1. Van Wilder
View this video on YouTube
This hilarious 2002 comedy is a surefire classic. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn, and Tim Matheson, the film follows Reynolds in the titular role, a seventh-year senior at Coolidge College who's made it his mission to help undergrads succeed at life. Van Wilder is available to rent on Prime Video.
2. Accepted
View this video on YouTube
Starring Justin Long in the leading role, Accepted is another hysterical college comedy that revolves around a group of high school graduates who are forced to create their own fake college after they're all simultaneously rejected from all the other schools they've applied to. Together, the group forms the South Harmon Institute of Technology (think about it), and creates a collegiate utopia for other college rejects. Accepted is available to rent on Prime Video.
3. Drumline
View this video on YouTube
Featuring the acting talents of Nick Cannon and Zoe Saldaña, Drumline is a classic college comedy with some hilarious and amazing performances, both from the cast and the bands! Drumline follows the story of Devon Miles, a street drummer recruited for a competitive college marching band. If you thought football itself was tough, just wait until you see what it's really like behind the scenes of your favorite halftime entertainment!
4. College Road Trip
View this video on YouTube
We all remember how hard it is to be a college-bound teen, desperate to let loose from your parents' ironclad grip. College Road Trip is a hilarious family comedy that captures that feeling perfectly. The film follows Melanie Porter (Raven-Symoné), who is forced to tour several prospective colleges with her overprotective father played by Martin Lawrence. This one definitely feels a little "squeaky-clean" next to some of the movies on this list, but if you have kids heading off to college soon, this might give you some good parenting tips and tricks!
5. Starter for 10
View this video on YouTube
This delightful British dramedy, with its stellar cast of A-list British acting talent, is a charming and hilariously fun college movie about a young university student juggling love and romance, and his spot on a University Challenge quiz team. The film stars James McAvoy, Alice Eve, Rebecca Hall, Dominic Cooper, James Corden, Catherine Tate, Charles Dance, and Benedict Cumberbatch to name a few! Starter for 10 is available to watch on HBO Max.
6. Pitch Perfect
View this video on YouTube
I for one will never forget the ironclad grip "The Cup Song" had on our society in 2012. Pitch Perfect is a classic college movie through and through, and the perfect film for anyone looking to reminisce about their college a cappella group (I know you're out there). Pitch Perfect is available to rent on Prime Video.
7. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
View this video on YouTube
This is my official plea to have this movie reclassified as a college comedy. Sure, maybe Kumar actively botches his medical school interview, and things definitely go wrong for him and Harold on Princeton's campus, but I think even if things haven't gone well for you in a collegiate setting, that doesn't mean you can't have the full college experience.
Let Harold & Kumar be the college comedy for those of us who maybe have had our fair share of foibles on campus! With an incredibly simple, yet hilarious premise, Harold & Kumar is a classic comedy odyssey following two best friends who...just want some White Castle burgers. And honestly? Highly relatable.
8. The House Bunny
View this video on YouTube
Featuring the comedic genius of Anna Faris and Emma Stone in one of her earlier roles, The House Bunny is a broad and hilarious comedy that follows an aspiring Playboy Playmate who is unceremoniously removed from the Playboy Mansion, leaving her to move into a nearby sorority house. The House Bunny is available to rent on Prime Video.
9. Life of the Party
View this video on YouTube
One of the many partnerships between Melissa McCarthy and her husband Ben Falcone, Life of the Party marries classic McCarthy comedy with the fun of a collegiate backdrop. The film, which features McCarthy in the leading role, follows a recently divorced mother who decides to return to school to complete her degree but inadvertently becomes close with her daughter's circle of friends. Life of the Party is available to stream on Tubi.
10. School Daze
View this video on YouTube
It's hard to believe this is only acclaimed director Spike Lee's second feature! School Daze is a highly satirical musical movie that mainly follows the story of Dap (played expertly by Laurence Fishburne), a young student at an HBCU who attempts to make big changes by leading anti-apartheid demonstrations. The film has been celebrated for many things, but mainly for how its broader comedic tone still manages to touch on a wide variety of social issues. And, for what it's worth, the soundtrack is seriously great!
