Harvard University

Dating back to 1636, Harvard University is the oldest university in the US and is regarded as one of the most prestigious in the world. It was named after its first benefactor, John Harvard, who left his library and half his estate to the institution when he died in 1638. The private Ivy League institution has connections to more than 45 Nobel laureates, over 30 heads of state and 48 Pulitzer prizewinners. It has more than 323,000 living alumni, including over 271,000 in the US and nearly 52,000 in 201 other countries. Thirteen US presidents have honorary degrees from the institution; the most recent of these was awarded to John F. Kennedy in 1956. Faculty members who have been awarded a Nobel prize in recent years include chemist Martin Karplus and economist Alvin Roth, while notable alumni who were given the honor include former US vice-president Al Gore, who won the Peace Prize in 2007, and poet Seamus Heaney, who was a professor at Harvard from 1981 to 1997. Situated in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard’s 5,000-acre campus houses 12 degree-granting schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, two theatres and five museums. It is also home to the largest academic library in the world, with 20.4 million volumes, 180,000 serial titles, an estimated 400 million manuscript items, 10 million photographs, 124 million archived web pages and 5.4 terabytes of born-digital archives and manuscripts. There are more than 400 student organizations on campus, and Harvard’s medical school is connected to 10 hospitals. Harvard’s official color is crimson, following a vote in 1910, after two student rowers provided crimson scarves to their teammates so that spectators could differentiate the university’s team during a regatta in 1858.

City: Cambridge

Tuition and fees: 51,904 USD

Programs: Engineering & technology, Law, Arts & humanities, Business & economics, Clinical, pre-clinical & health, Social sciences, Medical

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is an independent, coeducational, private research university based in the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT aims to ‘further knowledge and prepare students in science, technology and other fields of study that will best benefit the nation and the world today’. Its motto is Mens et Manus, which translates as “Mind and Hand”. The university lays claim to 85 Nobel Laureates, 58 National Medal of Science winners, 29 National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners and 45 MacArthur Fellows. Among its impressive alumni is Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations. Scientific discoveries and technological advances accredited to MIT include the first chemical synthesis of penicillin, the development of radar, the discovery of quarks, and the invention of magnetic core memory, which enabled the development of digital computers. MIT is currently organised into five different schools: architecture and planning, engineering, humanities, arts and social sciences, management and science. It is home to around 1,000 faculty members and over 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students. MIT’s current areas of research include digital learning, sustainable energy, Big Data, human health and much more. In addition to its emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship, MIT also boasts a diverse and vibrant campus environment with a wide array of student groups. The campus is arranged over 168 acres within Cambridge, and features 18 student residences, 26 acres of playing fields, 20 gardens and green-space areas, as well as over 100 public works of art. MIT estimates that all its living alumni have between them launched more than 30,000 active companies, created 4.6 million jobs and generated roughly $1.9 trillion in annual revenue. Taken together, this ‘MIT Nation’ is equivalent, they say, to the 10th-largest economy in the world.

City: Cambridge

Tuition: US $ 53,790

Programs: Architecture and Planning, Engineering, Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Management and Science

Boston University

Boston University is located in the heart of what many view as the world’s greatest University City. With nearly 35,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 130 countries, it is one of the largest universities in the greater Boston area, which is home to more than 100 higher education institutions. It has around 10,000 faculty and staff, 17 schools and colleges and 300 fields of study located across three campuses and numerous international programs, with facilities concentrated mainly on its impressive Charles River campus. Around 75 per cent of undergraduates at Boston University live in student housing in and around campus, which contain 17 schools and colleges, 21 libraries and 450 active student societies. Sport is a major part of college life, with around 7,000 students associated with sporting clubs and societies and more than 6,500 people using its fitness and recreation facilities each day. Culture is also a strong feature, with more than 500 concerts and performances, and in excess of 50 exhibitions, taking place on campus annually. As a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Boston University is recognized as a leading global research institution, and received $574.1 million in sponsored research awards in FY2020. Arguably its most famous graduate is the civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., who took his PhD studies at Boston University in the 1950s. Other notable alumni have made their mark in worlds of politics, science, entertainment, sport, journalism, law, academia, business and music.

