Harvard University Overview
Harvard, founded in 1636, is the oldest university in the US and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious universities globally. The university was named after its first benefactor, John Harvard, who, upon his death in 1638, left his library and half of his estate to the school.
Harvard is a private Ivy League institution that has connections to over 45 Nobel laureates, more than 30 heads of state, and 48 Pulitzer Prize winners. It boasts a remarkable alumni network with more than 323,000 living alumni, including over 271,000 in the United States and nearly 52,000 across 201 other countries. Thirteen U.S. presidents have received honorary degrees from Harvard, the most recent being awarded to John F. Kennedy in 1956.
Several faculty members have won Nobel Prizes in recent years, such as chemist Martin Karplus and economist Alvin Roth. Harvard alumni who have received this honor include former U.S. vice president Al Gore (who won the Peace Prize in 2007) and poet Seamus Heaney, who was a professor at the university from 1981 to 1997.
Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard’s 5,000-acre campus is home to 12 degree-granting schools, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, two theaters, and five museums. It also houses the largest academic library in the world, with 20.4 million volumes, 180,000 serial titles, approximately 400 million manuscript items, 10 million photographs, 124 million archived web pages, and 5.4 terabytes of born-digital archives and manuscripts.
With over 400 student organizations and a medical school connected to 10 hospitals, Harvard is a hub of academic and social life. The university enjoys one of the largest financial endowments in the world, generating $1.5 billion in the fiscal year ending June 2013, making up more than a third of its total operating revenue.
Harvard’s official color, crimson, was adopted following a vote in 1910. The color was chosen after two student rowers gave crimson scarves to their teammates during a 1858 regatta to help spectators distinguish the Harvard team
Rankings:
Harvard University is consistently ranked highly in various fields. As of 2025, it holds the following positions:
- Overall: 3rd in the World University Rankings
- Arts and Humanities: 5th
- Business and Economics: 7th
- Clinical Health: 2nd
- Computer Science: 10th
- Education Studies: 5th
- Engineering: 1st
- Law: 2nd
- Life Sciences: 1st
- Physical Sciences: 2nd (tied)
- Psychology: 4th
- Social Sciences: 4th
Additional Rankings:
- Overall: 97.7
- Teaching: 97.3
- Research Environment: 99.9
- Research Quality: 99.3
- Industry: 85.7
- International Outlook: 90.1
Student Statistics:
- Gender Ratio: 52% Female, 48% Male
- International Students: 25%
- Students per Staff: 10
- Total Enrollment: 22,584 students
Subjects Offered at Harvard University:
- Arts and Humanities: Archaeology, Architecture, Art, Performing Art and Design, History, Philosophy, and Theology, Languages, Literature, and Linguistics
- Business and Economics: Accounting, Finance, Business Management, Economics
- Computer Science
- Education Studies
- Engineering: Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, and Aerospace
- Law
- Life Sciences: Agriculture, Biological Sciences
- Medical and Health
- Physical Sciences: Chemistry, Geology, Environmental, Earth, and Marine Sciences, Mathematics, Physics
- Psychology
- Social Sciences: Communication and Media Studies, Geography, Politics, Sociology
Harvard University’s campus and reputation make it one of the most renowned educational institutions worldwide, offering exceptional opportunities for students, faculty, and alumni.