The Ivy League universities USA comprise eight prestigious private research institutions in the Northeastern United States. Known globally for academic excellence, selective admissions, and social prestige, they are a cornerstone for students pursuing US study abroad opportunities. Officially established in 1954 as an athletic conference, the term “Ivy League” has been synonymous with excellence since it was first coined in 1933.

These universities—Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University—represent the pinnacle of education for those aspiring to study abroad in the US. The Ivy League competes in NCAA Division I and participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey, these institutions have historical significance. All Ivy League schools, except Cornell, were founded during the colonial period, forming seven of the nine original colonial colleges. The remaining two—Queens College (now Rutgers University) and the College of William & Mary—evolved into public universities.