What is the difference between college and university, and which option is right for you? Find out with our quick guide.
Further vs Higher Education
College is an example of Further Education – it’s an option for study after secondary school. Further Education is often practical and vocational in nature (see below).
University is an example of Higher Education. It’s an academic form of study you can do after secondary school or college (or at any point in your life if you want to return to studies after being in the world of work).
Academic vs Vocational
University degrees are typically academic areas of study, focused on practice and theory. College courses in UK are designed to teach students to reach a certain level of skills and knowledge in a particular field of interest which makes them able to get a job in the near future or gain academic preparation to enter university. College qualifications typically help you build more practical skills that you can directly use in the world of work. They are less likely to feature exams.
Both college and university students end up with a qualification on successful completion of their course. Universities provide undergraduate and graduate degrees, but you can still attend college to do a foundation degree that will prepare you for university.
Whichever route you choose, you are likely to end up with a nationally recognised qualification that will help you develop as a person and find meaningful work you will enjoy.
What about student fees?
Student fees for universities tend to be higher, and most university students end up taking out student loans.
College course fees tend to be lower, and with more opportunity for flexible, part-time and online study so that you can fit college into your life and potentially earn as you learn.
Course duration
Further education courses in college usually last for one to two years of full-time study, although they often offer part-time and flexible study options. An undergraduate university degree often takes three years of full-time study to complete – possibly four, if you are completing a Year in Industry programme with an employer as part of your degree.
An academic discipline or field of study is a branch of knowledge, taught and researched as part of higher education. A scholar's discipline is commonly defined by the university faculties and learned societies to which they belong and the academic journals in which they publish research.
(what Americans call "college") is known as “university.” “College” actually has another meaning in the UK — it's where many students go for two years after completing compulsory schooling at 16 in order to prepare for exams to get into university.
While English is used in both the US and the UK, some terms have different meanings or common uses. Undergraduate school in the UK is often referred to as “uni” which is short for university. Undergraduate school in the US is usually called college even if you are actually attending a university.
A full-time bachelor's degree normally takes three years to complete. Part-time options are also available at many universities so that you can work alongside your studies or learn at a more relaxed pace.
The main difference between high school and college in the UK is that one is part of the statutory education system and the other is part of the optional further education (FE) system. Another key difference between high school and college is the age of the students.
It's difficult to say whether the British education system is harder than the American education system because both systems have their own unique challenges and strengths. In the UK, there is a strong emphasis on independent learning and critical thinking, with a heavier focus on exams and a more narrow subject focus.
In the UK, higher education (what Americans call "college") is known as “university.” “College” actually has another meaning in the UK — it's where many students go for two years after completing compulsory schooling at 16 in order to prepare for exams to get into university.
Home educated young people aged 14-16 in England are able to attend college and the Government (ie the Education Skills Funding Agency) will pay for the course. It is up to the colleges whether or not to admit under-16s.
Students normally enter higher education as undergraduates from age 18 onwards, and can study for a wide variety of vocational and academic qualifications, including certificates of higher education and higher national certificates at level 4, diplomas of higher education, higher national diplomas and foundation ...
In practice, higher education (HE) remains free at the point of entry in England for a high minority of students. The state pays for the poorest or low income to access a university, thus university attendance remains high. There are record levels of disadvantaged students accessing a university in England.
In Britain, college means something totally different to what it means in the US, where it's another word for university. UK colleges are for students aged between 16 and 18, who graduate from there to go to university, which is shortened to just uni.
In the UK, a British bachelors degree normally takes three years to complete and most are awarded at honours level. Examples of first degrees are: BA (Bachelor of Arts), BEng (Bachelor of Engineering), and BSc (Bachelor of Science).
The closest equivalent is a 'secondary school', and indeed some English secondary schools have 'high school' in their name. But the school system in England does not quite line up with the system that most Americans would be familiar with.
In Britain, college means something totally different to what it means in the US, where it's another word for university. UK colleges are for students aged between 16 and 18, who graduate from there to go to university, which is shortened to just uni.
A Bachelor's, or Honours, degree is the most common type of undergraduate degree. It's what most employers mean when they're looking for an 'undergraduate' or 'first' degree on a job posting.
Regent's American College London, (commonly abbreviated to "RACL"), is a part of Regent's University London, the campus of which was originally built in 1913 in the midst of Regent's Park in central London, UK. Until 2007 the college was known as British American College London.
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