11. Neighbors
View this video on YouTube
Sure, maybe this one takes a slightly more negative view of college life (depending on whose side you're on), but combine the take Neighbors has on fraternity life amidst a suburban backdrop, and an all-out war between comedy geniuses like Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Rose Byrne, and you've struck gold. Neighbors is available to rent on Prime Video.
12. 22 Jump Street
View this video on YouTube
Yes, this is just 21 Jump Street, but at college. But still, the comedic chemistry between Tatum and Hill is completely undeniable in this sequel film, making it a joy from start to finish. 22 Jump Street is available to rent on Prime Video.
13. Animal House
View this video on YouTube
Another comedy classic, Animal House is a film that takes its audience inside a mischief-making fraternity house, the members of which are hellbent on riling up and challenging the fictional Faber College's dean. With ingenious performances from John Belushi, Tim Matheson, and Kevin Bacon, Animal House is another classic college comedy. Animal House is available to rent on Prime Video.
14. Dear White People
View this video on YouTube
If you're looking for a college-based comedy that takes a slightly darker, more satirical approach to college life, Dear White People is for you. Written and directed by Justin Simien, Dear White People centers around several black students, and an escalation of racial tensions at a fictional Ivy League school. Dear White People is available to stream on the Roku Channel.
15. Legally Blonde
View this video on YouTube
No college comedy list would be complete without the incomparable Legally Blonde. Not that you would ever need to be reminded of Reese Witherspoon's undeniable comic genius, but this film, which sees CULA sorority president Elle Woods follow her undeserving boyfriend to Harvard Law School after a break-up gone wrong, showcases Reese in all her comedic glory. If you haven't seen Legally Blonde before...well, I object! Legally Blonde is available to rent on Prime Video.
16. Sydney White
View this video on YouTube
Loosely based on the plot of Snow White, Sydney White follows Amanda Bynes in the eponymous role as she vows to pledge to her mother's sorority only to be outcast by a popular Kappa sorority sister, jealous of Sydney's charm and beauty. Sydney White is available to stream on Tubi.
17. Old School
View this video on YouTube
The ultimate entry in the realm of college reminiscence, this 2003 film directed and co-written by Todd Phillips of Joker fame (yes, you read that correctly), follows three depressed men in their 30s looking to revitalize their lives by reliving their college days and starting a fraternity. The film features Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn, and Will Ferrell in the leading roles, and honestly, what more of a selling point do you need? Old School is available to rent on Prime Video.
18. Girls Trip
View this video on YouTube
Okay, sure, this one technically takes place outside of college. But hey, this list is all about college nostalgia, and that's what Girls Trip is all about: reconnecting with the types of lifelong friendships made in college. Girls Trip, which features the acting talents of Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish is seriously one of the funniest movies ever, and if watching it doesn't make you want to call every single one of your friends from school and ask them to hang out, then your heart is made of stone.
19. Spring Breakers
View this video on YouTube
Okay, full disclosure, this one may start to make you want to go back to school and relive your craziest spring break memories, but by the end, you might have a newfound appreciation for your boring, adult life. Spring Breakers follows the story of four college-aged girls on spring break in Florida, who meet a local drug dealer, beginning their journey into the uniquely Floridian world of drugs and crime. Spring Breakers is available to watch on Showtime.
20. Monsters University
View this video on YouTube
Hear me out. This is actually one of the sweeter, more hilarious Pixar movies, and one of the funniest college comedies ever. Serving as Pixar's only prequel to date, Monsters University is the charming story of how our favorite monsters Mike and Sully first met in college but maybe didn't get off to the best start. Full of heart and humor, Monsters University is available to stream on Disney+.
Still feeling nostalgic for your college days? If you're looking for more movies like these, then be sure to check out 1UP, the college comedy from BuzzFeed Studios set in the world of esports! Check out the official trailer for more, and be sure to sign up for Prime Video today so you can watch 1UP when it premieres on July 15 in the US, Australia, and New Zealand.
