The University of Virginia was founded in 18 19 by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. It is the first independent university in American history. Since U.S.News began to publish the national university rankings, the University of Virginia has always been a leader among public universities in the United States and a world-class public research university. In 20 17, USNews ranked American universities, and the University of Virginia ranked 24th.

Virginia State University (Petersburg) is a land-grant public university (HBCU) with a long history in the United States, which was founded in 1882. It is the first four-year institution of higher learning in the United States that is fully funded by the government for African-Americans. According to US News and World Report, Virginia State University (Petersburg) is one of the top public graduate HBCU institutions in the United States.