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Best Academic Websites of 2024 | 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. Lee Taber
Lee Taber’s website is very simple and pleasing to the eyes. His photo on the side will be the first thing that will welcome you once you enter his site. You will also be able to get to know him easier since he displayed a paragraph that describes him. Cool!
What you can learn from this great website design
- Lots of whitespaces
- Simple and clean layout
- Well-presented information
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
2. 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
3. Dr. Alex Burchmore
URL: https://alexburchmore.com/
This website screams aesthetics and history. The very classic style of the landing page is such a nice move in order to introduce yourself and what you are doing in life. Dr. Alex Burchmore is surely an art historian and arts writer that will amaze you with his works, So cool!
What you can learn from this great website design
- Great color palette
- Well-matched typography
- Simple yet aesthetic layout
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
4. Len Evans
I personally love the idea and the quote that welcomes you to the landing page of this website. I mean, who wouldn’t want a safe space to rant about their problems, right? A big round of applause for Len Evans for doing this. Great job! Click the link to learn more about them! They have many great images that will calm you.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Great image that calms you
- Very nice question to touch someone’s heart
- Minimalistic aesthetic
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
5. Adoption Social Media Info
URL: https://asmi.academicwebdesign.com/
Despite the abundance of white spaces, this website’s visual appeal is greatly enhanced by its captivating images. As you continue to scroll, every piece of content is accompanied by a handful of pictures to provide you with visual aids! In general, this one appears tidy and polished.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Lots of whitespaces
- Informative home page
- Pleasing to the eyes
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
6. 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
7. 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
8. 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
9. Joel Eklof
URL: https://www.joeleklof.com/
Joel Eklof’s website is beautiful because of the selected color palette and images. If you have a fondness for websites with an endearing character, I recommend paying a visit to this particular one. The pages are brimming with visually pleasing elements that will keep you scrolling indefinitely.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Nice image aesthetic
- Well-coordinated fonts and color
- Great use of whitespace
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
10. DSEC Lab
URL: https://www.michelemorningstar.com/
This website understands the impact of simplicity. I really appreciate the decision of the designers to opt for a white background color, as it truly enhances the visual appeal of every image and content! Furthermore, the navigation is impeccable and will provide you with a delightful experience as you scroll!
What you can learn from this great website design
- Lots of whitespaces
- Very cool logo
- Simple overall layout
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
11. 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
12. 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
13. 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
14. Internet Archive
The Internet Archive’s website design appears sleek and polished. The designer effectively achieved a layout that avoids overwhelming users with excessive information through the skillful arrangement of elements for maximum readability. Every section of text is showcased on a fresh, empty backdrop.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Remarkable website
- Unique logo design
- Odd but cool color palette
🚀 Here's the website builder I recommend to replicate this website
15. La Miranda
URL: https://www.lamiranda.eu/en
This academic website knows how to keep it simple and professional. As you visit this one, you’ll see various content about the institution. While it may not be particularly captivating, the infusion of blue shades and images injects vitality into the pages and prevents monotony from setting in.
What you can learn from this great website design
- Blue shades
- Lots of texts
- High-quality images
🚀 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: Elegant Themes
URL: https://www.elegantthemes.com/
Although this one shouldn't be on the list - I couldn't keep this one from you. Elegant themes 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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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.