College campuses are the perfect setting for stories about coming of age and the chaos of growing up. From navigating competitive academics to campus rivalries and messy relationships, these shows capture many sides of college life. Here are the top 10 TV shows set on a campus that will transport you back to your student days.
15. Overcompensating (2025-)
Inspired by Benito Skinner’s own college experiences and starring him in the lead role, ‘Overcompensating’ follows the former high-school jock and closeted college student Benny. Struggling to come to terms with his sexual identity, Benny finds himself overcompensating as he tries to appear as something he is not.
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14. The Magicians (2015-2020)
Based on the novels of Lev Grossman, ‘The Magicians’ is set in the secretive magical school of Brakebills University of Magical Pedagogy. When Quentin Coldwater gets enrolled at this school, he realises that the magical world from his favourite childhood books is completely real. Though it might not be as innocent and fantastical as he might have once thought.
13. How To Get Away With Murder (2014-2020)
This Shonda Rhimes classic isn’t your conventional college campus show since its is more focused on the legal thriller subgenre. Annalise Keating is a high-powered defence attorney and a professor of defence law at the prestigious Philadelphia University. Only a select few of the brightest students at the campus get to work with her at her firm. Unfortunately, all of them find themselves entangled in a complex murder case which blurs the line between justice and deception.
12. Grown-ish (2018-2024)
A spin-off to the iconic TV show ‘Black-ish’, ‘Grown-ish’ still stands strong as a genuinely good standalone. The show follows the Johnson family kids as they head off to college and begin their journey to adulthood. Yara Shahidi reprises her role as Zoey and attends a liberal arts college where she soon realizes that things don’t always go the way you expect once you leave the nest.
11. Undeclared (2001-2002)
From the creator of ‘Freaks and Geeks’, ‘Undeclared’ only lasted for one season though it managed to win hearts in that short time. It follows an eclectic group of six college freshmen at the fictional university of North Eastern California as they face the trials and tribulations of growing up, taking a very uniquely comical look at the hectic freshman year of college life.
10. Felicity (1998-2002)
On her high school graduation day, Felicity Porter asks her crush to sign her yearbook, and he leaves a comment that leads her to abandon her life plans and follow him all the way to University of New York. Soon, she realises that her new plans can help her discover her true inner self. With a true 90s premise and the gorgeous Keri Russel as the leading lady, ‘Felicity’ is a bingeable classic.
9. Greek (2007-2011)
This comedy drama follows the life of the students of Cyprus-Rhodes University in Ohio who participate in the school’s Greek system. It centres an ensemble cast navigating the various trials and tribulations of Greek life through the show’s fictional fraternities and sororities. The show is an absolutely hilarious and unique take on the entire culture and deserves a watch once.
8. Hellcats (2010-2011)
Marti Perkins is a pre-law student at Lancer University, whose entire academic career depends on her keeping her scholarship. When that is threatened, Marti sees no choice but to join the college’s cheer squad, Hellcats. But struggling with financial instability and the social pressures of college life, along with tough routines, long practice sessions, and difficult coaches and teammates, isn’t going to be easy.
7. Fresh Meat (2011-2016)
This British comedy-drama follows the lives of six students at the fictional Manchester Medlock University. Due to their late applications, they are all required to find off-campus housing and end up sharing a house. The show takes on their college experiences with a relatable, funny tone. Though sometimes it manages to become plain ridiculous, ‘Fresh Meat’ has a dorky charm of its own that is inseparable.
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6. Normal People (2020)
Adapted from the bestseller by Sally Rooney, ‘Normal People’ charts the lives and relationship of Marianne and Connell from high school to college. In the last year of their school days, Marianne and Connell start a secret relationship. But as they head off to attend Trinity College in Dublin, their relationship is tested through the complications of changing times and growing up.
5. The Sex Lives Of College Girls (2021-2025)
Created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, ‘The Sex Lives of College Girls’ follows the lives of four 18-year-old girls who are freshman roommates at the Essex College in Vermont. The series deals with their struggles and hardships of college and adulthood as they balance school with social life, discover their sexuality, deal with misogyny and career adversity.
4. Dear White People (2017-2021)
Based on and a continuation of the popular film of the same name, ‘Dear White People’ follows the lives of a group of black students at the predominantly white Ivy League Winchester University. Here they have to navigate cultural bias, discrimination and injustice as well as slippery and sketchy politics. While retaining that satirical tone from the original film, the series is able to find more depth in these themes in its episodic format.
3. Sweet/Vicious (2016-2017)
One of the saddest series cancellations on this list, ‘Sweet/Vicious’ lasted for only one season but still managed to become a cult favourite. When preppy sorority girl Jules finds herself being attacked one night on campus, she is helped by the quiet hacker Ophelia. They team up to take a vigilant stand against sexual predators on their campus. The series tackles various issues like victim advocacy and failures within the justice system with a biting comedic tone.
2. A Different World (1987-1993)
This NBC classic from the 80s is still winning hearts and has even found a revival by Netflix in 2026. It is a spinoff of ‘The Cosby Show’ and follows sophomore Denise Huckstable as she attends the fictional and historically Black Hillman College, depicting student life as they tackle issues like race, class and equality. The show is a joyous celebration of Black culture and remains an absolute comfort classic.
1. Community (2009-2015)
A cult classic and award season’s darling, ‘Community’ still remains one of the most iconic campus TV shows of all time. When lawyer Jeff Winger is disbarred for lying about his Bachelor’s degree, he returns to the Greendale Community College to get one and finds company in a peculiar group of people. Its unique storytelling method remains iconic, along with the use of meta humour, pop culture references and its homages to films and TV shows.
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