Study In Style
Perhaps this is shallow, but we think that aesthetics are one of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a university. Sure, academic rankings and course offerings may be more important on a practical level, but a nice view while you study never hurt anyone. Here are 20 universities that are so beautiful we can hardly believe they exist.
1. Flagler College
Located in St Augustine, Florida, Flagler College first opened as a hotel in 1888. Eighty years later, this beautiful building got a new lease on life as a liberal arts university. In addition to stunning seaside scenery, the main building features Spanish Revival architecture and Tiffany stained glass
2. Trinity College, Dublin
The library at Trinity College is one of the most beautiful in the world, but the rest of the campus is equally jaw-dropping. Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I, Trinity is made up of 25 different schools, each with their own unique style. Between the historic architecture, cobblestone walkways, and lush green lawns, students feel transported back hundreds of years.
3. University Of Bologna
Founded all the way back in 1088, this Italian school holds the record for the oldest university in continuous operation. The university features frescoes by early-Baroque masters, an idyllic botanical garden, and Renaissance architecture. In case students are interested in extra-curricular learning, the campus also includes 15 museums on subjects as diverse as anthropology to astronomy.
4. Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University in Colwood, Canada may be familiar as the Xavier Institute in the X-Men franchise. Centered around a real-life castle, Royal Roads also features breathtaking views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and some of the best Japanese-style gardens outside of Asia. If it's good enough for the X-Men, it's certainly good enough for us!
Smably at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia
5. University Of Edinburgh
Founded in the 16th century, the University of Edinburgh is among the oldest institutions in the Anglosphere. The university's neo-Gothic architecture cemented it as a symbol of the Scottish Enlightenment, connecting Edinburgh's Old and New Towns. Unsurprisingly, this is one of the top universities for architecture in the UK.
6. University Of Oxford
The oldest university in the Anglosphere (founded in 1096!), regularly ranked as one of the best universities worldwide, and gorgeous to boot? The University of Oxford really has it all. Oxford's ancient architecture practically wrote the book for the Collegiate Gothic style dominating American campuses.
7. University Of California, Los Angeles
Perhaps UCLA is a left-field choice considering California also boats the iconic campuses of Stanford and Pepperdine, but UCLA has plenty to gawk about too. For example, the oft-Instagrammed Royce Hall pays homage to an Italian basilica nearly a thousand years old. For a reference closer to home, the Moorish elements of Powell Library reflect California's Spanish settlement.
8. University Of Toronto
Located in the heart of Canada's largest city, the University of Toronto is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Mixing Romanesque, Norman, and Gothic Revival architecture, it's hard to believe this school isn't located in England. The draping ivy, green space, and glowing glass make for one Instagrammable school.
9. Harvard University
Surely Harvard needs no introduction; the oldest American university frequently tops lists for both brains and beauty. A stroll across campus takes you through 300 years of architectural innovation without breaking a sweat. Not just a pretty face, Harvard also houses the largest academic library in the world with an estimated 400 million manuscripts.
10. University Of Salamanca
The third oldest uni in the world (behind Bologna and Oxford) the University of Salamanca is a visual feast. The Medieval campuses features a blend of architectural styles, 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, imposing sandstone facades, and giant statues of the school's found. As if that weren't enough, there are also whispers of witchcraft connections in the form of a crypt where the devil himself taught black magic.
11. University Of Sydney
The oldest university in Oceania, the University of Sydney's sprawling campus is home to some of the world's finest sandstone architecture. The stunning orange buildings seem designed to catch the scorching Australian sun right at golden hour for that perfect dusky glow. USyd also features the Graffiti Tunnel, a protest-monument to the Vietnam War turned collaborative art space.
12. Queen's University
Queen's University in Kingston, Canada was modeled on the ornate limestone architecture of the University of Edinburgh, and seamlessly blends modernity with tradition. Blending Victorian Romanesque-buildings with Cold War-era Brutalism, the campus on Queen's is one of a kind. The shining backdrop of Lake Ontario doesn't hurt either.
13. Princeton University
Few universities succeed in truly replicating the Old English feel of Oxford and Cambridge, but Princeton University in New Jersey does. A shining example of Collegiate Gothic, Princeton's campus could be dropped anywhere in the UK and feel perfectly in place. Princeton is also known for its natural beauty with verdant lawns and secret gardens.
14. Tsinghua University
Founded in 1925 on the site of the former imperial gardens, Tsinghua University in Beijing is one of the most beautiful schools in Asia. Like the University of Toronto, Tsinghua is a breath of fresh air in a major metropolis. The wide cobbled walkways, lotus ponds, and sculpture gardens bring a bit of classical flair to the modern era.
15. University Of Coimbra
Another medieval institution, this Portuguese school played a crucial role in western expansion by training explorers and navigators for journeys to the New World. Several of the buildings are former royal residences from when Coimbra was the official capital, and the whole campus has a regal air. Something that sets Coimbra apart from the competition is its official Academic Prison, which is exactly what is sounds like.
16. Salve Regina University
Fans of HBO's The Gilded Age shouldn't miss a tour of Rhode Island's Salve Regina University. Sprawling over seven Gilded Age "cottages" in Newport, Salve Regina's campus combines historical preservation with modern educational needs. Students who need a breather from academics can take a stroll around the tide pools and cliff walks of the Atlantic.
Kenneth C. Zirkel on Wikimedia
17. University Of Otago
Looming over New Zealand's oldest university is the Otago Clocktower. Located in Dunedin, the University of Otago has over 100 thousand acres of pastoral campus, just minutes from the sea. With its gothic architecture, beaches, and penchant for extreme sports, this school is a tourism commercial for NZ in itself.
18. Shoolini University
Nestled in the imposing Himalaya mountains, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences in Himachal Pradesh, India is one of the newest schools on the list. It's also one of the greenest, and we aren't just talking about the view. Terraced directly into the mountain, this campus produces twice as much energy as it consumes—fitting for a school focusing on innovation and sustainability.
19. Cambridge University
In addition to winning the most Nobel Prizes in the world—90 total—Cambridge University is also one of the most gorgeous universities in the world. With buildings ranching from Medieval monasteries to Victorian observatories, Cambridge is home to the best of the best when it comes to British architecture.
20. Hong Kong University Of Science And Technology
Older doesn't necessarily mean better in the case of this university. Founded in 1991, the Hong Kong University of Science And Technology was carved into the hillside of Clear Water Bay. Clustered around the central crescent-shaped central building, this seafront campus is resplendent in uniform white.
