Find Your Perfect School
Most private and public universities and colleges maintain their own university websites that provide web visitors with a wide range of information for current and prospective students and their parents, alumni and investors, and other stakeholders. But not all university websites are created equal, and thus, we compiled a list of the best college website designs.
The Importance of College Website Design
Did you know that about 94% of first impressions from website visitors are related to web design? The best college websites attract prospective students because of their easy navigation, attractive visual design, and substantive, interactive, and informative content, among other elements.
But the best university websites aren’t just for attracting new students either! Every university or college website is an integral part of its core identity – think of it as the online extension of its physical campus and its virtual front door through which current and prospective students enter. Indeed, excellent web design hooks visitors and then enables them to get the valuable information they need, whether it’s stories of student life or financial aid options.
With that said, here are the reasons why college and university websites are crucial in the success of the best colleges and universities, as well as the success of their students.
Build Institutional Trust In Current and Potential Students
On the part of an educational institution, their college website is an excellent tool in building trust among their current and prospective students, among other individuals and institutions. The best college websites provide reliable, relevant, and credible information that web visitors can check with third-party verifications, if necessary.
Serve as an Effective Marketing Tool
Yet another reason why educational institutions place a premium on website design in their respective college websites is their effectiveness as marketing tools! Current and prospective students, alumni and investors, and stakeholders use college websites and their social media pages for validation – and that’s definitely where excellent marketing strategies come in.
Get the Word Out
By extension, an educational website is among the primary sources for brand awareness! Every college website worth its salt, so to speak, showcases the educational institution, generates awareness of its brand, and strengthens its reputation – and in a 24/7 mode, too.
Serve as an Evaluation Tool
College websites also increase conversion, meaning the more time prospective students and their parents spend on a college website and the more useful information they get, the more likely they will choose the educational institution.
These educational websites also allow for effective and efficient measurement of return on investment, such as the number of web visitors and the time spent on the college website.
Indeed, the best college websites aren’t just for show – these provide crucial information for institutions of higher education! With thousands of competitors, they must step up their game, and it includes using college websites to spread the word, among other purposes.
Influence Students’ Application Decisions
Domestic and international students examine university websites as part of their application decision-making for many reasons. Campus visits may not be possible, such as due to geographical distance and financial resources, so getting helpful information from a college website makes sense. There’s also the fact that potential students from the younger generations are most likely to use college websites for information about academic programs, contact information for the admissions office, and the like.
Serve as the First Contact Point for Students
Students and their parents consider university websites as their first point of contact because of their ease of access and convenience. This is true even for legacy students – a college website enables them to perform research on matters that their parents may not know due to the changes in the campus, academic programs, and other aspects.
Act as a Virtual Counselor
If you’re a prospective student, you will appreciate the seamless website experience that the best college websites offer. You can judge a college website for its student support services for both current and prospective students, such as the chatbots, contact information and request for information form, and admissions information.
Showcase Campus Culture and Identity
The best college websites highlight the uniqueness of campus culture, from building locations to events calendar involving student life, academic programs, and college traditions. Prospective students can make an initial determination of whether the campus culture is to their liking or not – the differences between a small, rural campus and a large, urban campus can make or break your decision. The campus tour on a college website can give you a general idea of the campus culture.
Allow Students to Make Virtual Visits
And the beauty of a well-design college website with a virtual campus tour is that prospective students can take and retake the tours! Furthermore, the best college websites allow potential students to take “tours” of the academic departments and, thus, allow them to expand their horizons beyond what they’ve been planning to pursue in college.
Colleges and Universities with the Best Website Designs
Oberlin College and Conservatory
Location: Oberlin, Ohio
The best website is that of the Oberlin College and Conservatory, a liberal arts college and conservatory of music known for its progressive student activism. The diverse academic programs include English, biology, and politics, and the Conservatory of Music is known for its selective admission.
