Top 21 Best College Websites and Why They Stand out

Consider a typical college’s website for a moment. It’s likely a little out of date. You’re probably not able to read it on your phone without a lot of pinching and zooming.

The good news is that this issue does not affect all colleges. There are many schools with beautiful, helpful, and user-friendly websites; you just have to know where to look.

A college website must attract and educate current and prospective students, as well as their families, alumni, professors, and donors. It must be user-friendly, provide value to various personas, and direct visitors to other parts of the site. It should be visually appealing as well because it serves as the campus’s virtual entrance.

We’ve decided to highlight the best of the best college websites for students below. Check them out and discover what makes their web design so brilliant.

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Why Are College Websites Important?

The website of a university is the single most influential resource used by prospective students when searching for a higher education institution. That means your college website is extremely important.

A university website must meet the wants of a large number of people. Every website must provide important information to current students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni. At the same time, a college’s website should encourage new students and donors while also assisting in the recruitment of staff.

College websites must be kept up to date with upcoming events, announcements, and information on classes, majors, and programs to meet these goals.

Overall, a university website must attract and inform users by providing relevant, timely, and engaging content that is tailored to a variety of users, which is no easy task!

Features The Best College Websites Should Have?

The best college websites for students should have most or all of the following features:

Programs of Study

First and foremost, you should talk about your educational programs. If you have a large number of academic departments, we recommend including a navigation system to help you find what you’re looking for. These can be placed on a page or in the top navigation bar as a mega menu.

Academic Courses

Aside from academic degrees, listing the individual courses available at your university is also a good idea. These are useful for prospective students who want to compare your programs to those of other universities.

Profiles of Teachers and Staff

Adding profiles of your professors, researchers, and other staff is a simple way to give your website some personality. It’s also a great way to highlight your top employees’ expertise and accolades.

Highlight the Campus

Is your university’s campus known for its convenient location or natural beauty? If so, share it through videos, photos, guided tours, and other media.

Statistics

Financial and employment statistics are also important these days. How many of your university graduates get jobs after they graduate?

How many students receive financial aid? As tuition rates rise, you must convince students that attending your university is a good financial investment.

Student Interactive Learning

Social proof is an excellent method of marketing your university. Share the experiences of your current and former students through videos, photos, interviews, and other content.

Input a Registration Form

Finally, include a method for students to register for courses and/or learn more about your university.

While the specifics will vary depending on your school’s structure, it is critical to include at least one method for potential students to contact you.

Check this out: 20 Best Online Tutoring Websites In 2022

Overview Of The Best College Websites For Students

Here’s an overview of the best college websites for students we’ll be discussing. They include:

• #1. Rice University
• #2. Kenyon College
• #3. Cornell University
• #4. Mcgill University
• #5. University Of Western Washington
• #6. University Of Pittsburgh At Bradford
• #7. Loyola University Maryland
• #8. Northwestern University
• #9. University Of Arizona
• #10. University Of Oxford
• #11. Stanford University
• #12. University Of Notre Dame
• #13. University Of Pennsylvania
• #14. The University Of North Texas At Dallas
• #15. Rhode Island School Of Design Alumni
• #16. University Of British Columbia
• #17. Oberlin College And Conservatory
• #18 Georgetown University
• #19 The University Of Texas At Austin
• #20 Morehouse College
• #21 Bucknell University

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Top 21 Best College Websites For Students And Why They Stand Out

#1 Rice University                                                                 

Rice University is named one of the best college websites because of its streamlined main menu and interactive virtual tour.

The University, located in Houston, Texas, is a private research University. With a student-faculty ratio of 6:1, Rice is known for its high level of research as well as its strong academic reputation.

The Rice website promotes upcoming events as well as statistics about the university’s rankings and student body.

Here are the standout features of the Rice University website:

• The site is a fun twist on the typical virtual tour, with an unexpected layout that is still easy to use and clever use of illustration rather than photography.
• The main menu expands to fill the entire screen, leaving the main homepage uncluttered while still providing a comprehensive menu that directs visitors to important site pages.
• Rice University has a comprehensive COVID monitoring sub-site with information for students, faculty, and staff, including testing locations, policies, and more.

