Boston University is a private comprehensive university in the United States, founded in 1839, located in Boston, Massachusetts, the capital city of Massachusetts, near and. With more than 33,000 students from more than 140 countries and over 10,000 faculty and staff, Boston University is one of the largest private institutions in the United States. It is tied with 、、、、 for 41st place in the 2014 overall U.S. college rankings.