Discover the 7 best universities in Boston based on rankings, extracurricular activies and tuition fees. Plus, what documents you need to successfully apply!
Ranked as the 10th best student city in the world, Boston has plenty to offer for students. From relatively affordable student living expenses to opportunities for career development after graduation. As Boston is home to some of the highest-ranked universities in the world, it can take a while to choose the best university in Boston for you.
This is why we’ve dug into the nitty and gritty of the city’s higher education and found the 7 best universities in Boston. The schools on our list offer a wide array of programs perfect for domestic and international students wanting to pursue a degree. So, let’s dive in!
With its charm and exciting student life, Boston is home to a large student population coming from all over the world. This isn’t surprising considering the number of high-ranked universities the city is home to. To help you decide which one is right for you, we’ve come up with a list of the 7 best universities in Boston: 1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2. Boston College 3. Harvard University 4. University of Massachusetts Boston 5. Northeastern University 6. Boston University 7. Tufts University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the highest-ranked university in the world. You can choose from 57 undergraduate and over 50 graduate programs in the fields of science, engineering, finance, management, and linguistics. Students of the university have the opportunity to live on the campus grounds in one of the 19 student residences or search for budget-friendly student rooms in Boston.
MIT encourages its students to sign up for any of the 500+ study associations, like the Science fiction society or the Spinning art club. You can make science experiments with chocolate by joining the Laboratory for chocolate science or start your journalistic career at the MIT newspaper. Around 25% of the MIT students are athletes, part of the largest Division III program in the US.
Spanned across Newton, Brighton and Brookline, Boston College is one of the best universities in Boston for research programmes. Aside from commitment to excellent education, the college stresses on the importance of giving back to the community and making a change through their extracurricular activities.
With 4 schools in the fields of management, nursing, education, and arts and sciences, you’ve plenty of studies to choose from. Once a student you can also become an Eagle by joining any of the 31 Division I teams in sports like basketball, soccer, hockey, and baseball.
Part of the prestigious Ivy League, Harvard University is one of the best universities in the world. Harvard has 13 schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, executive education, certificate programs and online courses. You can apply for full-time degrees in the fields of social sciences, mathematics, engineering, psychology, performing arts, etc.
As a Harvard student you can join 500 student clubs on topics like culture, wellness, gender, and public service. With 42 Division I teams, Harvard has a long-standing history of athletic achievements which new students can contribute to. Unlike MIT, only undergraduate students can live at the Harvard dorms. But this gives you the opportunity to check out any of the 6 excellent neighborhoods in Boston for young adults in our guide.
Tip for international students: Harvard doesn't accept English proficiency tests like TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo as to fullfill the standartized test requirements. You'll need to submit SAT or ACT scores. In some cases you can submit your GCSE/A-level results, IB results, National leaving exam results or AP exam results.
The University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston) is one of the best public universities in Boston. Their curriculum aims at teaching students and helping them find career development after graduation.
The university has 229 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs across 6 schools and colleges. To make education more accessible, UMass Boston offers a lot of its courses fully online at a more affordable tuition.
The college has over 100 student organizations like the Growing women in science, the Casa Latinx, the Gaming Club. If you’re into sports you’ll be happy to find out that the university has 18 Division III teams and their mascot is the Beacon.
Northeastern University is one of the best universities in Boston for international students. Students from over 147 countries pursue a higher degree Northeastern. The university is renowned for its colleges in engineering and professional studies with over 4,000 students being enrolled in them.
As a Northeastern Husky you can be part of over 400 campus clubs, play in any of the 19 Division I or 64 club teams. To make your first year at Northeastern easier, the university has campus dorms available to all full-time students.
Found in the heart of Boston, the Boston University is the one of the best universities in Boston. The college offers over 300 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. You can pursue degrees in various fields including marketing, archeology, science, software engineering, and data analysis.
As a student of Boston University you can join any of the 24 Division I varsity teams or over 500 hundred community engagement, cultural, academic, artistic, political and recreational clubs. Similarly to other colleges, Boston University offers students the choice to live on campus to fully immerse themselves in the college experience.
With over 300 student organizations on campus, Tufts University puts strong emphasis socialization and building a student community. In addition to the student clubs, the university has 28 Division III varsity and 28 club sports teams, and it’s a member of NESCAC.
The college’s approach to teaching is student-focused and stressed on implementation of the learned knowledge. Tufts has 10 schools each focusing on different fields including arts, sciences, human and veterinary medicine, engineering, and politics offering degrees on undergraduate and graduate levels.
To apply for any of the universities we’ve listed you can either mail your documents or apply with a a general online application. The 2 platforms universities usually use are the Common App (the “Common Application”) or through the Coalition Application via Scoir.
You can apply by yourself once you’ve gathered the necessary documents. The application requirements can vary, depending on the degree and university, but generally, these are the documents universities ask for:
One good thing to keep in mind is that for the 2024/2025 academic year, some universities on our list don't require SAT or ACT. These universities have implemented a test-optional policy which allows you to apply without SATs. Their admissions office will look at your overall performance in high school, including extracurriculars, employment, familial responsibilities and social involvement. These include: Boston University, Northeastern University, Boston College, and Tufts University. UMass Boston, MIT, and Harvard require SAT or ACT scores.
So there you have them, all of the best universities in Boston. If you’ve come this far, you probably already know which one is the right fit for you. With that sorted, it's time to organize your application and search for student accommodation options near Boston.
This article is for informational purposes only.
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In this article
Which are the best universities in Boston?
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
2. Boston College
3. Harvard University
4. University of Massachusetts Boston
5. Northeastern University
6. Boston University
7. Tufts University
Requirements and how to apply for the best universities in Boston
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