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#2 Kenyon College

Because of its unique homepage layout and concise menu, Kenyon College has one of the best college websites. Kenyon College, located in Gambier, Ohio, is a small private liberal arts college. Although Kenyon has only 1,660 students, its website’s unique and streamlined design puts its head and shoulders above the sites of many larger schools. Their website was even recognized as a Webby Award winner this year.

Here are the standout features of Kenyon College:

• Their homepage is bold and minimalist, with a notable quote and a unique birds’-eye image perspective.
• The menu is brief but visually appealing, with multiple subcategories and a handy search function.
• Rather than serving as a dumping ground for links, Kenyon’s website footer is thoughtfully designed with plenty of white space to let the images and links breathe.

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#3 Cornell University

Cornell University’s website is one of the best college websites because of its user-friendly features and simple menu.

The University, located in Ithaca, New York, is a private Ivy League university with seven undergraduate colleges and seven graduate divisions.

As a land-grant university, Cornell’s website emphasizes research while also providing important admissions and academic information to current and prospective students.

Here are the standout features of Cornell’s website:

• A college website that is truly open to all? Cornell is a strong contender for the honor. They use vibrant and bold colors that meet the contrast level requirements for accessibility. Their images include concise and accurate alternative text.
• Their excellent mega menu crams a lot of important information into their homepage while remaining simple and easy to use.
• Cornell’s content has a friendly tone, and they use pronouns like ‘you’ and ‘your’ to engage visitors.
• The icing on the cake of this engaging college website is an up-to-date events calendar and powerful imagery.

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#4 McGill University

McGill University is on this list of the best college websites for students due to its clean, minimalist homepage and empowering Call To Actions (CTAs). It’s frequently ranked as one of Canada’s top universities.

International students make up 30.5 percent of the student body, making this college a truly global university. With student profiles, the university’s website reflects its global focus and commitment to diversity.

Here are the standout features of McGill University’s web design:

• McGill’s homepage is clean and minimalist, but it still provides users with important information.
• Did you notice the empowering call to action (CTA) ‘Choose your program’? It’s simple and it incorporates prospective students into the university’s success story.
• Throughout their site, they use real images and videos, with their powerful ‘Made by McGill Anthem’ video taking center stage on their homepage.

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#5 University of Western Washington

Western Washington University is the northernmost university that can be found in the contiguous United States. It’s consistently ranked as one of the West’s best public universities.

The university’s design department provides graduate students with the opportunity to broaden their skill sets through a holistic approach. Its website is interactive, which helps to inform and engage visitors.

Here are the standout features of the Western Washington University (WWU) web design:

• This school’s creative homepage hero allows users to use their mouse to move and position design imagery around the page. This perfectly reflects their values and mission and engages prospective students.
• They highlight the impact of donations by including images and details about what users’ money is used for under their ‘Give’ CTA.
• The conversational and friendly tone of voice of the University Of Western Washington Department Of Design draws users in and makes them want to read every last word of their content.

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#6 University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford is the University of Pittsburgh’s regional campus.

This school, nestled among the Allegheny Mountains, offers 115 academic programs to its 1,500 students.

With a carousel of homepage images, their website highlights the variety of outdoor activities available. It gives prospective students an idea of what life at the university is like.

Here are the standout features of the University of Pittsburgh’s web design :

• The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s engaging homepage hero includes a powerful student quote and the message ‘all are welcome here.’
• Their ‘Virtually Visit’ page demonstrates how they are adapting in response to current events to meet the needs of their users.
• They provide clear user pathways from their main menu to relevant subpages and resources for students, parents, faculty, alumni, and the community.

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#7. Loyola University Maryland

Because of its engaging hero image and clear user pathways, Loyola University Maryland is one of the best college websites for students.

Loyola University Maryland, located in Baltimore, is one of the country’s oldest Jesuit institutions. The Loyola Maryland website promotes the school’s Catholic values while also providing prospective students and donors with a wealth of information and opportunities.

