Last Updated on February 16, 2022 by Kimberly Crawford
Do you want to study at a school that looks like Hogwarts? If you’re looking for a magical college experience, then you’ll love these schools! These colleges all have buildings that look like they were taken straight out of the Harry Potter movies. From turrets to stained glass windows, these campuses are sure to enchant you.
What college was Hogwarts based on?
Although Hogwarts is a fictional place, it was inspired by real-world locations. JK Rowling based the castle on Alnwick Castle in Northumberland UK, which has been used as Hogwarts in several Harry Potter films. It’s still possible to visit the castle today!
These colleges all have buildings that look like they were taken straight out of the Harry Potter movies.
What are some other colleges that look like Hogwarts? If you’re not interested in studying at Alnwick Castle, don’t worry! There are plenty of other colleges that have equally enchanting campuses. Here are a few examples:
1. Boston College
We are going to start with Boston College. It’s a private university that was founded in 1863 and since then it has been providing many majors like economics, liberal arts etc. The campus is huge and beautiful both at the same time and one of its buildings called Gasson Hall looks exactly like Hogwarts from Harry Potter movies!
2. Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is another school that looks like Hogwarts. It’s a private women’s liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania and was founded in 1885 by Joseph Taylor. The Gothic architecture of the campus makes it look exactly like Hogwarts!
3. Cambridge University
Cambridge University is another school that looks like Hogwarts. It’s a public research university in Cambridge, England and was founded in 1209 by scholars of Oxford University.
The college has 31 autonomous colleges with each one having its own unique identity along with academic staff and students!
4. Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Chestnut Hill College is situated on a scenic 124-acre estate that features stately Georgian architecture. The school’s mascot is the Griffin, which also happens to be Hogwarts’ mascot.
It was founded in 1924 by the Sister of St. Joseph as an all-girls college and became coeducational in 1970.
5. Chicago University, Chicago, Illinois
The University of Chicago is one of the most beautiful schools in the country. The school’s main quadrangle, which was designed by Henry Ives Cobb and Daniel Burnham features elaborate architecture with ornate details and gothic spires that look like they could have been taken straight from Hogwarts.
It was founded in 1890 by John D. Rockefeller and is one of the most prestigious schools in the country.
6. Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
Cornell University was founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White as the first university to operate under a land-grant charter.
The school’s beautiful campus features gothic architecture that looks like it could have been taken straight from Hogwarts. It is one of the most selective schools in the country and is a member of the Ivy League.
7. Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
Founded in 1769 by Eleazar Wheelock, Dartmouth College is the ninth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
The school’s campus features Georgian architecture with ivy-covered brick buildings that look like they could have been taken straight from Hogwarts. It is a member of the Ivy League and is considered one of the most selective schools in the country.
8. Drew University, Madison, New Jersey
Drew University features a beautiful Gothic-style campus with ivy-covered brick buildings and turrets. It was founded in 1867 by Methodists and named after Bishop George Washington Drew.
The school is home to the National Music Museum, which is the largest collection of musical instruments in the country.
9. Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia
Founded in 1836 by Methodists and Baptists, Emory University is a private research university located in Atlanta, Georgia.
The school’s campus features Collegiate Gothic architecture with red brick buildings and turrets that look like they could have been taken straight from Hogwarts. Emory is home to the Robert W. Woodruff Library, which is one of the largest libraries in the country.
10. Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
Founded in 1789 by John Carroll, Georgetown University is the oldest Jesuit university in the United States.
The school’s campus features Georgian architecture with red brick buildings and white columns that look like they could have been taken straight from Hogwarts. Georgetown is home to the nation’s largest collection of Jesuit art and artifacts.
11. Flagler College, St. Augustine, Florida
Founded in 1968 by Henry Flagler and built on the site of his former hotel, Flagler College is a private liberal arts college located in St. Augustine, Florida. The gorgeous castle-like architecture of the main building, Ponce de Leon Hall, is a National Historic Landmark.
12. Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina
Furman University is a private liberal arts university located in Greenville, South Carolina. The school was founded in 1826 by the Reverend John C. Furman and named for his father, Bishop William H. Furman. The campus is noted for its picturesque location on a ridge overlooking downtown Greenville and the Blue Ridge Mountains.
13. Hamilton College, Clinton, New York
Founded in 1793 as the Hamilton-Oneida Academy, Hamilton College is a private liberal arts college located in Clinton, New York. The buildings on campus are modeled after those of Oxford and Cambridge Universities in England.
14. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Founded in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. The campus is located in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts.
