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Colleges in the UK
Healthcare Training College
Oxford, Oxfordshire, South East England, OX4 2JZ
Healthcare Training College Oxford is an established market leader in the healthcare sector offering a comprehensive range of fitness, health care, health & safety and professional development
Next Step Beauty
Next Step Beauty is the UK's leading beauty college offering accredited courses throughout the UK in various locations. If you are looking for a full accredited, industry recognised and experienced
St Richard's Catholic College
Bexhill, East Sussex, South East England, TN40 1SE
High expectations and a culture of support and encouragement enable each child to discover and develop his/her God-given talents. We also aim to provide a happy, caring and safe environment in which
Hackney University Technical College
Islington, North London, London, N1 6HQ
Hackney University Technical College is a bespoke school for 14-19 year olds located in the heart of Tech City, Shoreditch. We are the first UTC to open in London. Leading the way with our re-vamped
Icon College
Shoreditch, East London, London, E1 1EG
ICON College is a dynamic and independent Higher Education institution, in the heart of London, providing academic and professional courses of an exceptional standard at competitive prices. All our
Ymca (Wales) Community College
YMCA Wales Community College is a further education institution dedicated to providing community based learning opportunities for people in Wales wishing to re-engage with education, in particular
Rural Skills Newbattle Abbey College
As ‘Scotland's Life-Changing College', we offer adults, most of whom have few or no qualifications, the opportunity to experience a high quality transformative learning experience within an
Polymer Training & Innovation Centre
Telford, Shropshire, West Midlands, TF3 3BA
City of Wolverhampton College is a great place to learn. With three campuses across the city, specialist training academies in Telford and Worcester, and new facilities opening all the time, studying
Kendal College
Kendal, Cumbria, North West England, LA9 6EL
Kendal College is a further education college situated in Kendal on the edge of the Lake District National Park and is the leading training provider in the South Lakes. The College specialises in
Sixth Form College
Cardiff Sixth Form College was set up in response to a perceived need in the community. The educational system at the time did not adequately cater for those students of high academic ability but
Lambeth College Nursery
Brixton, South West London, London, SW2 1QS
At Lambeth College we pride ourselves in having a course for everyone. Whether you want to go to university, gain skills to improve your job prospects, complete an apprenticeship or return to learning
Oakmere Community College
Liverpool, Merseyside, North West England, L4 6UG
Oakmere is a registered charity that provides the community it serves with the means by which young people can achieve their full potential enabling them to become responsible and economically active
South Lanarkshire College
SLC is a bright, modern and forward thinking college where we put our students and partners at the heart of everything we do. At our state-of-the-art campus in East Kilbride we offer excellent
Auckland College
Liverpool, Merseyside, North West England, L17 4LE
Our School Motto of "Carpe Diem", taken from a poem in the classical text Odes by Horace, reflects our mission that children should seize the opportunities available to them in their learning journey,
Aspire
Selby, North Yorkshire, Yorkshire and the Humber, YO8 8AT
Please note, Selby College is currently experiencing difficulties receiving and making telephone calls. The college has reviewed transport arrangements for students getting to and from college,
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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