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Best Academic Websites of 2025 | 17 Examples
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👋 My Experience With Academic Web Design
Hi – it’s Ralph here 👋 In the past 10 years, I’ve designed 5+ academic websites. What I learned over the years building academic websites:
1. Customized Content
I suggest that you deliver different content based on the groups of users. For example, when visitors come to the website, provide them with the related material that belongs to the students, alumni, researchers, etc.
2. Programs and Courses
I encourage you to organize information about the programs, degrees, and courses that may be offered by the organization. Be specific on the description section, prerequisite, and learning outcomes of the course. Use tables or bullet points to make it easier to read and comprehend.
3. Research Centers and Labs
I suggest highlighting your research facilities. Explain the current activities, partnerships, and discoveries that are currently going on. It is important to make these sections interesting; I would incorporate using visuals if I were you.
Focus on this, and you’ll be fine.
PS: I suggest taking a look at the website examples below. Get inspired by their designs and see which website builders they’ve used. Best of luck!
👋 How I curated this list
Welcome friendly stranger! You’re looking for some inspiring website examples. You found the right page.
About me
My name is Ralph de Groot. I’m the founder and author at My Codeless Website. Wake me up for a great web design. I love writing about website examples, too!
How I curated this list
Once a year I collect 500 website examples to create/update this article. I create a shortlist which I send to my team of web designers. Together, we vote to determine the order of this list.
Next to that, I always follow our editorial policy when writing my articles, to make sure they are really helpful and useful for you.
Home » Blogs » Website Examples »
1. TED
URL: https://www.ted.com/
The Ted Talk website is undeniably the most captivating educational platform out there. Despite the abundance of educational content, the illustrations are absolutely breathtaking. Every subject is incredibly captivating as it is brimming with lively hues and trendy forms.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Motivational and inspiring stories
- Memorable tagline
- Famous website
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
2. Unriddle AI
This website features a nicely balanced design. All visuals and texts complement each other. It’s actually great to see how well-organized everything is as you scroll down! Overall, it’s obvious how the homepage and other pages appear welcoming and polished all at once.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Nicely balanced design
- Every website element
- Polished appearance
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
3. Coursera
URL: https://www.coursera.org/
When it comes to insight, Couresa is unrivaled. Here you will find all the instructional videos you could ever want. The design follows a top-down hierarchy for all content items. Additionally, I appreciate how the whitespaces prevent the readers from being overloaded.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Easy navigation
- Lots of whitespace
- Organized appearance
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
4. Google Arts & Culture
URL: https://artsandculture.google.com/
This webpage is fantastic! The design is warm and inviting everywhere you go. I have no doubt that you will have nothing but the nicest time here because the graphics and animations are captivating. It’s also fantastic that Google Arts & Culture provides worthwhile information.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Warm and inviting design
- Gives you a pleasant experience
- Graphics are entertaining
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
5. WEB MD
In my observation, most people are familiar with WebMD, particularly when seeking answers to health-related queries. Hundreds of content resources await you when you step foot on this one. Despite the abundance of words, the visuals more than compensate. In general, it appears to be fantastic and beneficial!
