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Colleges in the UK
Ashton Under Lyne Sixth Form College
Former Ashton Sixth Form College student Sophie Woods, a centre midfielder from Droylsden is heading to the USA to play for Iowa's Indian Hills Community College women's soccer team the Warriors. The
Llandovery College
Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales, SA20 0EE
Congratulations to Geraint Owen Williams who has won at the District and County level Eisteddfodau and is through to the National Eisteddfod in Caerphilly. He will perform his recitation "Seibr Ofod"
Worksop College
Worksop, Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, S80 3AP
Worksop College accepts pupils from a range of academic and social backgrounds, and is proud of its heritage as a broadly selective school. For your child to qualify for entrance, the College must
ULearn College
ULearn College understands that choosing which training course to go on is one of the most important decisions you'll make in your life. It will determine what industry you will work in and the amount
First College
Louth, Lincolnshire, East Midlands, LN11 0YB
It is not just about numbers, and statistics. At the heart of our programmes are the people and how it affects their lives and their future careers. You must hold a minimum of AAT Level 4 or
Assessment Associates
Lancaster, Lancashire, North West England, LA1 1QU
Welcome to Assessment Associates, established specialists in providing innovative educational and assessment solutions. We provide high quality training, consultation and resources to schools,
Oak Grove College
Worthing, West Sussex, South East England, BN13 1JX
Oak Grove is a community generic special college maintained by West Sussex County Council, providing special education for students with learning difficulties from Year 7 to Year 14. Oak Grove College
Sussex Coast College Hastings
Hastings, East Sussex, South East England, TN34 1BA
Daniela Dürr left Staatl. Fachoberschule in Kitzingen, Germany to study her International Foundation Year (IFY) in Hastings this year, and completes the course in June. Sussex Coast College was the
Woking College
According to recently published league tables*, at AS and A level, students attending Woking College make more academic progress than at any other local Sixth Form College or school Sixth Form. Woking
Edinburgh Bible College
EBC is for anyone desiring to grow in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you would like to get a firmer handle of the truths and principles of the Bible along with a challenge
Gloucestershire College Day Nursery
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, South West England, GL51 7SJ
We're better than good. Ofsted gave us its second highest rating in 2013, with student employability, the quality of our teaching and learning and the quality of the professional resources available
Hertfordshire College Of Hypnosis
Harpenden, Hertfordshire, East England, AL5 3BW
Welcome to the on-line presence of Hertfordshire College of Hypnosis and NLP. We are a group of like-minded specialists in our field, with many years of experience amongst our teaching and supervisory
King's International College
Camberley, Surrey, South East England, GU15 2PQ
I am confident that our website will provide you with much valuable information about the College and a flavour of the warm and positive nature of the working atmosphere and the rich vein of
Homeopathic College Of East Anglia
Norwich, Norfolk, East England, NR2 1AX
The Homeopathic College of East Anglia is a vibrant professional college established in 2002 and is based in a beautifully restored building, conveniently situated in the centre of the historical
The Learning & Skills Open College
Walsall, West Midlands, West Midlands, WS1 1QJ
Courses designed to enhance your earning power. The Learning and Skills Open College provides quality distance learning materials for people throughout the whole of the United Kingdom. The college is
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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