--- title: "12 Best Designed College Websites · Appnovation" url: "https://www.appnovation.com/insights/12-best-designed-college-websites" description: "Looking for higher-ed web design inspiration? A review of 12 of the best designed college websites and the layout and UX choices that make them work." --- Article # 12 Best Designed College Websites [![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ey850001/production/acca25e922e2b4bc1c03a87f9447ad66ff9834b3-68x68.png?w=68&auto=format) jocampo jocampo Front End Developer](/people/jocampo-jocampo.md) Apr 14, 2014 1 min read ![12 Best Designed College Websites](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ey850001/production/b1ed2774090385867cdedc32174497b360941dc3-1440x600.gif?w=1400&auto=format) On this page ## On this page In the past, educational websites would tend to be long, dry, and busy with information. This left users feeling lost and frustrated, leading them away from the website. Today, some college websites go beyond the standard two-column and three-column layout; they have come a long way from the boxy look and feel of websites past. Some have even branched out different departments within their school into their own separate, independent website. Current and prospective students no longer have to navigate through multiple pages to seek the information they need, they are treated to responsive versions of websites and parallax effects. Some of these sites also offer big visuals with large photos and animated transitions. This works well when reaching out to a younger demographic who are looking to be impressed and enticed to join their school. Here’s a look at some of the best designed college websites, in no particular order: ## [Drexel University (opens in new window)](http://www.drexel.edu/) ## [Notre Dame (opens in new window)](https://www.nd.edu/) ## [St. John’s University (opens in new window)](https://www.stjohns.edu/) ## [RMCAD (opens in new window)](http://www.rmcad.edu/) ## [Biola (opens in new window)](http://undergrad.biola.edu/) ## [Bates (opens in new window)](http://www.bates.edu/) ## [Regent College (opens in new window)](http://www.regent-college.edu/) ## [Langara (opens in new window)](http://www.langara.bc.ca/) ## [Florida International University (opens in new window)](http://www.fiu.edu/) ## [Oberlin (opens in new window)](https://www.oberlin.edu/) ## [University of Hawaii Advising Center (opens in new window)](http://hilo.hawaii.edu/~advising/) ## [American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine (opens in new window)](https://www.aucmed.edu/) [![](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ey850001/production/acca25e922e2b4bc1c03a87f9447ad66ff9834b3-68x68.png?w=68&auto=format) jocampo jocampo Front End Developer · Appnovation](/people/jocampo-jocampo.md) ## Keep reading [![What is Sovereign AI](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ey850001/production/a5889abdd5e80376912546622e046e3fbef234b4-2496x1664.png?w=640&auto=format)](/insights/what-is-open-source-sovereign-ai.md) Article · 7 min AI ### [What Is Open Source, Sovereign AI?](/insights/what-is-open-source-sovereign-ai.md) Every company is encouraging more AI, and almost every AI bill is climbing. Sovereign AI is about two kinds of control: over your data and over your costs. Here's why open source sits at its foundation. [Iain MacNeil](/people/iain-macneil.md) Article [![AI-first experience design](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ey850001/production/8bbc2418e87924ef10f36115478a2e10d5bed95e-1584x624.jpg?w=640&auto=format)](/insights/how-build-ai-first-experience-without-throwing-out-everything-youve-already-built.md) Article · 6 min AI Sep 10, 2026 ### [How to Build an AI-First Experience Without Throwing Out Everything You've Already Built](/insights/how-build-ai-first-experience-without-throwing-out-everything-youve-already-built.md) Users now expect a direct answer, not a list of links to click through. Here's how organizations can layer an AI-First experience onto their existing website or app, in weeks rather than years. [Andrew Douglas](/people/andrew-douglas.md) Article [![What Becomes Possible When AI Can Read All the Data](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/ey850001/production/c28ab0bd26753421ee42937e13adc7a7f19b47f0-1296x510.jpg?w=640&auto=format)](/insights/what-becomes-possible-when-ai-can-read-all-data.md) Article · 4 min AI Sep 09, 2026 ### [What Becomes Possible When AI Can Read All the Data](/insights/what-becomes-possible-when-ai-can-read-all-data.md) Most of the world's data has never been analyzed, only sampled. AI changes that. How AI-ready data platforms unlock questions no one could ask before. [Appnovation](/people/appnovation.md) Article ## Get the thinking, *before everyone else.* One considered email a month. New essays, field notes from live engagements, and the occasional strong opinion. No noise.