The Association of American Universities is an organization of 65 leading research universities in the United States and Canada. The association’s members collectively work to advance society through education, research, and innovation. They also collaborate on issues of shared concern, such as access to international talent, federal funding for research, and the impact of technology on society. The Association of American Universities is committed to enhancing the vitality of its member institutions and strengthening their ability to contribute to the global community.
The AAU’s mission is “to advance the international standing of their member institutions through collaboration and cooperation in areas of mutual interest.”
According to the AAU, its members collectively contribute over $50 billion in research expenditures annually, making it one of the most significant contributors to the US economy. The AAU was founded in 1900 by a group of fourteen universities, including Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University, and the Universities of Chicago, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Today, its membership has grown to include some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and Yale University. Many of AAU’s member institutions are also members of the prestigious Ivy League. In addition to advocating for its member institutions on higher education and research policy issues, the AAU also sponsors several programs and initiatives to support and promote academic excellence.
These include the AAU Undergraduate Fellowships Program, which provides financial support for exceptional undergraduates who wish to pursue graduate studies at an AAU institution; the Visiting International Scholars Program, which brings scholars from around the world to conduct research at an AAU institution; and the Minority Faculty Fellowship Program, which encourages diversity in the academy by supporting underrepresented minority scholars who wish to pursue careers at an AAU institution.
As one of the most prestigious threshold organizations, AAU membership is highly sought after by institutions of higher learning. This can be seen as a positive indicator of a school’s reputation and commitment to academic excellence for students considering attending an AAU member institution.
Additionally, many employers view graduates of AAU schools as being among the best-prepared and most sought-after employees in their respective fields. While not all colleges and universities aspire to membership in the AAU, those that do are among the leaders in higher education and research in the United States.
The AAU was founded in 1900 by a group of fourteen universities, including Johns Hopkins University, Columbia University, and the Universities of Chicago, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Today, its membership has grown to include some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and Yale University. Many of AAU’s member institutions are also members of the prestigious Ivy League.
In addition to advocating for its member institutions on higher education and research policy issues, the AAU also sponsors several programs and initiatives to support and promote academic excellence. These include the AAU Undergraduate Fellowships Program, which provides financial support for exceptional undergraduates who wish to pursue graduate studies at an AAU institution; the Visiting International Scholars Program, which brings scholars from around the world to conduct research at an AAU institution; and the Minority Faculty Fellowship Program, which encourages diversity in the academy by supporting underrepresented minority scholars who wish to pursue careers at an AAU institution.
List of AAU Public Member Universities
Georgia Institute of Technology (2010)
Indiana University (1909)
Michigan State University (1964)
The Ohio State University (1916)
The Pennsylvania State University (1958)
Purdue University (1958)
Rutgers University-New Brunswick (1989)
Stony Brook University – The State University of New York (2001)
Texas A&M University (2001)
University at Buffalo – The State University of New York (1989)
The University of Arizona (1985)
University of California, Davis (1996)
University of California, Berkeley (1900)
University of California, Irvine (1996)
University of California, Los Angeles (1974)
University of California, San Diego (1982)
University of California, Santa Barbara (1995)
University of California, Santa Cruz (2019)
University of Colorado, Boulder (1966)
University of Florida (1985)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (1908)
The University of Iowa (1909)
The University of Kansas (1909)
University of Maryland at College Park (1969)
University of Michigan (1900)
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (1908)
University of Missouri, Columbia (1908)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1922)
University of Oregon (1969)
University of Pittsburgh (1974)
The University of Texas at Austin (1929)
The University of Utah (2019)
University of Virginia (1904)
University of Washington (1950)
The University of Wisconsin – Madison (1900)
List of AAU Private Member Universities
Boston University (2012)
Brandeis University (1985)
Brown University (1933)
California Institute of Technology (1934)
Carnegie Mellon University (1982)
Case Western Reserve University (1969)
Columbia University (1900)
Cornell University (1900)
Dartmouth College (2019)
Duke University (1938)
Emory University (1995)
Harvard University (1900)
The Johns Hopkins University (1900)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1934)
New York University (1950)
Northwestern University (1917)
Princeton University (1900)
Rice University (1985)
Stanford University (1900)
Tufts University (2021)
Tulane University (1958)
The University of Chicago (1900)
University of Pennsylvania (1900)
University of Rochester (1941)
University of Southern California (1969)
Vanderbilt University (1950)
Washington University in St. Louis (1923)
Yale University (1900)
List of AAU Canadian Member Universities
McGill University (1926)
University of Toronto (1926)