What is the difference between a college and a university

Answer:
Colleges vs. Universities vs. Schools:
The difference between a college and a university is that a college just offers a collection of degrees in one specific area while a university is a collection of colleges. When you go to a university you are going to be graduating from one of their colleges, such as the business college. As to which is better, it depends on what you want. Single colleges tend to be smaller while universities are bigger, but universities are better known.

Explanations from other contributors:

Be aware that there is a very distinct difference in terminology between the USA and the rest of the world. In the US, there is very little difference academically between a "college" and a "university." In the US, the terms are synonymous; other countries use "college" to refer to some secondary schools, but "university" is always used to mean an institution of tertiary education and higher learning. Universities are usually larger and often contain multiple "colleges" within them. However, some of the top-ranked schools in the US have a name including "college" (e.g., Dartmouth College). In other parts of the English-speaking world, the term "university" equates to the US use of "college" and the term "college" refers more to a trade or vocational school.
Depends on the country you are in. Here in the UK, a university can award its own degrees and has a charter giving it various guarantees of independence. A college usually depends on a fully-fledged university to validate its degrees, or may even be part of a university, as in Oxford or Cambridge colleges. Or a college may be little to do with degree-level education at all, such as a Further Education college.
Also don't forget Community Colleges. In that usage a college is very different than a University because a community college can't offer a 4-year degree (i.e., a B.A. or a B.S.). Community colleges can offer trade and technical certifications and training as well as the first 2 years of a 4-year program, but they are unable to grant Bachelor's degrees.
In Canada, a University is an education institution that can grant degrees (BA, BSc, MA, PHd, etc). Colleges can grant certificates or diplomas, but not degrees.
Maybe it is in Canada alone that universities are different than colleges. Most countries except Canada (developing or developed countries), colleges offers four (4) year course - Bachelor's Degree. Of course, universities are more prestigious and more expensive. Also, universities offers further studies after a Bachelor's degree like Master's degrees, Doctorate degree, and Post Doctorate degree - these degrees can be achieved if you have earned a Bachelor's degree first. Basically, colleges are small and faculties (such as lecturers) are more focused to students. They usually focus on a few courses (for a Bachelor's degree). In universities, a professor handles more students and they most likely can't place a focus on each individual student.
Australia is in the same boat as Canada, then. Here, Universities offer degrees, but Colleges (also known as T.A.F.E.,) offer Diplomas and Certificates.
In France, college Grande Ecole is highly reputing than University especially in Engineering. It is part of National Polytechnic Institute taking into account the selection criteria.
A university confers degrees up to PhD. A 4-year college confers Bachelor's and Master's degrees (BA, BS & MA, MS). A 2-year or community college confers the associate degree (AA or AS).
The main difference between a college and a university is that the university maintains research requirements for its instructors and that the university is, in essence, a more research-focused institution.
A college can offer many majors with which to direct your studies. However, doctorate programs are more prone to be offered at universities where they have the money to support such programs.
This is probably related to the fact that Universities conduct research, which in turn allows them a certain degree of recognition, attracts a larger student body and affords them the capacity to offer higher learning options than a college can offer.
While the terms today are often used interchangeably, originally a college was a specific school teaching a specific subject, such as Education, Medicine, etc. and a University is a school made up of numerous colleges.
In general the difference is the level of degree that they can award. Colleges typically award Bachelor's degrees and Universities can confer Master's and Doctorate degrees. The distinction has never been "enforced" by any organization.
Sometimes a college could have called themselves a university, but chooses not to for historical reasons and/or continuity of its name. The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, founded in 1693, could have long ago called itself a university, with studies available in many areas, undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate. However, to maintain the historical title that dates back to colonial times, the college has never adopted the title of university.
Those of us who work here commonly refer to it as "the university," and as a Virginia Charter University, which has allowed William & Mary a large degree of independence from the commonwealth, all new employees are now "university employees" vice "state employees" as the college now has its own human resources structure separate from (but similar to) the commonwealth's HR structure. Current "state employees" also have the option to convert to "university employees." Bottom line: While W&M operates at a level commonly equated to universities, it chooses to maintain the title of college for historical reasons. I suspect that Dartmouth College has the same or similar reasoning for not taking on the title of university, although it certainly would be justified in doing so.

