Why are the world’s number one universities MIT and Stanford not part of the Ivy League?

List of US Ivy League colleges: Students from every country in the world want to get a chance to study in America. America has long been the favorite study abroad destination for students not only from India but also from many countries. The world’s top universities are present here. These institutions also include Ivy League colleges. These institutions are considered to be a symbol of academic excellence i.e. being the most prestigious in the field of education. Every year thousands of students apply for admission here.
The Ivy League consists of eight institutions, namely Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth College, Brown University, and Cornell University. Pick any ranking regarding the universities of the world, the names of Ivy League colleges will be at the top. However, there are two institutions outside the Ivy League, which are included in the top in every ranking, but are not included in the Ivy League.

Actually, here we are talking about Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Stanford University. MIT ranked first in QS World University Rankings 2025. Similarly, it is the top institution of America in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025. Just like this, Stanford was ranked sixth in the QS ranking. In such a situation, the question arises that why MIT and Stanford University are not included in the Ivy League. Let us know the answer.

How was the Ivy League established?

The Ivy League did not begin as a group of colleges, but rather it began with sports. By the way, the Ivy League was officially established in 1954. But the history is linked to the 19th century. In the late 1800s, intercollegiate sports were becoming popular at universities in the American northeast. Schools such as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton regularly competed in events such as football and rowing, leading to the beginning of a sports rivalry.

Then in the 1920s–1930s, the idea of ​​bringing colleges together for athletic competition began to spread rapidly. At that time these institutions came to be informally known as the ‘Ivy Group’. After this, in 1945, eight universities – Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Pennsylvania and Brown signed the Ivy Group Agreement. The purpose of this agreement was to control the football competition and emphasize the athletic business.

At the same time, in 1954, the Ivy League was formally established as an athletic conference under the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in America. Since then, only eight universities are included in the Ivy League. Till now no new college or university has been included in it.

Why are MIT and Stanford not part of the Ivy League?

Actually, the top institutions of America are included in the Ivy League. Then the question arises why MIT and Stanford University have not been given place in it. Actually, the answer is related to the geography of both the institutions. The Ivy League includes only schools in the northeastern United States. Although MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is outside this regional group. Stanford University, on the other hand, is located in California on the west coast, far from the northeastern center of the Ivy League.