Here are the standout features of Loyola’s web design:

• Loyola’s awesome hero image has a ‘Ready’ CTA that empower prospective students right away.
• Additionally, with each refresh, a new and engaging hero image appears, keeping the homepage fresh and interesting.
• For those interested in undergrad, graduate, or continuing education studies, Loyola offers clear user pathways directly from the homepage.

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#8 Northwestern University

Northwestern’s website stands out as one of the best college websites because of its use of bold images, a mega menu, and strong positioning. The University of Northwestern is well-known for its journalism, management, and music schools. It’s one of the most prestigious schools in the world. Its website emphasizes not only the school’s prominent research focus but also its dedication to cultivating a diverse, inclusive, global community.

Here are the standout features of Northwestern’s web design:

• We admire the school’s homepage hero and its use of bold imagery to tell the success stories of its alumni while also creatively incorporating current events.
• Their mega menu provides users with important information in a straightforward manner, with clear CTAs under each heading.
• Northwestern’s strong commitment to diversity and inclusion is prominently displayed on its homepage, which welcomes students, faculty, and staff from a variety of intellectual, ethnic, economic, and geographic backgrounds.

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#9 University of Arizona

University of Arizona’s website has a friendly tone and easy accessibility. This made it one of the best college websites for students on our list. The University of Arizona is a large public land-grant university in sunny Tucson, Arizona. The University’s website not only covers all of the academic information that prospective students are interested in, but it also provides a comprehensive overview of Tucson’s culture and experience.

Here are the standout features of the University of Arizona’s website:

• The CTA guides users through the site, directing students, parents, alumni, and others to subpages that are relevant and necessary to their needs.
• Their friendly and humorous tone, as well as their use of the pronouns ‘you’ and ‘your,’ make their content enjoyable to read and keep users engaged throughout their site.
• To address accessibility concerns, the school added pause buttons to all background videos.

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#10 University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is the oldest in the English-speaking world, having been in operation since 1096. Oxford’s website appeals to both its student population and a broader audience of individuals interested in research topics.

Here are the standout features of the University of Oxford’s website:

• Oxford assists users in following a clear path as they begin their site journey from the homepage, which includes key pages such as Admissions as well as easy-to-follow subpages.
• The attention-grabbing rotating graphic on their homepage provides recent news and announcements to ensure their users are aware of current events at the university.
• Their site’s imagery is accessible to screen readers.

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#11 Stanford University

Stanford, another prestigious American university, has over 17,000 students. Their campus in Stanford, California, is 8,180 acres in size, making it one of the largest university campuses in the country. Stanford’s website covers many aspects of the school’s mission. This includes events, academics, research, healthcare, campus life, and admissions.

It’s one of the best college websites for students because of its user-friendliness, imagery, and quotes from faculty and students.

Here are the standout features of Stanford University’s web design:

• Stanford’s homepage contains brief sections on each of its popular landing pages, which are covered with real imagery and quotes from faculty and students.
• Each page has its own CTA button which assists users in continuing to explore the site.
• The fixed navigation across the top of the homepage allows easy access to each page and remains at the top of your screen regardless of how far down you scroll.
• Stanford is clearly up to date on current events, with bold links to breaking news stories in California and beyond.

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#12 University of Notre Dame

The University Of Notre Dame, located in South Bend, Indiana, is a Catholic university that serves 8,000 undergraduate students. The university is known for both its football team and its prestigious academics.

Here are the standout features of the University Of Notre Dame’s web design: 

• Notre Dame’s distinct and vibrant colors meet contrast standards, making it another frontrunner for one of the most accessible best college websites.
• Their clearly defined link text informs users exactly where a link will take them.
• Users are reassured by updated imagery from classes and campus life that the school is taking the necessary precautions to protect them in light of current events.
• Users can connect with the school online in a variety of ways, including through links to their YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts.

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#13 University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) was founded by Benjamin Franklin. It’s one of the nine colonial colleges established before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The UPenn website provides a straightforward, clear view of the school’s priorities.

The university’s accessibility, connectable links, and eye-catching imagery made it recognized as one of the best college websites for students.

