Harvard University and the University of Cambridge are two of the most prestigious institutions in the world. Harvard University ranks among the Ivy Leagues in USA while Cambridge University is part of the Golden Triangle of UK universities.
| Harvard University | University of Cambridge | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 10 Out of 10 | 9 Out of 10 | ||||||||||||||
| ranking (overall) | # 3 US News 2024 # 4 Times Higher Education 2024 # 4 QS World University 2024 | # 2 QS World University 2024 # 5 Times Higher Education 2024 # 2 QS World University 2023 | ||||||||||||||
| Subject Strength | # 1 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2024 # 1 for Medicine by US News 2024 # 1 for Law by Times Higher Education 2024 | # 5 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2024 # 3 for Medicine by Times Higher Education 2023 # 3 for Law by Times Higher Education 2024 | ||||||||||||||
| Programs | UG Programs -40 PG Programs -58 Doctorate Programs -8 | UG Programs -27 PG Programs -99 Doctorate Programs -91 | ||||||||||||||
| Acceptance Rate | 5.6 % | 0.0 % | ||||||||||||||
| Exam Score | GMAT - 620 GRE updated - 326 IELTS - 6.5 SAT - 1460 TOEFL - 90 | GMAT - 690 IELTS - 7.5 SAT - 990 TOEFL - 110 | ||||||||||||||
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 52659 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 18600 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 31689 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 30673 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 44645 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 670 Per Year | ||||||||||||||
| placement (average package) | Harvard University is one of the top private universities in Cambridge, United States. It is ranked #5 in QS World University Rankings 2023 and ranked #1 in US UNI. Other Degree: $200,000 Doctorate: $190,000 Executive Masters: $172,000 MBA: $168,000 Executive MBA: $160,000 LLM: $152,000 | University of Cambridge is one of the top public universities in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is ranked #2 in QS World University Rankings 2023.
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| application requirements | Teacher Evaluation forms (as additional LORs); Sample of academic work, potfolio, music recordings, art work, etc (supplementary documents); IELTS/TOEFL; Standardized test scores | Academic Transcripts; Cambridge Online Preliminary Application (for UG applicants); Proof of English language proficiency; Interviews; subject-specific written admission assessment; 1-2 References; Personal Statement; Resume; Standardized test scores (GRE, etc.) | ||||||||||||||
| Campuses and B-Schools | Harvard Law School Harvard Extension School Harvard Kennedy School Harvard Business School | Cambridge Judge Business School | ||||||||||||||
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.3/10 Read 4 reviews | 7.4/10 Read 4 reviews |
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| General Facts | Harvard University | University of Cambridge |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1636 | 1209 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 0:1 |
| Male:Female | 52% Male, 48% Female | 0% Male, 0% Female |
| Location Facts | Harvard Yard: Campus’s historic hub, Harvard Square: Campus’s personal hagout destination with restaurants, cafe, bookstores, theater, shops. Well connected to the local neighborhood of Boston by public transport, the campus traverses the Charles River to near by Allston. | Located in Cambridge, UK; 50 miles north of London, in the center of Cambridge city. |
| Library | Largest academic library in the world. 20.4 million volumes, 400 million manuscript items, 180,000 serial titles. The library offers various grants and fellowships for both students and faculty. | Cambridge University Library is over 600 years old and is one of the largest legal deposit libraries in the world. There are a total of 100 faculty and college libraries across the departments in the university. The libraries hold over 8 million books, journals, and other items. It is one of the largest collections on open shelves in Europe. In 2010, with a generous donation of around 1.5 million GBP, the digitizing of some of the library collections was started. |
| Campus Life | Students from over 50 states and 80 countries are offered assistance by over 400 official student organization. The campus has its own museum, radio station, magazine and newspaper. Along with student clubs for Aikikai, archery, dance, theatre/drama, music, etc, campus also offers cultural & racial initiatives, asian student centric-projects, etc. Varsity sports, crimson pride and various atheletic teams. | The campus offers University of Cambridge Library; nine specialist museums; extensive welfare services; over 60 sports; language center; 500+ student clubs; King’s College Chapel; Cavendish Laboratory; Cambridge University Press. |