Why Its College Website Rocks:
The homepage for the college website features a compelling video reel that highlights the campus’ beauty and extensive opportunities for memorable student life experiences. The quick links to the College of Arts and Sciences, Conservatory of Music, and Admissions Information enable students to access information quickly. There’s even a live classical music soundtrack that makes the homepage such a great introduction to Oberlin College.
Rhode Island School of Design
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
The Rhode Island School of Design and Brown University are affiliated and offer quality education via their dual degree programs for undergraduate and graduate students. As a premier design school, it’s no wonder that the Rhode Island School of Design’s university website is among the best, not to mention that many of the most successful American artists earned their degrees here.
Why Its College Website Rocks:
The Rhode Island School of Design’s college website features the best student-created artworks, and such a focus is the best argument for prospective students to apply! The school’s homepage has plenty of compelling images that highlight visual design, while its easy-to-navigate pages provide helpful information quickly. There are also campus events and other recent news that highlight RSID’s success with its mission and vision.
University of Notre Dame
Location: Notre Dame, Indiana
Known for its exceptional residential campus life, Notre Dame boasts more than 30 residence halls with unique traditions, events, and intramural teams. The private Catholic research university also has among the largest endowments among universities in the United States – more than $20 billion in 2022!
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Notre Dame’s website highlights its long-standing association with the Roman Catholic Church with an emphasis on its values of faith and service. Created in-house, the university website welcomes visitors with compelling high-definition images, responsive design, and interactive content, as well as simple yet intuitive navigation.
The link texts are clear and concise and direct visitors to the information they want, whether it’s for campus life or admissions. The content, including their images, is updated to reflect campus news. Social media links are prominent, too, which allows students to make school online connections on other platforms.
George Washington University
Location: Washington D.C.
The largest higher education institution in Washington D.C., George Washington University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs to a 26,500-strong student population. Students enjoy a dynamic campus life with extensive life programs, Greek organizations, and a full events calendar.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
GWU’s university website also features a compelling video reel on its homepage that serves as a virtual tour of the college campus and campus life. There are also visually stunning interactive maps that provide prospective students with close views of the two main campuses, as well as their distance to city landmarks. The video background is a fitting introduction to the rest of the equally engaging content, including recent news – and we love that the entire university website has a professional look and feel to it, too.
University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
UPenn, a private Ivy League research university, is known for its world-class quality education through its diverse undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Academic flexibility, interdisciplinary teaching and learning, and One University policy are among its hallmarks as an institution of higher education.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
UPenn’s university website has a user-friendly layout that makes it fast and easy for users to access the right pages, whether it’s for the Campus & Community pages or the Arts, Humanities & Social Science page. The accessibility factor is complemented by the no-clutter layout, quick links to its social media pages, and concise alternative texts for its links.
Bucknell University
Location: Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Known for being a Hidden Ivy, Bucknell University consists of three schools that offer academic programs in the arts, humanities, and engineering, among others. The liberal arts college also offers programs in preparation for law and medicine studies.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Among the recognitions for Bucknell’s website is the Best Website Redesign nomination at the 2014 Webby’s, and it was recognized for its brilliant personalization options. The homepage features white space, user-friendly navigation, and high-definition images, as well as the effective use of responsive tiles.
Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
There’s no need for an introduction to the prestigious university that Harvard has become since its founding in 1636 – and it’s the oldest higher education institution in the United States, too! The private Ivy League research university has remained true to its core mission of unparalleled teaching, research, and learning for humanity’s betterment.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Such a passion for excellence extends to the university website with its emphasis on dynamic content that reflects contemporary issues, research projects, and university achievements. The clean website design makes for a clutter-free user experience, with the menu bar located at the rightmost portion, and it’s complemented by well-defined pages and links.
Stanford University
Location: Stanford, California
Yet another prestigious university with a standout website design on its university website is Stanford University, a private research university with a 17,000-strong student population. Entrepreneurship is among its most vital points, with many of the world’s prominent companies started here or established by its alumni.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Stanford was where the Internet’s original design was undertaken, so it’s no surprise that it has one of the best university websites! Cardinal being Stanford’s color, it’s the backdrop for all the pages. The university website is also a goldmine of information, with the homepage featuring brief sections for its landing pages, an events calendar, and call-to-action buttons. Students and groups can also make their own university websites using Stanford Sites.