Here are the standout features of the University of Pennsylvania’s web design:

• When users arrive at UPenn’s homepage, they are greeted by an engaging hero. This hero explains how the university is adjusting to the impact of current events. It also explains how they are assisting faculty and students in succeeding during this unprecedented time.
• When it comes to accessibility, UPenn is another shining example, with no contrasting issues and concise alternative text for linked images, icons, and form labels.
• Users can connect with the school via various online channels, such as Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, by scrolling further down the homepage.

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#14 The University of North Texas at Dallas

UNT Dallas has one of the best college websites because of its use of images and photos, live chat options, and optimized user pathways. UNT Dallas is Dallas’ only public university. The university is ranked first in the state for serving first-generation college students.

Their website features clear CTAs that connect prospective and current students to valuable resources about programs, financial aid, advisors, and DACA.

Here are the standout features of the UNT Dallas’ website:

• They have improved user pathways from the homepage and simpler forms.
• The use of images and photographs by UNT Dallas helps to tell their campus life story, assisting prospective students in getting a sense of the school.
• Visitors are greeted with a live chat feature, which provides a quick way for users to get their questions answered.

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#15 Rhode Island School of Design Alumni

Our list of best college websites for students includes the Rhode Island School of Design Alumni website. This is one of the country’s most prestigious fine arts schools. The alumni website reflects the school’s design-driven mission, showcasing unique and interactive elements that visitors find engaging and attractive.

Here are the standout features of the RISD Alumni website:

• The inventive use of animation, such as the news and events scroll in the middle of the page and the hashtag scroll at the bottom adds interest while also serving a clear and useful purpose.
• The main navigation menu is straightforward but comprehensive, with plenty of alumni resources.
• The stark black and white design is done without being repetitious.

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#16 University of British Columbia

The University Of British Columbia (UBC) is a prestigious Canadian university in Vancouver. The university’s website is simple and clean, with a strong emphasis on campus news and research.

Here are the standout features of UBC’s web design:

• Their site is easy to navigate on a mobile device.
• The hero image is a single, simple CTA that directs the user to a valuable and important topic to the school.
• A quick scroll to the articles below the hero includes large, easy-to-scan titles with brief descriptions to encourage user engagement, as well as relevant and realistic imagery.

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#17 Oberlin College and Conservatory

Oberlin College, in Ohio, has a long history of progressivism and student engagement. The university’s website highlights its diverse academic offerings, which include a music conservatory and a strong liberal arts emphasis.

Here are the standout features of the Oberlin website:

• The engaging homepage video reel highlights various aspects of Oberlin student life.
• The homepage also includes a clear mission statement that informs website visitors about the school’s core values.
• Their dedicated virtual engagement page offers prospective students a variety of live and on-demand virtual content.

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#18 Georgetown University

Georgetown University is a Washington, D.C.-based private research university. This highly selective school is also the country’s oldest Catholic university. The Georgetown website caters to a diverse audience, ranging from students and parents to alumni, faculty, and staff.

Georgetown was added as one of the best college websites because of its effective homepage video and student perspectives.

Here are the standout features of the Georgetown University website:

• The site’s top-level menu addresses different audience members specifically, with clear links guiding users to the information they seek.
• Their homepage video captures various aspects of student life effectively.
• The site also allows students, faculty, and alumni to share their perspectives on what life is like at and after university.

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#19 The University of Texas at Austin

With over 51,000 students, the University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United States. The university’s website features a comprehensive main menu with all of the information prospective students and parents require. A set of four CTA buttons that link to high-demand pages also helps visitors find what they’re looking for. For its eye-catching CTAs and stylish color scheme, UT Austin made our list of best college websites for students.

Here are the standout features of the UT Austin website design:

• The eye-catching CTAs directly beneath the main menu immediately capture visitors’ attention and provide valuable, timely information.
• The burnt orange brand color of Texas is stylishly contrasted with the effective use of white space and bold text.
• The main navigation menu is simplified, with only the words “Explore,” “Apply,” “Afford,” and “Enroll” appearing.

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#20 Morehouse College

Morehouse College is an Atlanta, Georgia-based private historically black men’s college. The school is well-known for its contributions to the civil rights movement in the United States, as well as its active alumni network, known as “Morehouse Men.” Its reveal-on-scroll homepage and effective tagline qualify it to be on every list of best college websites.

