy?

The reason it does not fall into the category of Ivy universities is that Stanford did not have powerful athletic curricula when the Ivy League was founded.

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