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Colleges in the UK
European College Of Law
Ilford, East London, London, IG1 1BA
European College of Law has been established to support the students to be able to achieve globally recognised degree at an affordable cost, with the commitment to providing quality education in an
TLC College
Wolverhampton, West Midlands, West Midlands, WV6 0LZ
TLC College began in a garage premise with two volunteers on a mission to address issues being faced by local disadvantaged groups. In 1997 TLC became incorporated as a "Not For Profit" Organisation
Portsmouth International College
Portsmouth, Hampshire, South East England, PO1 5DL
Our College is committed to providing you a quality education, which will help you, attain an internationally recognised professional qualification that will enable you to progress to university or
Training & Development Centre Ludlow College
Ludlow, Shropshire, West Midlands, SY8 1BE
I am delighted to welcome you to Ludlow College, and hope you will find what you are looking for on our website. If you need any help, please ring me or a colleague and we will endeavour to answer
Pent Valley Leisure Centre
Folkestone, Kent, South East England, CT19 4PB
Lottie Schulze attended the Holocaust Memorial Day activity at the People's History Museum in Manchester on Monday. The English Department at Pent Valley honoured Shakespeare week in dramatic fashion
The Graduate At Milton Keynes College
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, South East England, MK3 6DR
Established in 1984, Milton Keynes is proud to be an accessible College with a strong reputation for providing high-quality education to learners of all levels 14 years old and over. Rapid growth in
Saint John Plessington Catholic College
St John Plessington Catholic College is an Outstanding Voluntary Aided Catholic 11-18 Academy. We serve the population of the Wirral and are oversubscribed in all year groups with 1450 pupils. We have
College Farm
Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, East Midlands, DN15 9JN
For more than 30 years, College farm has been in the Ogg Family. We are a working farm which consists of pedigree suckler cows for breeding beef products. We also produce cereals for consumption and
Savio Salesian College
Bootle, Merseyside, North West England, L30 2NA
Choosing a secondary school for your son or daughter, that will build on their strengths and successes in primary education, is one the most important decisions you may have to make with them. I am
Griffin College
Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, BT1 2DX
Griffin College, Griffin Training and TrainingShelf for education and training in the evening, day, week-ends, in-company and by distance learning, e-learning and home study, in the UK and
College Farm
Swindon, Wiltshire, South West England, SN6 8TQ
Just a short drive from Swindon and the M4, College Farm is a spacious and modern pub which lies between the Ridgeway and the River Thames. As you approach Watchfield, you will have stunning views of
Kudos
Southampton, Hampshire, South East England, SO14 5GL
City College is a further education college in Hampshire, providing career led courses and education for young people and adults. The Marine Skills Centre is at the forefront of making sure those
Brondesbury College For Boys
Kilburn, North West London, London, NW6 7BT
I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to Brondesbury College! Set in the leafy suburbs of Brondesbury Park, London, we are a boys secondary day school catering for students aged 11-16 years old.
St Thomas More Catholic School
Nuneaton, Warwickshire, West Midlands, CV10 7EX
This week Sixth Form students in year 12 had the opportunity as part of the "Speakers4Schools" programme to listen to a presentation by Tim Maccabee, Managing Director of the world renowned Ducati
Reigate School Of Art
Redhill, Surrey, South East England, RH1 2JT
Welcome to East Surrey College and our exciting range of courses and study programmes designed to give you the skills you need to have a career that really interests you, help you progress to
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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