Princeton University
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, also a private Ivy League research university, has a solid liberal arts curriculum and an academic integrity policy that encourages accountability among students. The academic programs allow students to choose from numerous concentrations or create a personalized interdisciplinary program of study.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Orange being Princeton’s school color, ties the university website’s pages but in a subtle manner. We love the compelling content that reflects Princeton’s commitment to the service of humanity, quality education, and impactful research. The One Community page highlights the Tigers’ student life and campus life, too, and makes for a compelling introduction to potential students.
Brown University
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Also a member of the Ivy League, Brown University is also known for its impressive success in the entrepreneurial field, with many of its alumni among the founders of start-ups and businesses featured in business magazines and websites. It’s innovative and unique Open Curriculum allows students to create their own programs of study based on their interests and goals.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
While Brown University’s website features plenty of photos, these lead the eyes to the featured content itself – the articles, for example – resulting in a more compelling read. Every featured content showcases the university’s rich history, research contributions, and programs and services for current and potential students. The user experience is among the best with its clutter-free website design, particularly a professional look, and feel.
Georgetown University
Location: Washington, D.C,
With its nine schools, multiple campuses, and an affiliated hospital, Georgetown University is known for its law program and international affairs programs. While it has strong Jesuit education traditions, the prestigious university provides its students with well-rounded learning experiences through exposure to diverse fields and faiths.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Georgetown has one of the best college websites because of the Goldilocks balance in its content – the information in its top-level menu appeals to the general audience. At the same time, the landing pages answer questions from specific audiences. The homepage video highlights campus life, while the pages enable visitors/users to explore academic and research opportunities, support services, and statistics. The use of bold titles and headlines, and fascinating graphics contributes to the creative website design.
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
Location: Bradford, Pennsylvania
Pitt-Bradford is known for being a green campus, and thus, it’s among the best regional colleges to earn a degree in! Plus, students learn from faculty members – no graduate assistants – and choose from rich internship and research opportunities, thanks to industry partnerships.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
The Pitt-Bradford website is unique in that it features both on-campus and off-campus activities (i.e., Go Inside and Go Outside buttons), particularly the outdoors, in the homepage’s carousel of images. Scroll down the homepage, and links to specific pages are clearly provided, such as the Majors and Minors, campus news, and affordability with calls-to-action.
Northwestern University
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Known for its business, engineering, and music schools, Northwestern emphasizes interdisciplinary education, a welcoming campus environment that encourages student collaborations, and impactful research output. This is among the most selective schools with less than a 7% acceptance rate, but it’s also known for its diverse student body.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Such a commitment to an inclusive and diverse community, both on-campus and with the larger community, is highlighted on its university website. Web visitors are made to feel welcome regardless of their purpose in visiting the website, from the prominent calls to action to the comprehensive information on its specific pages.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Known as a Public Ivy, the public research university makes North Carolinians proud! Students receive a well-rounded quality education thanks to the Making Connections curriculum, freshman seminars, and rigorous programs of study.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Potential students can immediately get inspiration from student profiles featured on the school’s homepage. The homepage design itself has appealing elements, from the Carolina Blue palette to the precise layout featuring statistics, calls-to-action, and links to specific pages.
University of Chicago
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
UChicago is the alma mater of billionaires and business leaders, as well as among the best universities, with its law and business schools being the most prestigious. Indeed, the UChicago brand is as well-recognized as the Ivy League brand!
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Created in-house, UChicago’s website design was recognized in the 2013 Webby Awards, including the Webby People’s Voice Award and the best overall university website. High-definition images, sound-bite information, and emphasis on the benefits that the university provides contributed to its recognition.
