Princeton University

“America's top-ranked university — where a tight-knit residential college community meets Ivy-League research at its most generous.”

Princeton University, founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey, is a private Ivy League research institution widely regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. For fifteen consecutive years it has held the #1 spot in the U.S. News Best National Universities ranking, and it consistently tops Best Value rankings thanks to one of the most generous financial aid programs in higher education. The campus — 600 acres of collegiate Gothic architecture in a classic college town midway between New York and Philadelphia — is organized around seven four-year residential colleges that serve as the social and intellectual heart of undergraduate life. Academically, Princeton stands apart for its undergraduate focus. Unlike many peer research universities, a higher share of faculty attention and resources goes to undergraduates — including the senior thesis, a year-long independent research project required of virtually every student regardless of major. The curriculum is unusually flexible: students don't declare a concentration (Princeton's term for a major) until the spring of sophomore year, encouraging exploration across the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and engineering. Economics, Public and International Affairs, Computer Science, Molecular Biology, and Engineering are among the most popular concentrations, and programs like the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) are considered best-in-class nationally. For international students, Princeton is one of the rare U.S. institutions that is fully need-blind for non-citizens and meets 100% of demonstrated need with grants instead of loans — the same policy it applies to U.S. students. Roughly 2,100 international students from more than 140 countries make up about 23% of total enrollment (around 14% of undergraduates and 42% of graduate students), supported by the Davis International Center, a dedicated pre-orientation program, and a four-year on-campus housing guarantee. The combination of world-class academics, a small undergraduate body, a robust tradition of independent work, and tuition that often costs less than in-state public university for aid-eligible families makes Princeton one of the most sought-after schools in American higher education.