For partners 
The top universities for the study of modern languages in the United States are offering prestigious new language programs for international students. Many programs require the study of cultural studies and anthropology courses related to the country (or countries) where the target language is spoken.
Students will study literary texts, films, local media, the historical and political context of a particular region. Professionally oriented courses are available to students covering topics such as translation, international relations, business processes in different regions, or media and communication research.
One of the main advantages of programs with the study of modern languages is the opportunity to spend a semester or a year abroad in a country where the language of instruction is widespread.
This experience is aimed at increasing the level of language proficiency, will allow students to immerse themselves in another culture, expand their circle of communication. For this reason, many modern language programs are designed for four years, while the student spends one year (more often the third) at a partner university abroad, gaining work or study experience.
Check out our ranking of the top US universities for modern languages.
Best modern languages universities in USA 2026 - QS World University rankings
| 1 | Harvard University |
| 2 | Yale University |
| 3 | Stanford University |
| 4 | University of California, Berkeley (UCB) |
| 5 | Columbia University |
| 6 | Princeton University |
| 7 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
| 8 | New York University (NYU) |
| 9 | University of Chicago |
| 10 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
| 11 | Cornell University |
| 12 | University of Pennsylvania |
| 13 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
| 14 | University of Texas at Austin |
| 15 | Duke University |
| 16 | Brown University |
| 17 | Georgetown University |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| 19 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign |
| 20 | Boston University |
| 21 | Indiana University Bloomington |
| 22 | Johns Hopkins University |
| 23 | Northwestern University |
| 24 | Pennsylvania State University |
| 25 | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
| 26 | University of Notre Dame |
| 27 | University of Virginia |
| 28 | University of Washington |
| 29 | Dartmouth College |
| 30 | Michigan State University |
| 31 | Rutgers University–New Brunswick |
| 32 | The Ohio State University |
| 33 | University of California, San Diego (UCSD) |
| 34 | University of Miami |
| 35 | Washington University in St. Louis |
| 36 | The University of Arizona |
| 37 | University of Florida |
| 38 | University of Minnesota (System) |
| 39 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
| 40 | University of Pittsburgh |
| 41 | City University of New York |
| 42 | Emory University |
| 43 | Florida State University |
| 44 | Purdue University |
| 45 | The University of Georgia |
| 46 | University of California, Irvine |
| 47 | University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa |
| 48 | University of Maryland, College Park |
| 49 | Arizona State University |
| 50 | Carnegie Mellon University |