City: Boston

Tuition: 55,892 USD

Programs: Medical, Dentistry, Education, Art, Science and Technology, Theology, Management, Law, Health, Communication, Engineering, Social Affairs

Tufts University

Founded in 1852, Tufts University is a private research university based in Medford, Massachusetts, with two additional US campuses in the cities of Boston and Grafton – also in Massachusetts – and another in Taillores, France. Attracting nearly 12,000 students a year, it is a medium sized American university. The Medford campus houses some of the university’s oldest buildings. It features the Schools of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. The Boston campus is mainly centred in the Chinatown district. It is home to the Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Nutrition Science and Policy, and the Human Nutrition Research Centre on Aging. The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine is based in the Grafton campus, comprising more than 600 acres of land and located to the west of Boston. Its Taillores satellite campus is situated in a picturesque alpine environment and has been recognised by the National Association of Branch Campus Administrators as one of the best branch campuses. Initially used to host summer camps, the Taillores campus was given to Tufts in 1978 and now caters for summer study programs, where students are encouraged to live with local families and immerse themselves in French culture and language. Tufts University lays claims to more than 45 interdisciplinary centres that focus on research within a range of topics from medicine, science and technology, to animals and the environment. In addition to its Taillores summer programs, Tufts’ students can also take advantage of the many opportunities to participate in full-year or semester-long programs at its various overseas partner universities.

City: Medford

Tuition: 58,578 USD

Programs: Arts & Sciences, Engineering, Law & Diplomacy Fletcher, and College of Citizenship and Public Services, Dental Medicine, Science & Politics, Nutrition

Northeastern University

Founded in 1898, Northeastern University describes itself as a “global, experiential, research university built on a tradition of engagement with the world.” The private institution has its main campus in the Fenway, Roxbury and Back Bay areas of Boston, Massachusetts, but has satellite campuses in other parts of the state. Its reach is not limited to New England however, and Northeastern has graduate campuses in Charlotte, North Carolina, Seattle, Silicon Valley, and Toronto. It caters for over 24,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students who study under the Latin motto: Lux, Veritas, Virtus (Light, Truth, and Courage). The institution places great importance on global engagement and offers students learning opportunities with over 3000 partners in seven continents. Faculty members regularly collaborate on research with colleagues on the other side of the world, and Northeastern alumni, trained as global, engaged citizens during their time at the university, are making their mark in 186 countries. Northeastern has a proud sporting heritage, offering 18 varsity sports, 43 club sports, and 32 intramural sports – all playing under the Northeastern Huskies moniker. The university has produced a wide-ranging list of notable alumni from a wide range of professional industries. Richard Egan and Roger Marino, co-founders of multinational EMC Corporation graduated from Northeastern in 1961. Jeff Clarke the CEO of Kodak took his MBA at the university.

City: Boston

Tuition: 53,506 USD

Programs: Health Sciences, Art, Media & Design, Computer Science, Engineering, Professional Studies, Science, Social Sciences & Humanities, Business, Law

University of Massachusetts Amherst

The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) is a research university in Amherst in Massachusetts. It is the flagship University of the University of Massachusetts system, and it is the largest public university in New England. The impressive 1,450-acre campus is based in the town Amherst, and it extends about one mile from the Campus Centre in all directions. As part of the consortium, students can attend classes, borrow books, and work with professors at the different colleges. The university offers bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctoral degrees, but it is also categorized as a Research University with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Sustainability is key for the university, and is now an integral part of life on campus. In 2010, the UMass Climate Action Plan was approved, which documented the campus’ plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Furthermore, this is one of the only public universities to use the fresh fruits and vegetables in the dining commons from its very own gardens. Athletic teams at UMass are members of Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The university is a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference. Sports on offer for students to take part in include: baseball, basketball, cross country, ice hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, swimming, and track and field. Notable alumni include the famous actor Richard Gere who notably played alongside Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, Jack Welch, Jr., a retired American business executive, author, and chemical engineer who was chairman and CEO of General Electric, and Natalie Cole, an American singer-songwriter and daughter of Nat King Cole.

City: Amherst

Tuition: $35,710

Programs: Engineering, Education, Humanities, Computer Sciences, Natural Sciences, Nursing, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Management, Public Health and Health Sciences,

BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC

Founded in 1945 by pianist and composer Lawrence Berk, Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts is one of the biggest contemporary music colleges in the world. Originally called Schillinger House, the college offered training in jazz and contemporary music for the radio. Many of its first attendees were former servicemen who had fought in World War II. As the institution grew in scope and size it was renamed after the founder’s son. Berklee has always had a strong practical focus, right from the beginning Lawrence Berk preferred hiring working musicians to teach rather than academics and this approach has continued until this day. Berklee was the first college to offer programs in jazz, rock, film scores, DJ-ing and electronic production. It’s innovative style and wide range of study options means it boasts over 250 Grammy winners among its alumni. The main campus is spread over 25 buildings primarily in Boston’s Black Bay area and offers a wide range of modern music facilities to students, including over 300 practice rooms, the college also features the Berklee Performance Centre, a 1,200 seat renovated theatre in Boston. There is also a campus in Valencia, Spain. The student body numbers a few thousand, with international students from over 100 different countries attending. Berklee offers around 12 majors and a number of baccalaureate programs, all with a focus on practical learning designed to equip students with a wide range of skills, not only in their chosen field and instruments but also a sound knowledge of how the music business works.

City: Boston

Tuition: $45,660