The Ivy League explained
Eight historic US universities with some of the lowest admission rates in the world. Here is what the name means and how students from Pakistan can approach them.
What the Ivy League is
The Ivy League began as an athletic conference of eight private universities in the north-east of the United States: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton and Yale. Today the name stands for academic prestige and highly selective admissions.
How admissions work
- All eight accept the Common App, and each adds its own essays.
- Early rounds usually close on 1 November and regular rounds in early January.
- Most require the SAT or ACT for the current cycle, so check each university's policy.
- Every applicant goes through the same process. No agent, consultant or contact can arrange a place, and any offer you receive must come from the university itself.
Paying for it
The Ivies award financial aid based on what your family can afford. They do not offer academic or sports scholarships in the usual sense. Several are need-blind for international students and meet the full demonstrated need of every student they admit. Every Ivy publishes a net price calculator, which shows what your family would be expected to pay.
Be wary of anyone who offers you a guaranteed Ivy League scholarship in exchange for money. Real aid offers come only from the university's financial aid office.
Find out more
Our Ivy League page compares all eight universities, their testing policies and their aid for international students.
Sources
Questions about your own plans?
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