There are 8 Ivy League schools in total.

Quick Scoop

The Ivy League is an athletic and academic conference made up of eight private universities in the northeastern United States. These schools are known for very low acceptance rates, large endowments, and strong alumni networks.

The 8 Ivy League schools

  • Brown University
  • Columbia University
  • Cornell University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Harvard University
  • Princeton University
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • Yale University

Why people say “12 Ivies”

Some articles and forum discussions talk about “12 Ivy League schools,” but this is informal slang, not an official category. Those extra schools are usually highly prestigious places like Stanford, MIT, Chicago, or Caltech that people casually group with the Ivies because of similar reputation.

TL;DR: If you are wondering “how many Ivy League schools are there?” the official and only correct number is eight.