Best Student Cities in USA
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There are around 17 Best student cities in USA based on QS’s rankings for the year 2024. While considering applying to the US, the very first parameter of consideration is which is the best city in USA for Indian students. The best city in US for students for the year 2024 is Boston followed by New York and San Francisco.
Students looking to study in USA should first identify the safest states in USA and then narrow down their research for the best cities for students in the USA. Get all the details in the article below about cities in USA which are best for Indian students.
Read: Top 10 Safest Cities in the World for Students in 2025-26
- Top Ranking Student Cities in USA
- Best Cities for Students in USA
- Los Angeles
- Chicago
Top Ranking Student Cities in USA
Based on QS, for its category - ‘Best Student Cities Ranking 2024’ the following are the 15 best student cities in the USA for international students:
| Top Student Cities in USA |
QS - Best Student Cities Ranking 2024 |
Overall Score |
|---|---|---|
| Boston |
#10 |
92.3 |
| New York |
#17 |
89.6 |
| San Francisco |
#20 |
87.4 |
| Los Angeles (LA) |
#27 |
85 |
| Chicago |
#39 |
81.5 |
| Atlanta |
#59 |
73.4 |
| Washington DC |
#62 |
72.6 |
| Philadelphia |
#63 |
72.3 |
| San Diego |
#66 |
70.8 |
| Pittsburgh |
#77 |
66.7 |
| Miami |
#78 |
66.2 |
| Seattle |
#83 |
65.1 |
| Durham |
#88 |
62.5 |
| Baltimore |
#89 |
62.2 |
| Houston |
#107 |
58.2 |
Let us discuss in detail each of these student cities in the USA preferred by Indian students for higher education in the following section.
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Best Cities for Students in USA
Based on the above-given rankings as per QS, the following are details about each of the US cities:
Boston
Rich for its culture, arts and education, Boston is the one of preferred choices of international students to study in USA. The capital city of Massachusetts - Boston, ranks at #10 as per QS - ‘Best Student Cities’ ranking of 2024. Boston is home to numerous private universities, like MIT, Harvard and others, but there is one popular public university in Boston which is, the University of Massachusetts, Boston.
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5 Top Ranking Universities in Boston
Check out the top five ranking universities in Boston as per QS - WUR 2024 in the following table for reference:
| Universities in Boston |
QS - World University Ranking 2024 |
|---|---|
| #1 |
|
| #4 |
|
| #93 |
|
| Tufts University |
#379 |
| Northeastern University |
#375 |
New York
Those aiming to study in New York can go to two major Ivy League schools - Cornell and Columbia. Ranked #17th as per QS - ‘Best Student Cities’ for the year 2024, students want to study in New York because of numerous study options in terms of universities, rich culture and various employment opportunities across top MNCs like JP Morgan, Deloitte, CitiGroup, IBM, etc.
Top 5 Ranking Universities in New York
Check out below the top 5 universities in New York for Indian students who want to study here:
| Universities in New York |
QS - World University Ranking 2024 |
|---|---|
| #13 |
|
| #23 |
|
| #38 |
|
| Yeshiva University |
#369 |
| Fordham University |
1000-1001 |
San Francisco
Why San Francisco is also considered one of the best cities in the US for higher education, is because of its reputed universities which rank among the top universities in the USA. Secondly, San Francisco is home to over 300,000+ startups hence, it is a city full of opportunities for students who are looking for opportunities to work while studying.
Top Ranking Universities in San Francisco
The following table throws light on the top ranking universities of San Francisco based on QS rankings for world universities:
| Universities in San Francisco |
QS - World University Ranking 2024 |
|---|---|
| #5 |
|
| #10 |
|
| University of San Francisco |
1000-1001 |
| San Francisco State University |
1201-1400 |
Los Angeles
LA is the next best student city in the USA, the reason being that one it is home to Hollywood, secondly, it is the most popular city in the USA, thirdly, there is a varied set of entertainment for students to look forward to apart from studying. Lastly, there are more than 10% international students studying across various LA universities, hence, creating a strong sense of community. This is the reason why LA also makes it to the list of the best city in USA for Indian students.
Top Ranking Universities of LA
The following universities of Los Angeles have been ranked by QS for the year 2024:
| Universities in Los Angeles |
QS - World University Ranking 2024 |
|---|---|
| University of Southern California |
#116 |
| University of California |
#29 |
| California State University |
#1401+ |
Chicago
Another one considered as one of the best cities for students in USA is Chicago. The reason for Chicago making it to the list is for its popular university, the University of Chicago. Secondly, Chicago is the hub of research and there are a number of research-related institutions where scholars can seek help and study. Thirdly, Chicago is considered to be one of the best US student cities is because of its diverse cultural clubs and activities for students.
Top Ranked Universities in Chicago
Only three universities in Chicago have been ranked globally by QS - World University Rankings of 2024, check them out below:
| Universities in Chicago |
QS - World University Ranking 2024 |
|---|---|
| #11 |
|
| University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) |
#323 |
| Loyola University Chicago |
901-950 |
There are other US cities that are well-known and have been categorised as ‘Best Student Cities in USA’ as per QS. Thus, it is up to the applicant how he/she chooses his/her best city for students in order to study in the USA.
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There is no minimum GPA score for UG admission at Ohio State. However, International students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) for graduate admission. Applicants may submit a standardized test score (GRE or GMAT) if their cumulative GPA is below 3.0 for the last degree.
According to various sources, University of Texas San Antonio has an overall acceptance rate of around 87% which makes it somewhat selective for international student admissions. Some of the general requirements to be considered for admission are given as follows:
- SAT/ACT scores
- Overall Student's GPA
- Letters of Recommendation
- High School Class Rank
- Additional Academic Records
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The University of South Dakota expects a GPA score of 2.5 from undergraduates and 3 from postgraduates on the 4-pointer scale. Along with the GPA scores, undergraduates must meet the basic eligibility and submit an ACT score of 21 or higher and an SAT score of 1070 or higher. In addition, they must submit the required documents, such as academic history, transcripts, letters of recommendation, English language scores, and more.