What you can learn from this great website design
- Lots of texts
- Interesting content resources
- Efficient layout despite the number of materials posted
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
6. Wix Encyclopedia
URL: https://www.wix.com/encyclopedia
This caught me off guard since I had no idea Wix had an encyclopedia. However, I enjoyed looking through the entire page. The designer ensured that every detail appeared polished and expert. For those who appreciate simple elegance, I guarantee you will find delight in delving into this.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Every detail is polished
- Easy navigation
- Loads fast
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
7. JSTOR
JSTOR’s website looks straightforward! Despite not showing any extravagant design, all students looking for resource material will find this website excellent and efficient. The design is user-friendly, ensuring a delightful experience for every visitor.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Clean look
- Efficient layout
- Easy to navigate and understand
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
8. The Steve Jobs Archive
URL: https://www.ted.com/
The Steve Jobs website features a classic design. This one may not have anything fancy, but it definitely gets the job done! The designer made great use of the spaces, making it super easy for you to find your way around all the content! Check this out immediately.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Classic design
- Black-white color palette
- Simple to explore
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
9. Udacity
The Udacity website is structured in a hierarchical fashion. Like the others, all of the content is displayed in a square format. I do not doubt that you will find the color scheme satisfying. The blue hues make the page appear more trustworthy. All things considered, this is a really educational place.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Excellent color choices
- Trustworthy vibes
- Proefssional layout
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
10. Academia
URL: https://www.academia.edu/
I really appreciate how this website prioritizes information over aesthetics, making it stand out with its simplicity! Furthermore, the designers have implemented a user-friendly interface that allows you to effortlessly navigate through the answers in a matter of seconds.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Minimalistic layout
- Lots of whitespaces
- Clear call-to-action buttons
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
11. University of Otago
This website might not be the trendiest, but it is definitely packed with valuable content. The empty spaces certainly improved the material by allowing you to take in the written words. If you have an appreciation for minimalist websites, you’ll find great pleasure in exploring this particular one.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Simple aesthetic
- Cool font
- Very informative page
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
12. Dr. Samantha Fecich
Dr. Samantha Fecich’s website is friendly and adorable looking. The cup of coffee that welcomes you will make you feel she will be very easy to talk to and you will learn a lot from her. The front of her website shows a lot of her personality and she seems very fun to be with.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Nice typography
- Great image and quotes
- Easy menu navigation
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
13. ScienceOpen
URL: https://www.scienceopen.com/
Right from the start, this website is bound to capture your interest. The pages are packed with incredibly captivating visuals related to the field of Science! Even though the subjects are instructive, the designer ensured that every aspect is filled with energy and excitement through the vibrant illustrations!
What you can learn from this great website design
- Simple yet sleek web design
- Easy menu navigation
- Well-thought illustrations
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
14. WikiHow
WikiHow is the best place to discover a detailed explanation of how to do something. The graphic content on this website is of high quality and is presented in a way that is simple to understand. The backdrop colors are very relaxing, making it possible to stay for long amounts of time without experiencing eye fatigue. If you go to this site, you will find what you seek.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Calm color palette
- Great use of white space
- Fun and playful visuals
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
15. NowThis News
If you want to stay abreast of the latest breaking news, you may get all the high-quality videos you need right here. I think you’ll really like this website if you’re looking for something with a fresh logo, an attractive color palette, and plenty of empty space.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Unique logo design
- Great color scheme
- Lots of white spaces
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
These are my favourites.
BONUS – Here is my favorite template
Futuristic Website Template
URL: https://mycodelesswebsite.com/try-theme/sightseeing
Why this is such a great template
- Clean design, great to turn visitors into customers
- WordPress compatible, easy to customize
- Free download if you’re a Divi member
BONUS: Wix
URL: wix.com
Although this one shouldn't be on the list - I couldn't keep this one from you. Wix has amazing website themes and leads by example. Their own homepage looks stunning.
What can you learn from this great website
- Playful design
- Clear call to actions
- Great user experience
Award-Winning Web Designers 🎉
I highly recommend you to have a look at their portfolios
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Vrrb is an award-winning creative agency based in Los Angeles. 14+ years of experience building extraordinary websites, applications, and digital solutions for the world's most recognizable brands.
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FAQ
What makes a good academic website design?
A great academic website should have a clean design, be easy to navigate, and include a lot of social proof. Have a look at this page for great example websites.
How to create an academic website design?
- Analyze the best examples on this page
- Make notes of what you like – and what you don’t like
- Design your own site with this a drag & drop website builder
- Publish your website with our recommended hosting platform.
How much does an academic website design cost?
A web designer will charge anywhere between $1000 and $3000 for a decent website. However, this article will teach you to do it yourself for less than $100.
What information is needed on an academic website?
Your website will need at least the following pages: ‘Home, About me, Contact, Portfolio’. To create trust with your visitor, it’s important to show lots of pictures of your brand.