Thanks for visiting TopUniversities.com today! So that we can show you the most relevant information, please select the option that most closely relates to you.
Thanks for sending your response.
Your input will help us improve your experience.
Thanks for sending your response.
Your input will help us improve your experience.You can close this popup to continue using the website or choose an option below to register in or login.
If you want to study in the US, some of you may be dreaming of spending your free time enjoying all that the lush coast of the country has to offer. And if you want to visit the coast, you’re not short on options – depending on what method you use to measure it, the US has up to 12,479 miles of coastline. Whether you’re a fan of simply forgetting it all and relaxing with a good book, or getting out there and doing some watersports, the following US universities are in a pretty ideal setting for those of you who love being by the sea!
1. University of Miami
A great place to start our journey is sunny Florida, and the private University of Miami is one of the state’s most prestigious universities, ranked 280th in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16. It’s located in Coral Gables, a city just southwest downtown from Miami, which is nicknamed ‘The City Beautiful’ for good reason – it is of course within close proximity to a beach, and also has a number of nature reserves and a butterfly farm. The University of Miami, founded in 1925, also boasts an attractive arboretum and botanical garden on its main campus.
2. University of San Francisco
Heading to California, the private Jesuit University of San Francisco, founded in 1855, is another great option for beach lovers who want to study in the US. The city of San Francisco, located in the north of the state, is known for its laid-back coastal lifestyle, sunny climate and hilly landscape. The university itself is located partly on the historic Lone Mountain hill, giving it the nickname ‘The Hilltop’. As well as being close to the beach, the campus is also ideal for easy access to the city’s iconic tourist attractions, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park and Alcatraz Island.
3. University of Washington
Located around 808 miles north of San Francisco in the city of Seattle, Washington state (not the same as Washington, DC!), the University of Washington is ranked 65th in the world and features one of the world’s most prestigious medical schools, in the worldwide top 20. The university’s campus, situated about four miles north of the city center, has been called one of the most beautiful in the US. As well as having a picturesque quad, the campus offers views of nearby mountain ranges and is ideally located for recreation enthusiasts to explore nearby lakes, parks and beaches.
4. Columbia University
Heading to the other side of the US for the next of our top US universities by the sea, the Big Apple’s Columbia University is currently ranked 22nd in the world and is just one of the many well-respected universities New York City has to offer. Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Columbia University was founded in 1754 and is known for its groundbreaking research in medicine and science, as well as the arts and humanities. This huge, iconic city has 14 miles of beaches and 28,000 acres of parkland, and has been described as the cultural and financial capital of the world.
5. University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Back to California, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is currently ranked 44th in the world and is part of the renowned University of California public university system. Its main campus can be found in the laid-back residential area of La Jolla (Spanish for The Jewel), 12 miles north from the city center of San Diego. La Jolla has some of the area’s most popular beaches and spectacular views, and is ideal for fans of watersports. Although somewhat overlooked compared to the likes of Los Angeles, San Diego has been nicknamed ‘America's Finest City’ for its fantastic sunny weather and extensive beaches.
6. Yale University
More commonly associated with beautiful colonial architecture and lush green spaces, Yale University (ranked 15th in the world) in New Haven, Connecticut, is actually a stone’s throw from a beach. The city’s Lighthouse Point Park is a peaceful place to relax outside of study hours, while the city of New Haven has been described as “large enough to be interesting, yet small enough to be friendly”. Despite being one of the northernmost US universities on this list (along with the University of Washington), it still enjoys hot summers. It’s also in a good position for a trip to New York City during your studies.
7. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)is ranked 27th in the world and currently has around 43,300 students. It received a record number of 119,000 applicants for fall 2016, no doubt attracted by the university’s highly regarded education as well as its position in one of the cultural capitals of the US, with Los Angeles particularly well known for being the center of the American film and television industry. As in San Diego, sunshine is guaranteed pretty much all year round, and there are many beautiful beaches to choose from – with the famous Venice Beach described as “a cultural hub known for its eccentricities”.
