University of Virginia

Third US president Thomas Jefferson didn't just bequeath his country the Declaration of Independence - he also founded the University of Virginia, often referred to as UVA. Jefferson told his political peers that he wanted UVA to "be a temptation to youth to come and drink of the cup of knowledge and fraternize with us". Today, over 20,000 students are doing just that, with a 26 per cent increase in applications from international students being recently recorded.

Those lucky enough to attend Virginia will find university campuses with lush green lawns and much-admired architecture strangely empty of doctors and professors - teachers are known as Mr or Ms to reflect Jefferson's desire for equality. The University is notable in US history for being the first educational institution to offer academic programs in now-common disciplines such as astronomy and philosophy. In 2006 UVA announced the end of its Early Decision admissions programs, stating that such policies limit the opportunities for low-income and middle-class students. It is a move that Jefferson would surely have approved of.