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Colleges in the UK
Shoreham College
Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex, South East England, BN43 6YW
The work of the College, originally established in 1852 as Shoreham Grammar School, is based largely on traditional lines and aims at a thorough preparation for the GCSE examinations. Entry can be at
Bromley & Sheppards Colleges
Bromley, South East London, London, BR1 1PE
Bromley College was founded in 1666 by the Will of John Warner, Bishop of Rochester to provide housing for "twenty poore widowes of orthodoxe and loyall clergiemen." The bishop had been deprived of
Varndean College
Brighton, East Sussex, South East England, BN1 6WQ
Set in open green playing fields with direct views across Brighton to the sea, Varndean College has room for you to develop your unique potential whilst making new friends. Students tell us that they
Lincolnshire Regional College
Skegness, Lincolnshire, East Midlands, PE25 3SY
The Grimsby Institute Group (GIG) is one of the East Coasts largest providers of Further and Higher education. The group comprises of the Grimsby Institute, University Centre Grimsby (UCG),
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, South West England, GL53 7LD
Cheltenham College is one of the UK's leading co-educational independent schools for both day and boarding pupils aged 3-18 (boarding from age 7). Offering outstanding all-round education within a
Bridgwater College Sports Facilities
Bridgwater, Somerset, South West England, TA6 4PZ
Whether you're looking for a gym, outside pitches, indoor facilities, a golf course, riding lessons or dance studios, Bridgwater College Sports Zone is the first place to look. Please have a browse
Barking & Dagenham College
Rush Green, East London, London, RM7 0XU
At Barking & Dagenham College (BDC) and at the Technical Skills Academy in Barking Town Centre, you will benefit from the very best in education and skills training to make sure that you, or the young
Carshalton College
Carshalton, South London, London, SM5 2EJ
Carshalton College has been providing education and training, with specialist facilities and equipment, for over 50 years as the only Further Education College in Sutton. For this reason thousands of
Richard Language College
Bournemouth, Dorset, South West England, BH3 7AB
We are one of the longest established private English language schools in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. Please take a look at our site for the services we offer to help you improve your command of
Denstone College Independent School
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, West Midlands, ST14 5HN
Welcome to Denstone College, a coeducational boarding and day school set in beautiful grounds in rural Staffordshire. Here your children are encouraged to embrace possibility, both inside and outside
South West Accountancy College
Swindon, Wiltshire, South West England, SN1 2NG
With experienced lecturers who are subject Specialists and passionately dedicated to education, we deliver high quality tuition tailored to meet the unique needs and high standards expected by Finance
Ashington High School Sports College
Ashington, Northumberland, North East England, NE63 8DH
Ashington High School was opened in 1960 as Ashington Grammar School. In 2007 we became a Foundation School (we own our land & buildings and employ our own staff) and part of the Ashington Learning
The Contemporary College Of Homoeopathy
Bristol, South West England, South West England, BS8 3NB
Our homeopathy college offers high quality homeopathy courses, attracting students from the UK and beyond. Our lecturers of national and international repute, make learning an enjoyable and
Uk College Of Family Mediators
Bristol, South West England, South West England, BS1 4BS
The College of Mediators is a membership body for mediators working in all areas of practice; family, workplace, community, intergenerational, commercial, restorative practice and more. The College is
Eastleigh College
As an integral part of the community, Eastleigh College offers a vast array of full and part-time programmes for just about everyone. Whether you are still at school or just about to leave, an adult
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Many students from abroad, when visiting a foreign country for an exchange year or to simply enroll at a Bachelor or Masters degree course, or another type of an educational course, often find it difficult to figure out the educational system of the country hosting them as students. And this is totally normal and understandable. At the end of the day, the majority of the countries in the world follow their own educational system that may be similar to other countries in the world, but not necessarily exactly the same.
This is a common case when it comes to the term “college” in the UK. When students from the USA and many other countries in the world are asked to define what college is, they will quickly explain to you that college is the same thing as university. However, is it the same in the UK? Did you know that college in the UK is something different from university? Today we are about to explain the basic differences between a college and an university in the UK, so stay tuned if you are interested in this topic.
