This list includes 30 Colleges that start with R, from “RMIT University” to “Rutgers University”. Many are public and private research universities, liberal arts colleges, or technical institutes with global presence. Use this list to explore options, compare locations, or guide application research.
Colleges that start with R are higher-education institutions whose official English names begin with the letter R. Some, like Rutgers, combine long histories with national influence in research and public service.
Below you’ll find the table with College, Location, Founded, and Notable alumni.
College: The institution’s common official name, so you can quickly recognize and search for each school.
Location: City and country or state, letting you assess geographic fit, commute, and regional opportunities.
Founded: Verified founding year that helps you gauge institutional history and tradition at a glance.
Notable alumni: One to three high-profile graduates show career paths and the school’s broader cultural impact.
Colleges that start with R
| Name | Location | Founded | Notable alumni |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers University | New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA | 1766 | James Gandolfini, Milton Friedman, Elizabeth Warren |
| Rice University | Houston, Texas, USA | 1912 | Howard Hughes, Peggy Whitson, John Doerr |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, New York, USA | 1824 | George Low, Dennis Tito, Ray Tomlinson |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, Rhode Island, USA | 1877 | Seth MacFarlane, Brian Chesky, Shepard Fairey |
| Reed College | Portland, Oregon, USA | 1908 | Steve Jobs, Gary Snyder, James Beard |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, New York, USA | 1829 | Clayton Turner, Daniel Carp, N. Katherine Hayles |
| Rollins College | Winter Park, Florida, USA | 1885 | Fred Rogers, Buddy Ebsen, Christopher Fitzgerald |
| RMIT University | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | 1887 | James Wan, Rob Hulls, Wong Kar-wai |
| Royal Holloway, University of London | Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom | 1879 | George Eliot, KT Tunstall, Mark Strong |
| Radboud University | Nijmegen, Netherlands | 1923 | Frans de Waal, Dries van Agt, Marijn Dekkers |
| Rowan University | Glassboro, New Jersey, USA | 1923 | Patti Smith, Dan Baker, Lince Dorado |
| Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | Terre Haute, Indiana, USA | 1874 | Abe Silverstein, Ernest R. Davidson, Mat Roy Thompson |
| Rhodes College | Memphis, Tennessee, USA | 1848 | Amy Coney Barrett, Charlie Condon, Bill Frist |
| Regis University | Denver, Colorado, USA | 1877 | Bill Murray, Campbell Brown, T.J. Ward |
| Robert Gordon University | Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom | 1992 | Hannah Miley, Ola Gorie, Eilidh Middleton |
| Royal College of Art | London, England, United Kingdom | 1837 | David Hockney, Tracey Emin, James Dyson |
| Reykjavik University | Reykjavík, Iceland | 1998 | Hildur Guðnadóttir, Aslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir |
| Ritsumeikan University | Kyoto, Japan | 1869 | Momofuku Ando, Princess Ayako of Takamado, Shinji Aoyama |
| Rhodes University | Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa | 1904 | Wilbur Smith, Alice Krige, Max Theiler |
| Rider University | Lawrenceville, New Jersey, USA | 1865 | David Bryan, Carol Meyrowitz, Jack Armstrong |
| Roosevelt University | Chicago, Illinois, USA | 1945 | Anthony Braxton, Merle Reskin, Danitra Vance |
| Radford University | Radford, Virginia, USA | 1910 | Jayma Mays, Randal Quarles, Frank Beamer |
| Ramapo College of New Jersey | Mahwah, New Jersey, USA | 1969 | Jeff Phillips, Don La Greca, Timofey Mozgov |
| Ringling College of Art and Design | Sarasota, Florida, USA | 1931 | Patrick Osborne, Nick Pitera |
| Royal Roads University | Victoria, British Columbia, Canada | 1995 | Jim Kyte, Athol Murray |
| Royal Agricultural University | Cirencester, England, United Kingdom | 1845 | Augustus Voelcker, Richard Benyon, Jonathan Dimbleby |
| Riga Technical University | Riga, Latvia | 1862 | Wilhelm Ostwald, Paul Walden, Ignacy Mościcki |
| Renmin University of China | Beijing, China | 1937 | Liu He, Ma Kai, Zhang Lei |
| Royal Military College of Canada | Kingston, Ontario, Canada | 1876 | Chris Hadfield, John de Chastelain, Billy Bishop |
| Rockefeller University | New York, New York, USA | 1901 | David Baltimore, Günter Blobel, Joshua Lederberg |
Descriptions
Rutgers University
A large public research university and one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. It’s known for its diverse academic programs and is the state university of New Jersey.