Texas A&M University at Galveston is a branch campus of Texas A&M University, which is ranked 159th in the world. The Galveston campus is unique in specializing in marine and maritime programs, offering everything from marine biology to marine systems engineering, making it ideal for students who not only want to study by the sea, but are fascinated by it. Students of the Galveston campus are affectionately known as ‘Sea Aggies’ and share the same benefits as students of the main campus at College Station. Galveston itself is an attractive coastal city with a historic pleasure pier and great beaches, and is located about 40 miles south of the state’s largest city, Houston.
9. University of Chicago
Although not technically located by the sea, Chicago is a good next-best option, since it overlooks the huge Lake Michigan. This means that the University of Chicago, ranked 10th in the latest QS World University Rankings, is still a good choice for beach lovers. North Avenue Beach is considered the premier and most popular beach in the city, while the Promontory Point peninsula offers fantastic views of the city’s skyline and is also popular with swimmers and sunbathers. The university is highly regarded across a wide range of subjects, and is home to around 15,700 students. The city of Chicago itself was ranked joint 30th in the QS Best Student Cities 2016.
10. University of Hawai'i at Mañoa
We couldn’t not include an option from Hawaii! The University of Hawai'i at Mañoa is ranked joint 327th in the latest QS World University Rankings. Hawaii’s location is ideal for those who want to get away from it all – it’s some 2,000 miles away from the southwest coast of the US mainland. The University of Hawai’i is located in the state capital of Honolulu on the Oahu island, with the campus just minutes away from the attractive beachfront town of Waikiki and other attractions. Founded in 1907, the university is the flagship campus of the University of Hawai’i System and offers unique research opportunities and a diverse student community.
The former Assistant Editor of TopUniversities.com, Sabrina wrote and edited articles to guide students from around the world on a wide range of topics. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University and grew up in Staffordshire, UK.
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Views
10 of the Best US Universities by the Sea
Sabrina Collier
Updated Aug 07, 2024Save
Share
Share via
Share this Page
Table of contents
Table of contents
If you want to study in the US, some of you may be dreaming of spending your free time enjoying all that the lush coast of the country has to offer. And if you want to visit the coast, you’re not short on options – depending on what method you use to measure it, the US has up to 12,479 miles of coastline. Whether you’re a fan of simply forgetting it all and relaxing with a good book, or getting out there and doing some watersports, the following US universities are in a pretty ideal setting for those of you who love being by the sea!
1. University of Miami
A great place to start our journey is sunny Florida, and the private University of Miami is one of the state’s most prestigious universities, ranked 280th in the QS World University Rankings® 2015/16. It’s located in Coral Gables, a city just southwest downtown from Miami, which is nicknamed ‘The City Beautiful’ for good reason – it is of course within close proximity to a beach, and also has a number of nature reserves and a butterfly farm. The University of Miami, founded in 1925, also boasts an attractive arboretum and botanical garden on its main campus.
2. University of San Francisco
Heading to California, the private Jesuit University of San Francisco, founded in 1855, is another great option for beach lovers who want to study in the US. The city of San Francisco, located in the north of the state, is known for its laid-back coastal lifestyle, sunny climate and hilly landscape. The university itself is located partly on the historic Lone Mountain hill, giving it the nickname ‘The Hilltop’. As well as being close to the beach, the campus is also ideal for easy access to the city’s iconic tourist attractions, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park and Alcatraz Island.
3. University of Washington
Located around 808 miles north of San Francisco in the city of Seattle, Washington state (not the same as Washington, DC!), the University of Washington is ranked 65th in the world and features one of the world’s most prestigious medical schools, in the worldwide top 20. The university’s campus, situated about four miles north of the city center, has been called one of the most beautiful in the US. As well as having a picturesque quad, the campus offers views of nearby mountain ranges and is ideally located for recreation enthusiasts to explore nearby lakes, parks and beaches.