A few notes on some of these comments:

1) Community colleges absolutely do now offer bachelor degrees and not always in conjunction with a 4-year college or university. This is a new trend in the US and many are fighting it, because that wasn't the purpose behind the community college concept when it was first developed.

2) Universities are not more prestigious than colleges. I defy anyone to tell me that MIT, which isn't a university, isn't as prestigious as Harvard University.

3) In answer to this post: "A university confers degrees up to PhD. A 4-year college confers Bachelors and Masters degrees. (BA,BS & MA, MS) A 2-year or community college confers the associate degree. (AA or AS)": There are many colleges that offer doctoral degrees. In the US, a "4-year college" does not offer a masters. That goes beyond the 4 years. As I wrote before, many community and 2-year colleges offer bachelor degrees.

4) Last point, in answer to "The difference between a college and a university is that a college just offers a collection of degrees in one specific area, while a university is a collection of colleges": Universities contain colleges and universities offer the degree. For example, my degree is from the University of Illinois, not from the College of Education. I earned the degree through the COE, but UI granted the degree.


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10 Colleges and Universities with $0 Tuition

Attending a college or university doesn't have to be expensive. There are a number of schools--both online and traditional institutions--that offer free tuition or low-cost learning options. Here is a list of 10 colleges and universities that fall into one of these two categories.

1. Berea College

Every student who attends Kentucky's Berea College receives a full-tuition scholarship worth more than $25,000. Berea also helps students with other costs, such as food, room and board, by providing a work study program. Students also receive a free laptop to use while they are in school. Berea offers the opportunity to major in many different subjects. The most popular majors are business, manufacturing, family studies and human development.

2. Alice Lloyd College

US News and World Report ranks Alice Lloyd College among the best U.S. colleges to graduate with the least amount of debt. This Kentucky school offers guaranteed tuition to any student in the college's 108-county Central Appalachian service area. Students work 10-20 hours each week to pay their way. Alice Lloyd offers degrees in a wide range of fields as well as pre-professional programs.

3 Webb Institute

The Princeton Review ranks Webb Institute among the Best Value Colleges in America. The school is known for providing a top-notch engineering education along with full-tuition scholarships to anyone who attends. Students live in a mansion while they attend school and participate in paid internships for extra cash.

4 College of the Ozarks

Located in Missouri, the College of the Ozarks is a conservative Christian school that cheerfully discourages student debt. The school has been nicknamed 'Hardwork U' because students work 15 hours each week to graduate tuition-free. The College of the Ozarks favors applicants who are financially needy. Popular majors include business, teaching, education and criminal justice.

5. Curtis Institute of Music

The Curtis Institute of Music offers full-tuition scholarships to everyone who gains admission. The school is very particular when it comes to applicants, accepting only 160 new students each year. Those who do get in can expect to receive an excellent education from one of the best music conservatories in the world.

6. CUNY Teacher Academy

The City University of New York offers full-tuition scholarships to students who enroll in their Teacher Academy. Every student who enrolls is eligible. Students also receive a full-time teaching position in a New York school upon graduation.

7. U.S. Academies

U.S. Military Academy

U.S. Air Force Academy

U.S. Naval Academy

U.S. Coast Guard Academy

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

Students who attend any of these U.S. academies receive a full ride. They also receive a monthly stipend in return for service. Although each program is different, most require applicants to obtain a congressional nomination from their state congressional delegation. Applicants must also pass a physical fitness test and meet other requirements.

8.State of Washington Universities

Both the University of Washington and Washington State University offer need-based programs that pay full-tuition and fees. The programs are available to in-state residents who meet State Need Grant or Pell Grant requirements. Special scholarships are also available to out-of-state students who need help covering the cost of tuition.

9. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

At one point, the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering offered a full-tuition scholarship to anyone who attends. The school has since reduced the scholarship policy by 50 percent. Even so, Franklin W. Olin College still offers one of the largest merit scholarship programs in the country to all admitted students.

10. University of the People

The University of the People is the world's first tuition-free, non-profit online university. Students who enroll are not required to pay any tuition. Study materials are also free. However, there are modest fees ($10 to $100) for taking tests at the end of each course. Fees work on a sliding scale depending on the country where you live. The University of the People does not confer degrees yet for either of their programs (business administration or computer science.) But the school is in the process of applying for accreditation, which means that they may be offering degrees very soon.

Choosing a College or School

Factors in Choosing a College or School.

Possibly the most difficult decision you will face in thinking about your college career is just which college or school you want to choose to attend. There are over 4,000 colleges in the US with nearly 16 million students to choose from. As each college also offers a number of different majors and degrees, it can be difficult to choose just which major will suits you.

Career - What Do You Want To Do After College?

Above and beyond the sheer joy of learning, selecting a major and earning a degree is a route to a career. So one of the factors you'll want to consider in choosing a college is just what career do you intend to have. Do you want to be an accountant? An agronomist? An actor? All the way through the career choices to zoo keeper, you need to have some idea of what you would like to do before selecting a major.

Degree- So Which Major Should I Choose?

Once you've decided your career or what you'd like to be, you should consider what your major will be. If you want to be that agronomist there's little point in being a drama major, and agronomy is not known to improve the career prospects of actors. So which major you choose is a factor that will contribute to your career success? You don't have to be too narrow here. Modern languages programs can be as helpful to a business career or military career as, say, an accounting degree.

Which Colleges or Schools Offer These Majors?

Now you know what your major is you can start to look through the list of colleges and schools. If you want a career in economics then there is no point in going to a college or school that doesn't offer that as a major. Similarly, going to a school that doesn't offer a major in biology or plant sciences if you want to be an agronomist wouldn't be a useful way of choosing a college.

But guess what? A majority of students in all colleges and schools change their major at least once in their college careers; and many change their major several times over the course of their college career.

Do You Meet the College's or School's Entry Requirements?

Different colleges and schools have different entry requirements. So when you have your list of colleges that you'd like to go to, the next factor or step in choosing a college is to look at the school's demands. What are colleges looking for in High School grade point average? What SAT scores will you need? You might at this point want to talk to your school counselors about choosing a college - they can guide you in the right direction.

Can You Afford to Choose This College?

Yes, college is expensive, that a big factor. But there are almost always ways to get the money to pay for school. If you meet the requirements for a school in terms of academic achievement it is highly likely that the money can be found. Some combination of college work study, college loans, college scholarships, or perhaps even one of the Federal schemes like Americorps or the ROTC, will be able to helpyou pay for college. You can also choose to cut costs by doing the first part (the Associate's Degree) at a junior or community college. No matter what your finances, there is always a way to get the education you want.

So the path to choosing a college works like this. Start with your career path or what you want to be after college, then see what your major needs to be. Find out which schools and colleges offer that major and make sure you have the grades to go to them. After all of that, then start working on how to pay for college.

Career Training

The internet has matured over the past decade, and with this maturity has come an opportunity for the dedicated individual to receive the career training boost they need from the seat of their home computer. Historically, the process of career training has been directly associated with typical brick and mortar career training institutions or university programs. While this option may work for some, it typically requires time consuming travel and sometimes requires people to adjust their schedules to meet the needs of the career training school.
In today's technology driven society, the training needed for a successful career is available at your fingertips. Career training via online universities and career training institutions offers hard-working people the opportunity to take that extra step needed to move up the corporate ladder without the usual sacrifices incurred training for a career at local institutions. These new learning platforms provide an opportunity for career training in a virtual environment; an environment that is not built around the career training institution's schedule, but built around a schedule that fits your time constraints and career training needs.
Career training is available by various means, including online career training programs such as ITT Technical Institute or through online universities such as Devry University. Through each of these programs you can receive the degree and the training you need for the career of your choice.
Online career training is meant to develop your skills in an environment that you control. It's not for everyone, and it's not an easy way out either. But if you dedicate yourself and the time needed, you'll find yourself making the salary you deserve with the training for the career of you dreams.

