Study in Cambridge, The United States

About Cambridge

Cambridge, Massachusetts, lies across the Charles River from Boston, and students make up a large part of its population. According to the City of Cambridge, the US Census Bureau estimated its population at 122,588 on 1 July 2025, and 29,861 residents, or 25.1% of the population, were enrolled in college or graduate school (2020-2024 American Community Survey).

The city is small and highly educated: 80.8% of residents over 25 hold at least a bachelor's degree. For students this means a university town feel, with research, start-ups and academic events close at hand, and Boston a short trip away.

Studying in Cambridge

Our directory lists five schools in Cambridge: three universities and two study abroad organisations:

• Harvard University was founded in Cambridge on 28 October 1636 as the first college in the American colonies. Harvard gives a figure of 24,317 undergraduate and graduate students; the US Department of Education's College Navigator counts 30,259, of whom 8,844 are undergraduates.
• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) was incorporated in 1861; its motto is "Mens et manus" ("mind and hand"). The campus covers 168 acres with 20 student residences, and MIT has 11,816 students: 4,561 undergraduates and 7,255 graduate students. Graduate applicants apply directly to one of MIT's departmental programmes.
• Hult International Business School has home campuses in Boston (in Cambridge), London and Dubai, and students can rotate between them. It is accredited by AACSB International, AMBA and EQUIS, and its community represents over 140 nationalities.

Two organisations based in Cambridge send US students abroad rather than receiving them: College Year in Athens (CYA), which runs study abroad programmes in Greece, and Common Ground Education & Travel.

Student visa

An F student visa covers study at an accredited US college or university. After admission, the university's international student office sends you a Form I-20 (or a DS-2019 for J exchange programmes) to present at a US embassy or consulate. International students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week in their first year.

Cost of living for students

Cambridge is expensive, and most of the cost is tuition and housing. For a first-year undergraduate in the 2024-25 academic year, College Navigator gives these figures:

• Harvard University: $61,676 tuition and fees, $21,190 food and housing on campus
• MIT: $62,396 tuition and fees, $20,280 food and housing on campus

These are list prices before financial aid. Public transport is run by the MBTA, the same network as in Boston: a subway ride costs $2.40, a bus ride $1.70, a 7-day pass $22.50 and a monthly LinkPass $90.

Getting around and daily life

Cambridge is a small city, and the MBTA subway and buses connect it with Boston, so many students combine life in Cambridge with internships, events or part-time study across the river. Boston Logan International Airport serves the area.

New England winters are cold. At Logan Airport, the nearest station with NOAA climate normals (1991-2020), the average temperature is 29.9 °F (about -1 °C) in January and 74.1 °F (about 23 °C) in July, with July daily highs of 82.1 °F (about 28 °C).

Frequently asked questions

Which universities are in Cambridge, Massachusetts?

Our directory includes Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Hult International Business School.

How many students live in Cambridge?

According to the City of Cambridge, 29,861 residents, about a quarter of the population, were enrolled in college or graduate school in 2020-2024.

How much does it cost to study at Harvard or MIT?

For 2024-25, College Navigator lists tuition and fees of $61,676 at Harvard and $62,396 at MIT, plus about $20,000 to $21,000 for food and housing on campus, before financial aid.

Is Cambridge the same as Boston?

No. Cambridge is a separate city across the Charles River from Boston, but the two share the MBTA public transport network.