4. Columbia University
Heading to the other side of the US for the next of our top US universities by the sea, the Big Apple’s Columbia University is currently ranked 22nd in the world and is just one of the many well-respected universities New York City has to offer. Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Columbia University was founded in 1754 and is known for its groundbreaking research in medicine and science, as well as the arts and humanities. This huge, iconic city has 14 miles of beaches and 28,000 acres of parkland, and has been described as the cultural and financial capital of the world.
5. University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Back to California, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) is currently ranked 44th in the world and is part of the renowned University of California public university system. Its main campus can be found in the laid-back residential area of La Jolla (Spanish for The Jewel), 12 miles north from the city center of San Diego. La Jolla has some of the area’s most popular beaches and spectacular views, and is ideal for fans of watersports. Although somewhat overlooked compared to the likes of Los Angeles, San Diego has been nicknamed ‘America's Finest City’ for its fantastic sunny weather and extensive beaches.
6. Yale University
More commonly associated with beautiful colonial architecture and lush green spaces, Yale University (ranked 15th in the world) in New Haven, Connecticut, is actually a stone’s throw from a beach. The city’s Lighthouse Point Park is a peaceful place to relax outside of study hours, while the city of New Haven has been described as “large enough to be interesting, yet small enough to be friendly”. Despite being one of the northernmost US universities on this list (along with the University of Washington), it still enjoys hot summers. It’s also in a good position for a trip to New York City during your studies.
7. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is ranked 27th in the world and currently has around 43,300 students. It received a record number of 119,000 applicants for fall 2016, no doubt attracted by the university’s highly regarded education as well as its position in one of the cultural capitals of the US, with Los Angeles particularly well known for being the center of the American film and television industry. As in San Diego, sunshine is guaranteed pretty much all year round, and there are many beautiful beaches to choose from – with the famous Venice Beach described as “a cultural hub known for its eccentricities”.
Testimonials
8. Texas A&M University at Galveston
Texas A&M University at Galveston is a branch campus of Texas A&M University, which is ranked 159th in the world. The Galveston campus is unique in specializing in marine and maritime programs, offering everything from marine biology to marine systems engineering, making it ideal for students who not only want to study by the sea, but are fascinated by it. Students of the Galveston campus are affectionately known as ‘Sea Aggies’ and share the same benefits as students of the main campus at College Station. Galveston itself is an attractive coastal city with a historic pleasure pier and great beaches, and is located about 40 miles south of the state’s largest city, Houston.
9. University of Chicago
Although not technically located by the sea, Chicago is a good next-best option, since it overlooks the huge Lake Michigan. This means that the University of Chicago, ranked 10th in the latest QS World University Rankings, is still a good choice for beach lovers. North Avenue Beach is considered the premier and most popular beach in the city, while the Promontory Point peninsula offers fantastic views of the city’s skyline and is also popular with swimmers and sunbathers. The university is highly regarded across a wide range of subjects, and is home to around 15,700 students. The city of Chicago itself was ranked joint 30th in the QS Best Student Cities 2016.
10. University of Hawai'i at Mañoa
We couldn’t not include an option from Hawaii! The University of Hawai'i at Mañoa is ranked joint 327th in the latest QS World University Rankings. Hawaii’s location is ideal for those who want to get away from it all – it’s some 2,000 miles away from the southwest coast of the US mainland. The University of Hawai’i is located in the state capital of Honolulu on the Oahu island, with the campus just minutes away from the attractive beachfront town of Waikiki and other attractions. Founded in 1907, the university is the flagship campus of the University of Hawai’i System and offers unique research opportunities and a diverse student community.
+ 49 others
saved this article
+ 50 others saved this article
The former Assistant Editor of TopUniversities.com, Sabrina wrote and edited articles to guide students from around the world on a wide range of topics. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University and grew up in Staffordshire, UK.
Recommended articles Last year
Four compelling reasons to choose Adelaide as your study abroad destination
7 tips to feel at home in a new country
My journey from studying chemistry to developing cutting-edge, sustainable technology