There are seven principal pontifical universities in Rome. Each of the pontifical universities is established by and directly under the authority of the Holy See. Each is governed by the Congregation for Catholic Education.

The seven principal pontifical universities in Rome are:

• The Pontifical Gregorian University (est. 1551; in the care of the Jesuits)
• The Pontifical University of St. Thomas – The Angelicum (est. 1577, in the care of the Dominicans)
• The Pontifical Urbanian University (est. 1627; directly under oversight of The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, focuses on forming missionaries)
• The Pontifical Lateran University (est. 1773; the Diocese of Rome, primarily for local seminarians and priests)
• The Pontifical University of St. Anthony (est. 1938; in the care of the Franciscans)
• The Pontifical Salesian University (est. 1940; in the care of the Salesians)
• The Pontifical University of the Holy Cross ("Santa Croce”, est. 1984; in the care of Opus Dei)