The Difference Between University and College in UK
Confusion about a foreign educational system is a common thing students from abroad face and they may feel intimidated by that. However, there is no place for worries, because things are often easy to explain and get used to. This applied for the difference between a college and a university in the UK. In many countries both terms are pretty much interchangeable and mean the same thing. Other countries simply never use the term college and they have universities only. However, when it comes to the UK, there are both a college and a university as a part of the educational system and they mean something different. Well, if you are an exchange student in the UK or going there to study for a degree, you will soon find out that the country has a pretty unique educational system and the college is not the only thing different here.
Before explaining more in-depth the difference between a university and a college in the UK, let’s get some basic understanding about the educational system in the country in general, about a university, and about a college. It is a very good and important beginning if you are interested in studying in the UK and getting a degree, because there are different options and opportunities and you can choose the one that best suits and meets your requirements and needs as a student. Both a university and a college can help you develop in different ways and achieve different goals. Therefore, it is important to understand the difference between a college and a university and make the right decision, depending on your plans for the future.
In general, the UK educational system is divided in five major stages as it follows: Early years, Primary years, Secondary School, Further education, Higher education. The first three stages of education in the UK are the base of what the world knows as compulsory education. What happens at the end of secondary school is that students will sit for GCSE or A-Levels exams and next they will be free to make the decisions and choices about their future. This is the first stage, where the difference between a college and a university in the UK is very apparent. Basically, the main thing that differs a college and a university in the UK is that both terms determine a different level of education in the country.
In the most common way around the world, students will move from secondary school to a university, if they wish so. However, the UK educational system throws one more option for students in the whole mix and this is the college. UK students face a few opportunities by the end of this period and they can either decide to simply find a job right away and not to follow further education plans, they can enroll at a higher education, which is a university, if they have taken their A-Levels, or they can choose to enroll at a further education course and gain particular set of skills needed to land a specific job and start a specific career, which in the UK is referred to as a college. With these options in mind, it is safe to say that there are a bunch of differences when we compare a college and a university in the UK. The main one is that both terms are used for different levels of education, however, both a college and a university will differ in the context of degrees, duration, study curriculums, and more.
What Makes a University Different Than a College
When it comes to the UK, national universities can offer two types of degrees – undergraduate degrees and postgraduate degrees. Some universities in the country can also offer some further and specific educational courses, such as foundation degrees.
College in the UK Explained
A college is an educational institution that offers further education courses that will lead to specific qualifications and degrees. With that in mind, a college is usually assumed to offer more practical skills and qualifications. College qualifications in the UK include the following: diploma, foundation degrees, GCSE, Higher National Certificate, Higher National Diploma, International Baccalaureate.
In general, college courses in the country are designed in a way that students can obtain a certain level of skills and qualifications in a particular field. By finishing college, students are able to get a job or gain academic preparation for continuing their education at a university. A college course will also be more focused on providing students with a set of more practical skills. Therefore, a college in the country is often chosen by students, who want to obtain skills and become employable in a shorter period of time. A college will usually offer a part-time and flexible studying option besides the full-time studies that normally list last for one to two years.
The Benefits of Studying in a College
Almost two hundred thousand people in the UK are attending a college every year according to recent studies. So what makes so many people decide to continue their studies at a college? Is it beneficial to study at a college? However, it is important to mention that more students in the country prefer to attend a university over a higher education college. But still, their many benefits when it comes to a college, including:
• Lower tuition fees for a college
• Less overloaded college classes
• Study at college from home and reduce expenses
• Flexible college study programs
• Opportunity to continue with a university degree after college
• More individual support at college
College Tuition Fees
When it comes to higher education in the UK, it is pretty much costly and expensive, therefore, a college is a good option if you are on a budget. Enrolling and studying at a UK college will cost you significantly less. So if you don’t have the money for university tuition and you don’t want to rely on a student loan, a college is a good solution. College students in the UK are further encouraged by being provided with a range of merit-based and need-based bursaries.
The difference between university and college in UKWhat makes a university different than a college
College in the UK explained
The benefits of studying in a college
College tuition fees