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Colleges in the UK
Emerson College
Forest Row, East Sussex, South East England, RH18 5JX
Courses at Emerson encompass land-based studies, therapeutic education and the arts, set within a rich learning environment.Emerson's international community of students, staff and initiatives work
Runshaw College
Leyland, Lancashire, North West England, PR25 3DQ
Our sixth form centre in Leyland offers a wide range of A-levels and Vocational programmes. We also provide education for adult students from Basic Skills to Higher Education at our two adult centres
Pacific Court
Pacific Court is a hall of residence for Hull University & College students, located in the centre of Hull's historic "Old Town" or Museum Quarter, surrounded by boutique shops, bars and cafes. All
Edinburgh College Of Naturopathic Medicine
Our Naturopathy Foundation Courses (Biomedicine and Naturopathy Study), form the basis of our training and provide CNM students with a firm grasp of Naturopathic therapies, which helps you decide what
The Elms School
The Elms is the private day Nursery & Junior School to Trent College. We are an independent Nursery and Junior school in Nottingham with around 400 girls and boys, aged 0 to 11. Through first class
Prestons College
Preston, Lancashire, North West England, PR2 8UR
With our new iSTEM (Innovation and STEM) Centre and its associated curriculum launching this September, we've declared 2015 the 'Year of STEM' (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). Three
Woldgate College
A school with a positive, welcoming, warm atmosphere, in which students take pride in their achievements. Where we ensure each individual pupil achieves academically through consistently good
Felpham Community College
Bognor Regis, West Sussex, South East England, PO22 8EL
It is a community school which means that it is run by the local authority, which employs the staff; owns the land and buildings and decides which 'admissions criteria' to use (these are used to
Dance College Whitstable
Whitstable, Kent, South East England, CT5 3PS
Dance College Whitstable continues the ethos of the Deborah Capon College, providing a much needed opportunity for vocational courses in both theatre and teacher training, with a focus on the
Bedfordshire College
Luton, Bedfordshire, East England, LU1 2RD
Welcome to the Bedford College website, which has everything you will need to be able to make an informed choice about your training and education. Whether you are leaving school, an international
Angels College
Birmingham, West Midlands, West Midlands, B18
Angels College is a private further education provider located in the Midlands of the United Kingdom, with several country offices and branches around the world, offering UK based qualifications. The
Blackwater Integrated College
Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland, BT30 6SG
As Principal of Blackwater Integrated College, I am delighted to welcome you to our College Website. I trust that the website will be a valuable resource to parents and students, both current and
University College London
Archway, North London, London, N19 5UW
A major international trial involving the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL has found that HIV patients benefit from starting treatment as soon as possible rather than waiting until their immune systems
Ivanhoe College
Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, East Midlands, LE65 1HX
We are now recruiting Parent and Community School Governors. If you want to share your skills and have a positive impact on the school, please ring to find out more about this important role. Please
Stoke On Trent College
Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, West Midlands, ST6 4JU
With an Apprenticeship, you can earn money while you're learning and gain recognised qualifications as you work. As employees, Apprentices earn a wage and work alongside experienced staff to gain
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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