 Accreditation
 Accreditation is a process of validation in which colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning are evaluated. The standards for accreditation are set by a peer review board whose members include faculty from various accredited colleges and universities. The board aids in the evaluation of each potential new school accreditation or the renewals of previously accredited colleges/schools.
In order for potential colleges to proceed with the accreditation process smoothly, they must meet the general standards set by the peer review accreditation boards. Each college is typically assessed using the following criteria:

• Overall Mission of the College
• Objectives and Goals
• Student Requirements for Admissions
• Services Available to Students
• Quality of Education
• Reputation of Faculty

Why is accreditation important?
An important factor in realizing a successful career is choosing a reputable college. Colleges that have been through the accreditation process are more likely to offer degrees that employers and recruiters recognize. Companies want to know that you have a quality education and that you will have something to bring to the table when you join their team. For this purpose, accreditation enables companies to filter those individuals who have obtained a degree from an accredited institution from those who have not. The accreditation process also offers students a better chance of having their credits transfered to other reputable institutions should they decide to obtain a graduate or doctoral level education.
Do all schools need accreditation?
Not all schools need accreditation. Some schools offer specialty training programs in technical and art fields that don't fall under the traditional process of accreditation. One way to tell if your school is qualified or not is to do the research and be sure that it is recognized in the community as providing the valuable skills necessary to do the job.
Do online learning institutions offer the same accreditation as "brick and mortar" institutions?
All national and regional agencies of accreditation hold online educational institutions and distance learning programs to the same high standards that are held by the traditional "brick and mortar" institutions.
How do I know if my school has accreditation from a reputable agency?
Whether you are interested in being a student of an online university, traditional "brick and mortor" college, or an online training program, it is important to be directed to a credible source to obtain the right degree. Knowledge of the accreditation process will help you avoid "diploma mills" or other institutions that grant degrees without providing students a quality education. To avoid these issues, be sure to conduct your due dilligence and read up on the body responsible for accreditation at your college/school before you sign up. You can also find a wealth of information on accrediting bodies at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation's website, www.chea.org. CHEA is recognized as an advocate and institutional voice for self regulation of academic quality through accreditation.

Online College

An online college can provide a great path to get ahead without lost time spent commuting to and from classes within a large campus. In order to know if an online college is the right choice for you, ask yourself a few questions to dig a little deeper.

Are you a self-motivated individual?
You may have heard rumors that an online college is an easy way to get a college degree, but you might find yourself pleasantly surprised by the answer provided by someone who has completed an online degree. An online college offers the same challenges that campus based colleges offer, in that there is the same a level of homework, tests, papers, and an opportunity to learn in many different subject areas, all of which a general degree will provide.
Where an online college differs is that the responsibility remains with the individual to achieve the grade they set as a goal. The idea of a teacher hounding you to complete your homework will not exist, thereby leaving the responsibility and commitment to complete course content up to you. Students who successfully achieve online college degrees proactively remain on top of their game, keep up with their coursework, and avoid procrastination.
Are you a busy person?
In an age where most of us have to work to survive, the answer for the majority of people is a resounding yes! An online college can offer you the potential opportunity to move up the corporate ladder and make the money that you have only dreamed about, all from the comfort of your own home. That means you no longer have to make all the sacrifices students have been forced to make in the past, and in fact still spend time with friends, family, and pursing non-educational hobbies and interests.
Do you feel comfortable communicating in an online environment?
Some students really thrive in a classroom environment where they can interact with other classmates and teachers. In an online college course you are likely to be in a different environment where you are unlikely to experience a person-to-person connection that most traditional campus classrooms offer. However, in an online college the richness of communicating with other students is not lost. An online college offers a variety of options for you to communicate with other classmates and teachers in live chat room environments, through live video feeds, and via email. There are many ways to learn how to use these tools and become comfortable with their usage in order to experience the richness of these discussions, as if in the classroom.
Is the degree you're interested in pursuing available at an online college?
Most degrees are offered through accredited online colleges; however, some degrees do in fact require classroom and hands-on experience. This is something that you should consider when making your final decision to enroll in an online college.
Making a final decision
In making your final decision to enroll at an online college, you may want to consider your answers to each of the questions above. However keep in mind that many of these online colleges will provide training on how to best use their educational systems. In the end, enrolling in a college needs to be done with the goal of achieving an education and equipping yourself with the right tools to pursue your preferred career path.