University of Michigan
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
UMich, the oldest in the Wolverine State, is a public research university known for its extensive research output and expenditures. While it’s the second home for the best and brightest, including Nobel Prize laureates, MacArthur Fellows, and Fulbright Scholars, it also takes pride in its football team – the winningest of all time!
Why Its University Website Rocks:
UMichigan’s website was nominated for the 2014 Best Website Redesign at Webby’s because of the impressive changes made to it. The university’s achievements and rankings, the campus culture and activities, and the academic programs are highlighted on the homepage. The entire website has an intuitive, user-friendly, and fully responsive design.
University of North Texas at Dallas
Location: Dallas, Texas
UNTD started as a branch campus in 2000 but has since become a freestanding university – and the only Dallas-based public university to boot! Domestic and international students contribute to a vibrant campus life, not to mention that the student is relatively young, with the average age being 24 years.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
Students tell their own powerful stories in the testimonials to campus and student life at UNTD, and it’s something that appeals to potential students and their parents. There are also clear and compelling calls-to-action, a live chat feature, and easy access to helpful information, thanks to the ease of navigation and uncluttered layout.
Bates College
Location: Lewiston, Maine
Freshmen students at Bates College attend seminars that enable them to develop their writing ability, work with their peers and professors on their chosen field of study, and establish a template for their stay. Senior students must complete either a capstone project or a thesis, as well as engage in community work.
Why Its College Website Rocks:
While the Bates College website has fewer links in its header and sidebar, its site visitors agree that it actually aids them in getting their desired information faster! Visitors can click on their specific pages, such as Future Students, Academic Programs, and Virtual Campus Tours.
Loyola University Maryland
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Loyola Maryland students benefit from the Jesuit-based liberal arts education in the undergraduate and graduate programs in its three schools of arts and sciences, business, and education. Most students participate in study-abroad programs and in-service programs.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
As a Catholic school, it’s no wonder that Loyola Maryland’s website emphasizes its Catholic values while also providing visitors/users with updated information and recent news. Future Greyhounds can immediately get the information they need by choosing the type of academic program they’re interested in – undergraduate, graduate, or continuing studies. Calls-to-action is prominently displayed, while the Value & Outcomes section strengthens interest in its academic programs.
University of Arizona
Location: Tucson, Arizona
UArizona is known for its significant contributions to space research via its NASA-funded projects. But it’s even more known for its passion for transforming the lives of Wildcats through quality education, research opportunities, and a can-do approach.
Why Its University Website Rocks:
UArizona’s website goes beyond the basics of comprehensive academic and nonacademic information for every possible user – the information also includes Tucson and its living experiences for students. The calls-to-action also include clear pathways that direct users to their desired information, while the use of personal pronouns makes the content more engaging and, well, personal.
The Essential Website Design Elements of the Best University Websites
Every college website is unique, with specific elements of website design, from their use of colors and layout to their navigation and content. But the best college websites have the following essential elements that make them stand out from the rest.
Impressive Landing Pages
Think of landing pages as the best way to make a great first impression, and you will appreciate why the best college websites have attractive and interactive landing pages. Prospective students appreciate targeted content on homepages for a good reason – the more engaging the content, the more likely they will browse the website’s pages.
Responsive Website Design
Every college website may have its specific layout. Still, the best college websites have a responsive design that changes their appearance based on the size and orientation of the devices (e.g., desktops, laptops, and mobile devices) being used in viewing them. College websites with responsive design adjust their site elements – videos, images, and text – accordingly.
Intuitive Layout and Organization
The best college websites have clean and concise section titles, consistent page layouts, including the use of colors, fonts, and graphics, and an easy-to-navigate top navigation bar. These are elements of effective website design that allow web visitors to become oriented with the content.
College websites with the best website design enable their visitors/users to find their way around the pages as easily and quickly as possible. This is true whether nested navigation or breadcrumb navigation is used for the website design. It can be achieved by using plain language to direct visitors to their desired information and content.
