Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a private Ivy League research university in New York City, New York, United States. It was first established in 1754 as King's College by royal charter under George II of Great Britain on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhattan.
The university was renamed Columbia College in 1784 following the American Revolution, and in 1787 was placed under a private board of trustees headed by former students Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. In 1896, the campus was moved to its current location and renamed Columbia University. It is the oldest institution of higher education in New York and the fifth-oldest in the United States.