Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge , Massachusetts , established in 1636 , whose history , influence , and wealth have made it one of the world 's most prestigious universities . Established originally by the Massachusetts legislature and soon thereafter named for John Harvard ( its first benefactor ) , Harvard is the United States ' oldest institution of higher learning , and the Harvard Corporation ( formally , the President and Fellows of Harvard College ) is its first chartered corporation .
Harvard University is the first University in the U.S.