University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public university founded in 1819. The total undergraduate enrollment is 17,618 (Fall 2023) on a 1,682-acre campus. The University operates on a semester-based academic calendar. The University of Virginia is ranked 24th among national universities in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. In-state tuition and fees are $23,118 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $60,907.

The University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson and is located in Charlottesville. Insiders refer to it as "Mr. Jefferson's University" or simply "The University." Only first-year students are required to live on campus; many upperclassmen live in off-campus apartments or fraternity and sorority houses. Greek life is prominent at the University of Virginia, with members comprising approximately 35% of the student body.The Cavaliers, informally known as the "Wahoos" or "Hoos," are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference Division I of the NCAA member of the NCAA Atlantic Coast Conference, known for its consistently leading men's and women's lacrosse teams.

Graduate programs at the University of Virginia include the highly ranked Darden Graduate School of Business, the Curry School of Education, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Law and the School of Medicine. Science, the School of Law, and the School of Medicine. The University of Virginia's Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library houses one of the only 25 surviving original copies of the Declaration of Independence, known as the Dunlap Broadside. The university also has its own unique lingo: the campus is known as "The Grounds," the central plaza is known as "The Lawn," and students are categorized as first, second, third, or fourth years. Former U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy, journalist Katie Couric and former NFL player Tiki Barber all earned degrees from the University of Virginia. Famous author Edgar Allan Poe was forced to leave the school after losing tuition money gambling, but his dormitory room on the lawn is still preserved for visitors.