Here are the standout features of the Morehouse College website:

• The engaging reveal-on-scroll homepage design keeps you interested as you scroll down the page.
• Using the tagline “More” throughout the page helps to maintain consistency.
• With high-quality portraits and brief profiles, their “We are Morehouse” page effectively showcases many of the school’s notable alumni.

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#21 Bucknell University

Bucknell’s website is designed by Fastspot. It was nominated for the Best Website Redesign at the 2014 Webby Awards. It’s an excellent example of website personalization in action. When you visit their website for the first time, you are greeted with the default, impersonal homepage.

Here are the standout features of Bucknell’s website:

• The website is beautifully designed with high-definition visuals, lots of negative space, and simple navigation.
• Users have the option of customizing the page.

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What Should The Best College Websites Look Like

There are numerous best practices to incorporate into your web design strategy if you want to improve your college or university website. First, you should use your website’s written content, imagery, videos, and CTAs to tell the story of your school and what it stands for.

Then, consider how you can incorporate the following elements of an effective university website design:

Make user paths clear

Conduct user research to find out what your website visitors are looking for. Conduct a website audit and audience review to determine who is using your site so you can take additional steps to understand their specific needs.

Have simple and uncluttered designs

Less is more in this case. Your website should be simple and to the point. Also, keep in mind that white space is your website’s best friend.

Include CTAs that are brief, powerful, and personal.

Your CTAs should be brief and simple to understand.

Content that is accessible.

Check that your site complies with accessibility and compliance laws like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Multimedia

Bring your campus and academic programs to life with virtual tours and videos from faculty and alumni, as well as extensive photo albums of various campus locations and other multimedia elements.

Have consistent branding

Visitors should be able to tell right away that your website belongs to your university. Ensure that your school’s colors and logos are consistent and presented appealingly.

Add mobile-friendly designs.

According to statistics, the average member of the upcoming generation of college students, Gen Z, unlocks their phone 79 times per day (more than any other generation). Your university website must be mobile-optimized to provide the same value to mobile users as it does to computer visitors.

Use personalized communication.

To build a digital connection with students, you should use empowering language, a friendly tone, and pronouns like ‘you,’ ‘us,’ and ‘we.’

How To Create One Of The Best College Websites

To create your college website, you can start by following these simple steps below:

Structure the website

Begin by making a list of all the pages that you need to create. Go old-school by writing the title of each page on post-it notes and sticking them to the wall. That way, you can easily move and rearrange the sub-pages beneath the main pages until they make sense to everyone.

Improve your school’s branding and messaging.

In terms of enrollment marketing, you want your school’s brand to be consistent and recognizable across all digital platforms, as well as any collateral material you create.

Select and use the appropriate images

Hire a professional photographer to capture candid shots of school life. Obtain a release form from anyone who may appear in the photographs. If the school has uniforms or branded apparel, ensure that everyone wears it on photo day. If you must use stock photos, choose ones that appear less posed and more candid.

Make your content

People scan the internet rather than read it. They look at headlines, images, and bullet points. Assume that your visitors’ attention span is that of a goldfish; focus on headlines that can stand alone if no one bothers to read the body copy.

Make sure your website is mobile-friendly

Your target demographic spends more time on their phones than on their computers. Your website must be designed with “mobile first” in mind. Google now only considers your website’s mobile version when determining where you rank on their search engine results page.

Conclusion

Every college websites serve as the hub for all of its marketing efforts. Every parent or student will visit a website at some point, so don’t underestimate the importance of a well-branded website and a great user experience that truly reflects your school’s culture.

Frequently Asked Questions On The Best College Websites And Why They Standout

References

• wpastra.com – 20 Best College and University Websites in 2022
• blog.hubspot.com – 14 of the Best College Websites (And Why They’re So Awesome)
• morweb.org – 15 of the Best College Websites (And Why They’re So Great)
• kanopi.com – The 20 Best College Websites (And What Makes Them Great)
• constantcontact.com – How to Design and Build a School or University Website

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