Here are the five best universities in the US — check fees, acceptance rate and other details

Tuition and fees: $57,410

Selection and Acceptance rate: Princeton University admissions are most selective with an acceptance rate of 4 percent.

Application details: Half the applicants admitted to Princeton University have an SAT score between 1,460 and 1,570 or an ACT score of 33 and 35. The application deadline is January 1 and the application fee at Princeton University is $70.

Trivia: Princeton was the first university to offer a “no loan” policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Type: Private research university

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Tuition and fees: $57,986.

Selection and acceptance rate: Massachusetts Institute of Technology admission is most selective with an acceptance rate of 4 percent and an early acceptance rate of 4.8 percent.

Application details: Half the applicants admitted to Massachusetts Institute of Technology have an SAT score between 1,510 and 1,580 or an ACT score of 34 and 36. The application deadline is January 1 and the application fee at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is $75.

Trivia: Founded in 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is best known for its math, science and engineering education. MIT’s highly ranked graduate schools include the School of Engineering and Sloan School of Management, in addition to strong programmes in economics, psychology, biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics and mathematics.

Harvard University

Type: Private institution

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Tuition and fees: $57,261

Selection and acceptance rate: Harvard University admission is most selective with an acceptance rate of 4 percent.

Application details: Half the applicants admitted to Harvard University have an SAT score between 1,480 and 1,580 or an ACT score of 33 and 36. The application deadline is January 1 and the application fee at Harvard University is $75.

Trivia: Founded in 1636, it is made up of 12 graduate and professional schools, an undergraduate college, and the Harvard Radcliffe Institute. This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country and has the largest endowment of any school in the world.

Stanford University

Type: Private institution

Location: Bay Area, California

Tuition and fees: $56,169

Selection and acceptance rate: Stanford University admissions are most selective with an acceptance rate of 4 percent.

Application details: Half the applicants admitted to Stanford University have an SAT score between 1,470 and 1,570 or an ACT score of 34 and 35. The application deadline is January 2 and the application fee at Stanford University is $90.

Trivia: Stanford University stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects. Stanford also offers a wide range of student organisations, including the Stanford Pre-Business Association and Stanford Solar Car Project, which designs, builds and races a solar car every two years.

Yale University

Type: Private institution

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Tuition and fees: $62,250

Selection and acceptance rate: Yale University admissions are most selective with an acceptance rate of 5 percent.

Application details: Half the applicants admitted to Yale University have an SAT score between 1,480 and 1,580 or an ACT score of 33 and 35. The application deadline is January 2 and the application fee at Yale University is $80.

Trivia: Founded in 1701, Yale University is known for its excellent drama and music programmes, which reach outside the classroom with student organisations such as the Yale Whiffenpoofs, a famous Cappella group, and the Yale Dramatic Association. The Yale Bulldogs compete in the Ivy League and are well known for their rivalry with Harvard.