| Hostel | #Medium Single - $10404 #Large Single - $13248 #Standard Single - $8037 | #Living Expenses--Per Week - $170 |
| Famous Alumni | Eight US Presidents, 62 living billionaires, 242 Marshall Scholars, 359 Rhodes scholars. Barak Obama (ex-president of USA), Michelle Obama (Former First Lady of USA), Mark Zuckerberg, Natalie Portman (Actress), Bill Gates, Conan O’ Brien (comedian writer), Al Gore (Winner-Peace Prize), Matt Damon (Actor), Helen Keller, Subramaniam Swami (Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha) | 20 Nobel Laureates; 11 field medalists; 7 Tiring Award winners; 194 Olympic medals; Sir Issac Newton; Srinivasa Ramanujan (Indian Mathematician); Stephen Hawking; Rajiv Gandhi (Former Prime Minister of India); Eddie Redmayne (Actor), etc. |
| City Life | Cambridge- city in Massachusetts; home to a huge student community; city offers a great nightlife with gastropubs, live music, and cocktail bars. Boston’s cosmopolitan excitement is bus-ride away. Average salaries offered within the state are up to 97,5000 USD; Famous tourist attractions: Charles River, Harvard Square, Mount Auburn Cemetery, MIT Museum, CambrdgeSide, John Harvard Statue, Sanders Theatre; Unemployment rate- 3.2% | The city of Cambridge offers Folk festivals, food festivals, and diverse cultural festivals. The unemployment rate of the city is as low as 2.6%. The city has a buzzing nightlife, a variety of art venues, museums, cinemas, parks, and tourist attractions. |
| Weather |
Both institutions rank among the top 10 universities abroad according to various ranking agencies. According to QS, Harvard University ranks #3 while Cambridge ranks a #7 for the 2020 World University Rankings. On the other hand, according to THE World University Rankings 2020, Harvard ranks at #7 while Cambridge at #3.
The acceptance rate for students at Harvard University (5%) is less as compared to the University of Cambridge (15%). However, this does not mean that the admissions are easy at the two institutions.
- Although there are no minimum requirements for admissions at Harvard University, the average score among the applicant pool usually lies quite high with over 80%.
- Coming to the eligibility criteria for admissions at the University of Cambridge, students require a minimum of 90% in 12th for undergraduate admission while an upper second class (2:1) honors degree from UK or equivalent international degree (with 60-70%) for PG admissions.
- The minimum English proficiency scores at the University of Cambridge are also higher with a minimum of 7.5 in IELTS and 110 in TOEFL-iBT. On the other hand, Harvard University requires a minimum score of 7.5 in IELTS and 80 in TOEFL-iBT.
- Harvard University also requires students to submit scores of standardized tests to study in USA such as SAT/ ACT/ GRE/ GMAT. However, international students at the University of Cambridge do not have such requirements (however, GRE scores for doctorate admissions are required).
Although the minimum score requirements at the University of Cambridge are quite high, the selection criteria is more stringent for admission to Harvard University.
Talking about the cost of studying, Harvard University has much lower expenses as compared to the University of Cambridge. However, the average living expenses in UK are 6.5% less than that of USA.
Harvard University had an investment of over 613 million USD for scholarships and bursaries while the University of Cambridge had an investment of over 765 million USD.
The only major differences between these two universities are:
- Teaching style at Harvard University uses lectures and seminars while the University of Cambridge focuses more on 1:1 teaching.
- Exams at the University of Cambridge are conducted at the end of each year while Harvard University has more of a continuous assessment.
- Harvard Business School ranks #1 for MBA rankings according to Financial Times (2020).
- Engineering and Computer Science rankings for the University of Cambridge is better than Harvard Univerity.
- Harvard University rankings for Arts & Humanities, Law are better than the University of Cambridge.
The University of Cambridge has more students enrolled than Harvard University. If the acceptance rate at Harvard University is less, the cost of studying is higher at the University of Cambridge. Although it quite difficult for the students to choose between the two universities, students can choose a better university based on the rankings for specific courses.
