This storied university, which celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2009, held steady from last year in the No. 7 spot. The long list of notable alumni includes Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and John Maynard Keynes, and at least 15 British Prime Ministers and 23 heads of state. The university is home to about 8,500 faculty and 18,300 students.

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The Cambridge University rowing crew train on the River Thames in London March 29, 2013.