Strategic Calls To Action
Yet another essential element of website design in college websites is the persuasive calls to action. These enable web visitors to act on the desired actions that the educational institution wants them to take, such as clicking on the application button or getting to the contact page.
Effective White Space
The best university and college websites have a good balance between visual information and white space that contribute to an excellent user experience. The presence of white space allows the eyes to “breathe,” while the use of a consistent color palette in a few colors creates a professional image.
Targeted Focus
College websites must cater to a wide range of users, from current and prospective students and their parents to alumni, investors, and regulatory agencies. But while it’s critical for educational institutions to provide comprehensive information, it’s just as crucial to choose a focus and provide targeted content for specific cohorts. For example, the school’s homepage must appeal the most to prospective students, while the alumni homepage should contain valuable information about their interests.
Adoption of Different Personas
In relation to targeted focus, the best college websites also have different personas that appeal to different target audiences. These personas can be prospective students, current students, and alumni, and specific pages adopt the voice of a specific persona.
Effective Prioritization
The targeted focus has its merits, but it must also be emphasized that college websites must first serve the needs of their primary target market – prospective students. Think of them as the bread and butter of the college along with current students, and if they have to dig deeper for basic information, their chance of conversion to current students decreases. Of course, the needs of current students, faculty and staff members, academics and athletic departments, and alumni and investors must be considered in the website design.
Interactive, Informative, and Engaging Content
Prospective students and other web visitors visit college websites for useful, reliable, and relevant information. Still, it’s also essential for the information to be presented in an interactive and engaging manner. After all, content is king, and it’s among the topmost elements of website design. The content that current and prospective students look for on college websites includes academic programs, tuition and financial aid, and student life and campus facilities.
Such is the prevalence of social media, particularly Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, among students that college websites must integrate social media links! Indeed, a solid social media presence, in addition to a college website with excellent web design, is a hallmark of the best educational institutions like Harvard and Princeton.
Furthermore, the associated social media pages of the best college websites must have student-oriented content with an organic feel, updated campus news, and interactive media. Students can keep up with the recent news about their academic programs, events calendar, and other university-related news through social media, too, for on-the-go updates.
Sound-bite Information
The average person has an attention span shorter than that of a goldfish! This is a mere eight seconds for the average person, and younger persons have an even shorter attention span. This means that exceptional college websites provide their content in a sound-bite manner that enables web visitors to connect with the content as soon as they see it.
Dynamic Storytelling
There are merits in providing prospective students with non-fiction stories that will encourage them to consider the university in their educational plans. This is usually achieved through short profiles, sound bites, and interviews of current and past students whose stories can serve as inspirations. This can also be true for donations and endowments made to the higher education institution.
Documentary-Style Videos
While static text and images are excellent tools to get the message across, videos are becoming more appealing to the younger generations. This is true for virtual campus tours but is just as effective when presenting research projects featured on a college website, as well as exciting events highlighting student life and other on-campus experiences.
Compelling Presentation
The manner in which interactive, informative, and reliable content is presented is just as important as the content itself. Current and prospective students want their desired information in a quick and concise manner, meaning no longer reading than necessary. The best college websites, such as that at Bates College, have compelling landing pages with text and graphics that direct visitors to their desired information.
Informative Outcomes and Statistics
The best college websites highlight information about their achievements because prospective students take into account these aspects of academics. Graduate outcomes – how many graduates pass national certification exams and get jobs six months after graduation, for example – are a source of pride for the top universities. Statistics, awards, and recognitions/rankings are also highlighted for this reason.
But we must also emphasize that while the best college websites are excellent sources of information for potential students, these have their limitations, even with outstanding website design. You should consider a college campus visit. You can then determine if, indeed, it’s a welcoming campus with campus culture, academic programs, and student life opportunities that fit your personality and aspirations.
Conclusion
The best college websites hit the Goldilocks spot in all aspects of web design, from stunning visuals to compelling content. More importantly, it provides comprehensive information that its target users need, and it highlights the benefits that the university can bring into the lives of its students and stakeholders.
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