Profiles of International Students Who Studied Abroad

As the student profiles below underscore, students from all over the world are choosing to study in many diverse locations. Much of the time, they are studying where people speak a different language from their own and where the culture if very different from theirs. These student profiles provide a small sample of the study abroad experiences students are enjoying worldwide.
Australian student inspired to pursue higher academic goals
As an exchange student for a semester in Singapore, Meng Cougar Li of the University of Adelaide in Australia made the most of his time studying as a business student at the National University of Singapore. While there he enjoyed the many Asian foods, 24 hour shopping, beaches and new friendships. He was also able to take advantage of the opportunity to travel to the nearby countries of Thailand and Malaysia with other international students. When not traveling and socializing, he found that the hard-working Singaporean students inspired him to work towards higher academic goals.
Canadian student traveled to 10 countries while abroad
Joseph White studied in Marburg, Germany for a year where he made many new friends from all over Europe and North America. He writes that his time abroad was "easily the best time of my life" and believes he will never forget the experiences he had and the people he met while there. In additional to traveling all over Germany, he had the opportunity to travel to 10 other countries in Europe while abroad. Back at Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, he volunteers to share his experiences with other students thinking about studying in Germany. Read Joseph's complete profile ….
Student from Taiwan wins award from study abroad school
Te-Hsin Tsai appreciates the more relaxed and flexible attitudes in England as compared with her native Taiwan. She has learned about a different culture both from classes and her daily life while volunteering and socializing. Te-Hsin was the 3rd place winner of a Shine+ award where she studied at Northumbria University in northern England. The awards are given to study abroad students who have made an outstanding effort to make the most of their time in the UK. Read more about Te-Hsin Tsai ….
Indian student immerses herself in student activities
As a new international student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in the United States, Namrita Bendapudi dove headfirst into student life by becoming the Public Relations Officer for the school's chapter of Heifer International. She later became an International Peer Mentor, president of Volunteers for a Global Campus and helped found the Indian Students Advisory Council. She found that support from the International Affairs office and the Department of Psychology as well as her early involvement in student activities helped her adjust to a life and culture very different from her native India. More of Namrita's profile can be read here.
Columbian student learns English in New Zealand
Nicolas, a Columbian native, has met many kind people from all over the world while studying English and the University of Waikato in the North Island of New Zealand. After this experience, he would like to continue on to study management at the school. He says it has been important to him that there are not many people there who speak Spanish as he feels this has been helpful in improving his English skills. Living with a British family was also very helpful as they were good role models and corrected him when he made mistakes. The many new friends he has made come from all over the world including Saudi Arabia, Japan, China, the US and Europe. Besides learning English, he has also enjoyed learning about New Zealand's native Maori culture. Play a video clip to hear more from Nicolas.

US Colleges and Universities

Background On Higher Education in the US

The US has over 7,000 higher education institutions and over 15 million students.

Many of the world's most prestigious higher education institutions are in the United States. Also known as post-secondary education, the American higher education system includes colleges and universities that focus on one or more study areas such as vocational, business, engineering, technical, or liberal arts. The most common degrees include associate, professional, bachelors, masters, and doctorate. There are over 7,000 higher education institutions in the U.S. with over 15 million students according to US Department of Education statistics. International students make up a substantial part of the enrollments for many schools.
Accreditation in the US
The quality of educational programs is maintained through an independent and voluntary accreditation process that is unaffiliated with government. The U.S. has six regional accreditation associations as well as national associations that rate institutions on many different criteria, such as quality of their libraries, faculty research and publishing, and faculty credentials. Individual programs within an institution may also receive accreditation from specialized agencies.