Old buildings, towers, and stone walls set the stage for this Hogwarts lookalike. Students report sightings of a ghost named “The Crimson Man” in the area. A crimson man is said to have died at Harvard Yard in 1773 when he was shot by British soldiers during a protest against English rule. He continues to haunt Harvard Yard to this day.
The most famous ghost on campus is called “The Lady in Grey.” A young woman dressed fittingly in grey who died of a broken heart, she wanders through the halls of her former home looking for her lost love.
15. Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio
The campus of Kenyon College has been called “the most beautiful college campus in America” by Condé Nast Traveler and Frommer’s. The school is known for its medieval/Gothic architecture and liberal arts education. It was founded in 1824.
16. Manchester University, North Manchester, Indiana
This university was founded in 1844 by the Church of the United Methodist Church. It is located in North Manchester and Indianapolis, Indiana. The campus has been described as looking like a “Gothic castle” with its red-brick buildings and ivy-covered walls.
17. Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Massachusetts
This all-women’s college was founded in 1837 and is located in South Hadley, Massachusetts. The campus has been called “the Hogwarts of the Northeast” because of its many turrets, towers, and ivy-covered walls.
18. Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a private Catholic research university founded in 1842 by the Congregation of Holy Cross. The campus was built in an English Gothic style and many people compare it to Hogwarts because of its architecture.
19. The University of Oxford, England
Oxford University has been around for almost 900 years! It is one of the oldest universities in the world. The university has been featured in many films and TV shows, including Harry Potter and Inspector Lewis. Oxford was built on a medieval system with colleges that contain everything from dining halls to libraries within themselves.
20. Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
This university was founded in 1787 and is located in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The campus is known for its Gothic Revival architecture and was voted the most beautiful college campus in America by USA Today.
21. University of St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
This university located in Fife, Scotland was founded in 1413! It is the oldest school in Scotland and the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world.
22. St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota
This college was founded in 1895 and is located in Northfield, Minnesota. The campus has been called “the most beautiful small college campus in America” by the Huffington Post. It is known for its Norwegian-style architecture and wooded setting.
23. The University of Warwick, Coventry, England
Warwick University was founded in 1965 and is located in Coventry, England. The campus was designed by Sir Basil Spence, who also designed the Royal Albert Hall and the National Gallery of Scotland. It has been called “the most beautiful new university in Britain” and has been compared to Hogwarts because of its turrets and towers.
24. Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania
This college was founded in 1864 and is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. The campus has been called “the most beautiful small college campus in America” by the Huffington Post. It is known for its Georgian-style architecture.
25. Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
This university located in Sydney, Australia was founded in 1850. The campus is known for its Victorian-era architecture and has been compared to Hogwarts because of its turrets and towers.
26. Wofford College, Spartanburg, South Carolina
This college was founded in 1854 and is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It is noted for its beautiful campus, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., the son of the famous landscape architect who designed Central Park in New York City.
The buildings on the Wofford campus are all constructed in a Collegiate Gothic style and look very much like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter movies.
27. The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia
This college was founded in 1693 and is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. It is also one of only two schools that were chartered by British monarchs (the other being the University of Edinburgh in Scotland).
The campus of William and Mary is located in the colonial town of Williamsburg, Virginia. The historic buildings on the campus were designed by Sir Christopher Wren, who also designed St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and many other famous British landmarks.
28. Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, Austria
This university was founded in 1815 and is located in the Austrian capital of Vienna. The main campus of the university is a beautiful Baroque palace that was built in 1784 by Emperor Joseph II. The palace is now used as the main administration building for the university, and its stunning architecture makes it look very much like a medieval castle.
29. The University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
This university was founded in 1869 and is the oldest university in New Zealand. The main campus of the school is located in the city of Dunedin on the southern island of New Zealand.
The architecture on this campus features Gothic Revival buildings that look very much like Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter movies.
30. Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri
This university was founded in 1853 and is located in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. The campus of Washington University is one of the most beautiful in the country, with buildings that are Gothic Revival in style and look just like Hogwarts.
The university has an enrollment of just over 14,000 students and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of disciplines.
31. Yale University, Connecticut
Founded in 1701, Yale University is the third-oldest university in the United States. The campus of Yale is located in New Haven, Connecticut and is also one of the most beautiful in the country. Many of the buildings on campus are Gothic Revival in style and look just like Hogwarts.
So there you have it – 31 colleges that look like Hogwarts! If you’re ever looking for an amazing school to attend, why not check out one of these schools? You’ll definitely feel like you’re a part of the wizarding world!
