thumb|300px|The [[Universidad Central de Venezuela old campus in 1911. The building also served as the location for the National Library when it was founded in 1833. It is known as the "Palacio de las Academias".|alt=A panoramic depiction of a two-story nineteenth-century building alongside a square with several small trees.]]
Venezuela has a wide array of universities, offering courses in a broad variety of subjects, spread between a total 23 public and 24 private universities located across several states. As a result of a Royal Decree signed by Philip V of Spain, the Central University of Venezuela—the country's oldest—was founded in 1721 as "Universidad Real y Pontificia de Caracas". The campus was originally at the now-known "Palacio de las Academias" but, in 1944, president Isaías Medina Angarita relocated it to the University City of Caracas.
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Central de Venezuela <br>
| 1721
|Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Centro Occidental Lisandro Alvarado <br>
| 1962
| Barquisimeto
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad de Carabobo <br>
| 1892
| Valencia
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Indígena de Venezuela <br>
| 2000
| Bolívar
|
|-
|Universidad Nacional Experimental de la Gran Caracas <br>
|2018
|Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Nacional Experimental de Guayana <br>
| 1982
| Puerto Ordaz and San Felix
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad de Los Andes <br>
| 1810
| Mérida
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad de Los Llanos Centrales Rómulo Gallegos <br>
| 1977
| San Juan de los Morros
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora <br>
| 1975
| Barinas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira <br>
| 1974
| San Cristóbal
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Nacional Experimental de Yaracuy <br>
| 2000
| San Felipe
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad del Zulia <br>
| 1891
| Maracaibo
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad de Oriente <br>
| 1958
| Cumaná
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Nacional Experimental Francisco de Miranda <br>
| 1977
| Santa Ana de Coro
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Marítima del Caribe <br>
| 2000
| Catia La Mar
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Nacional Abierta <br>
| 1977
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador <br>
| 1983
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Politécnica Antonio José de Sucre <br>
| 1979
| Barquisimeto
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Politécnica de la Fuerza Armada Nacional <br>
| 1974
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Rafael María Baralt <br>
| 1982
| Cabimas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Simón Bolívar <br>
| 1967
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Simón Rodríguez <br>
| 1971
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Sur del Lago Jesús María Semprum <br>
| 2000
| Colon, Zulia
|
|-
|}
Private
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Private universities with foundation date and location
! scope="col" rowspan="" style="width:30em;" | Name
! scope="col" rowspan="" style="width:5em;" | Founded
! scope="col" rowspan="" style="width:15em;" | Headquarters
! scope="col" rowspan="" style="width:2em;" | Ref.
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Instituto Universitario Politécnico "Santiago Mariño" <br>
| 1991
| Barcelona
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Alejandro de Humboldt <br>
| 1997
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Alonso de Ojeda <br>
| 2002
| Ciudad Ojeda
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Arturo Michelena <br>
| 2001
| Valencia
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Bicentenaria de Aragua <br>
| 1986
| Maracay
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Rafael Urdaneta <br>
| 1974
| Maracaibo
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Católica Andrés Bello <br>
| 1953
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Católica Cecilio Acosta <br>
| 1983
| Maracaibo
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Católica del Táchira <br>
| 1962
| San Cristóbal
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Católica Santa Rosa <br>
| 1999
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad de Margarita <br>
| 2000
| Isla de Margarita
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Dr. José Gregorio Hernández <br>
| 2002
| Valera
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Fermín Toro <br>
| 1989
| Barquisimeto
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad José Antonio Páez <br>
| 1997
| Valencia
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad José María Vargas <br>
| 1995
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Metropolitana <br>
| 1970
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Monteávila <br>
| 1998
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Nororiental Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho <br>
| 1987
| Barcelona
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Nueva Esparta <br>
| 1954
| Caracas
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Panamericana del Puerto <br>
| 2003
| Puerto Cabello
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Rafael Belloso Chacin <br>
| 1989
| Maracaibo
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Santa María <br>
| 1983
| Caracas
| <br>
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Tecnológica del Centro <br>
| 1979
| Guacara
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Valle del Momboy <br>
| 1997
| Valera
|
|-
|height=50 scope="row"| Universidad Yacambú <br>
| 1989
| Barquisimeto
|
|-
|}
See also
- List of universities in Venezuela by size
Notes
- Most universities have main headquarters and several additional campuses spread across the country where additional careers are taught. This column only lists the main headquarters' location.
- The Universidad Católica del Táchira, founded as an extension of the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, received its autonomy in 1982.