Program quality is maintained through an accreditation process unaffiliated with government.

An advantage of the US's accreditation process is the relative ease in which students can transfer studies from one institution to another. Students, for instance, might start studies at an appropriately accredited two-year community college, completing an associate's degree, and then transfer much of their coursework to continue studies in a four-year bachelor's program at a university. Also, in general, studies at US institutions with accreditations from associations recognized by the US government's Department of Education or The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) are transferrable for studies in other countries.
Another advantage of recognized accreditation for an institution is that students can be very confident that the school is legitimate and NOT one of the many "diploma mills," which make money by giving out college degrees while requiring very little or nothing of students academically.
Public and Private Institutions in the US

American schools can be public or private and non-profit or for-profit.

The American university and college system is highly decentralized with both public and privately operated institutions. Schools can be non-profit or for-profit. The US Department of Education estimates that close to 70% of all undergraduate students attend public institutions, which includes undergraduates at two-year, community colleges and four-year colleges and universities. Tuition and living costs of public education are typically lower than for private -- for instance a recent Department of Education estimate put average total costs of attendance for undergraduates at public four-year institutions at near $15,000 per year versus close to $30,000 for private, for-profit, four-year institutions.
Students making a decision between a public and private school usually consider many factors, such as total costs, available financial aid, fit of academic programs with career goals, class sizes, convenience of classes, flexibility of studies, location, housing options, characteristics of the student body, reputation, and much more.
Admission Requirements

US admission requirements vary widely.

Admission requirements vary widely from one US institution to another. For vocational and undergraduate programs typically a high school diploma or equivalent is needed. Many programs require the completion of entrance tests, such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Testing (ACT) examinations. It is a common practice to also consider high school coursework, personal interests, and accomplishments as part of an institution's evaluation of applicants.
Student Financial Aid in the US

An estimated 80 percent of full-time students receive financial aid.

Most college and university students in the US receive a substantial level of financial aid for funding their studies. For example, a recent US Department of Education report estimated that 80 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some type of financial aid. These students on average were receiving aid that covered over 50% of their costs of attendance.
Aid for all higher education students, including part-time and graduate students, is available from a spectrum of government, public, and private sources. Types of financial assistance can come in the form of grants, government loans, private loans, work-study programs, tuition waivers, scholarships, tax benefits, and more.
International Students in the US

International students are an important part of US higher education.

International students in the U.S. are a significant and important part of US higher education. A recent report by the Institute of International Education (IIE) noted a record number of international student enrollments at over 600,000. The US Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs receives 25 million inquiries annually from prospective students around the world interested in US-based studies. Students coming to the US take on studies through exchange programs, US college and university programs (for semester, year, or degree), and vocational schools. Many of these students find the quality, diversity, affordability, and flexibility of US studies to be appealing.
Online Education in the US

Online education is a growing part of US colleges and universities.

An important emerging trend in the US is online higher education that makes use of Internet technologies and systems known as Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs). This type of education, sometimes known as distance learning or e-learning, gives students flexibility for when and where they undertake their studies and enables remote collaboration with peers and instructors. It is estimated that over two million students in the U.S. make use of online higher education with growth for online degrees expected to be strong. As part of this trend new online-only schools have been established and many existing higher education institutions are introducing online educational programs. Online studies can take place on a full-time or part-time basis, or can be blended with on-campus classes.
About the US
The US, also frequently referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America, is made up of 50 states and a federal district, Washington D.C., where its national capital resides. The US also has several territories, including Puerto Rico in the Caribbean.

At over 300 million residents, the US is the third most populous country.

With its number of citizens estimated at just over 300 million, the US is the third largest country by population. It is also the third largest country by land area. Its economy is the largest of any country, with estimates putting its gross national product (GDP) at close to 23% of the world's total.
The US population is considered very diverse relative to other countries -- one estimate puts the number of ancestry groups with more than a million members at 31. Its most populous cities are New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. The most populous states are California, Texas, New York, and Florida.