Trending articles
-
Best Colleges in the UK for 2022 ...
11 Aug, 2022
-
Best Colleges in the United Kingdom ...
12 Jul, 2022
-
Top UK Universities for IT and ...
07 Feb, 2022
-
Top Tips for Studying Smarter Not ...
11 Jan, 2022
-
Choosing The Right University for You ...
24 Jan, 2019
-
How to Choose a College in the UK ...
17 Jan, 2019
Partner's ads
Colleges in the UK
College of Media and Publishing
Chichester, West Sussex, South East England, PO19 7DN
We are one of the UK's largest online colleges and provide courses in proofreading, journalism, writing and marketing. We work with clients including Disney, Sony, Intel, the NHS, British Gas, BT and
Hopwood Hall College
Middleton, Greater Manchester, North West England, M24 6XH
Hopwood Hall College has been confirmed as one of the top performing Colleges in Greater Manchester, having recently achieved Ofsted Grade 2 in November 2016. We have an in-depth understanding of the
Abingdon & Witney College
Abingdon, Oxfordshire, South East England, OX14 1GG
Did you know we are officially Oxfordshire's most successful college? We have been graded "good" with "outstanding" apprenticeships by Ofsted, have the highest Level 3 achievement rates in England of
Kings Brighton
Brighton, East Sussex, South East England, BN1 4SB
Kings Brighton is a modern independent college for ambitious students looking for a mature yet supportive learning environment and community in which they can express their own identity, explore their
Kings Bournemouth
Bournemouth, Dorset, South West England, BH2 6LD
Kings Bournemouth is a modern independent college for ambitious students looking for a mature yet supportive learning environment and community in which they can express their own identity, explore
Kings Oxford
Oxford, Oxfordshire, South East England, OX4 2UJ
Kings Oxford is a modern independent college for ambitious students looking for a mature yet supportive learning environment and community in which they can express their own identity, explore their
Cranbrook College
Ilford, East London, London, IG1 4LX
We at Cranbrook College are dedicated to educate our students from all backgrounds. We offer some very interesting, on demand short courses for adults to make them job ready.
Kingston Maurward College
Dorchester, Dorset, South West England, DT2 8PY
At Kingston Maurward College we offer a range of Full-time courses, Part-time courses, Apprenticeships and University Degree level courses. Full-time courses include equine studies, agriculture,
SB Skills Solutions
Skelmersdale, Lancashire, North West England, WN8 8EF
SB Skills are fully accredited to provide forklift training, construction plant training and testing courses to the construction industry and warehousing industries. SB Skills is the main provider of
Telford College
Telford, Shropshire, West Midlands, TF1 2NP
We want to help you in every way possible and we offer comprehensive advice on courses, excellent teaching and learning and access to the finest resources and facilities. Many of our students want to
Mont Rose College
Ilford, East London, London, IG1 4TG
Mont Rose College’s refurbished premises offer students a world-class learning environment, with access to private study areas and an extensive range of online educational resources. There are
UKVITEST
Oldbury, West Midlands, West Midlands, B68 8SE
UKVITEST is primarily to provide services to immigrant throughout the UK in booking their English exams with the Home Office approved examination body. We are based in Birmingham. We also prepare them
Making Music
Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, East England, HP4 1PL
Our degree courses are constantly refreshed to address the shake-ups in a fast-moving industry. Our hand-picked tutors are ready to pass on the real-world technical skills that will break you into the
Practical Accounting Training and Recruitment
Finchley Central, North London, London, N3 2JU
Future Connect Training and Recruitment are leading providers of Accountancy based trainings to Corporate and Individuals. Our practical , hands on approach to training is unparalleled and unique in
Plumpton College
Lewes, East Sussex, South East England, BN1 7JG
The College specialises in providing a wide range of land-based courses in partnership with schools, for those in further education and for those in higher education. The College degree courses are
Can't find your business?
Adding a business to Colleges-UK.co.uk is free.Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
- Click here to navigate to the Login page.
- If you haven't yet registered, click here to navigate to the Registration page.
- Fill all required fields.
- After you have logged in, click on "Add Business.
- After you have clicked on "Add Business", you will be redirected to another page.
- You can now fill in the details for this Business.
- Click on the "Create" button.
- Your listing will now be "pending approval".
- One of our Administrators will review your listing and decide whether to Approve or Reject it.
- Priority listing positioning for city, county, in the search results, and our home page.
- A website link on the listing page.
- Can add services with links included.
- Have access to all submitted free quotes from our visitors.
- Increase leads that you can follow up and generate sales from.
- Increase your online presence which, these days, is an indispensable commodity.
- Allow the thousands of potential customers who use the directory each month to find you.
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