Rice University
A highly selective private research university with a 300-acre tree-lined campus. It is noted for its applied science programs and has a strong emphasis on undergraduate education with a small student-to-faculty ratio.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
The oldest technological research university in the English-speaking world. RPI is a private university focused on science and engineering, with a long history of innovation, including the inventor of the email.
Rhode Island School of Design
One of the world’s most prestigious art and design schools. RISD students can cross-register for classes at neighboring Ivy League institution, Brown University, offering a unique blend of creative and liberal arts education.
Reed College
A private liberal arts college known for its mandatory senior thesis, rigorous academic standards, and counter-cultural history. It has a high percentage of graduates who go on to earn PhDs.
Rochester Institute of Technology
A large private research university specializing in technology, arts, and design. RIT is home to the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) and is known for its cooperative education programs.
Rollins College
A private liberal arts college recognized for its beautiful Spanish-Mediterranean style campus. It emphasizes small classes, global citizenship, and close student-faculty mentorship.
RMIT University
An Australian public research university focused on technology, design, and enterprise. RMIT is globally recognized for art and design programs and has strong industry partnerships across the Asia-Pacific region.
Royal Holloway, University of London
A public research university and a constituent college of the University of London. It is famous for its stunning Victorian Founder’s Building, often featured in films, and excels in arts and humanities.
Radboud University
A public research university in the Netherlands known for its green campus and high-quality research. The first-ever photo of a black hole was a result of a project co-led by a Radboud professor.
Rowan University
A public research university that transformed after a landmark $100 million donation in 1992. It is one of only a few U.S. institutions with both an M.D. and a D.O. granting medical school.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
A small private college specializing in engineering, mathematics, and science. For over two decades, it has been ranked number one among U.S. undergraduate engineering colleges by U.S. News & World Report.
Rhodes College
A private liberal arts college known for its Gothic architecture campus and strong commitment to undergraduate research. It has a notable partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Regis University
A private Jesuit university in Denver. It is organized into three colleges: Regis College, The Anderson College of Business and Computing, and the Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions.
Robert Gordon University
A modern public university in Scotland with a strong reputation for vocational education and graduate employability. Its campus is known for its striking contemporary architecture.
Royal College of Art
The world’s leading public research university for art and design. A postgraduate-only institution, it offers degrees in fine art, applied art, design, communications, and humanities.
Reykjavik University
Iceland’s largest private university, with a strong focus on technology, business, and law. It emphasizes hands-on learning, entrepreneurship, and collaboration with industry.
Ritsumeikan University
A leading private university in Japan with campuses in Kyoto, Osaka, and Shiga. It is known for its international relations program and strong global partnerships, hosting students from around the world.
Rhodes University
A public research university known for having one of the highest rates of doctoral students per academic staff in South Africa. It has a strong reputation in journalism and media studies.
Rider University
A private university with programs in business, education, liberal arts, sciences, and music. It is home to the prestigious Westminster Choir College, a residential conservatory of music.
Roosevelt University
A private university with a strong focus on social justice, founded on principles of inclusion and equality. Its landmark Auditorium Building in downtown Chicago is a national historic landmark.
Radford University
A public university in Virginia offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs. It’s known for its strong programs in teaching, nursing, and business, set against a scenic Blue Ridge Mountain backdrop.
Ramapo College of New Jersey
A public liberal arts college designated as New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College. It features an award-winning, modern campus architecture and emphasizes interdisciplinary learning and international education.
Ringling College of Art and Design
A private college focused on art and design, consistently ranked as a top animation and game design school. Its graduates have worked on numerous Academy Award-winning animated films.
Royal Roads University
A public university that specializes in professional and applied studies. It is located in the historic Hatley Castle and is known for its blended learning model of online courses and short on-campus residencies.
Royal Agricultural University
The first agricultural college in the English-speaking world. It offers programs in agriculture, business, equine science, and real estate, located on a historic campus in the Cotswolds.
Riga Technical University
The oldest technical university in the Baltic states. It is a major center for science and innovation in Latvia, with a strong emphasis on engineering, IT, and architecture.
Renmin University of China
A comprehensive research university focusing on humanities and social sciences. It is considered one of the most prestigious universities in China, especially in fields like law, economics, and journalism.
Royal Military College of Canada
The military college of the Canadian Armed Forces. RMC is a fully accredited university that educates and trains officer cadets in four pillars: Academics, Officership, Athletics, and Bilingualism.
Rockefeller University
A private graduate university focused on biomedical research. It has produced an extraordinary number of Nobel laureates and is a world-renowned center for scientific discovery and medical breakthroughs.