Programmes & Qualifications

Choosing a university

With an unparalleled breadth of choice in colleges and universities in the United States, deciding where to apply means doing your research and focusing on what is most important to you. You will need to think about the type of university environment you are most interested in, the choice of courses and activities they offer, the location and the costs. Finding the right fit is incredibly important for a rewarding higher education experience.

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Types of universities

Four-year institutions offer a full bachelor's degree programme, whereas two-year colleges (often called community or junior colleges) usually offer an associate degree programme.

You can choose between public and private institutions. Public institutions such as state universities often have larger campuses and student numbers than private institutions. It is important to think about the type of campus setting that interests you as well. Large versus small, city versus suburbs, and so on. It must feel right for you.

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'University', 'college' and 'school' are all names used to refer to bachelor degree granting institutions.
Students can often use the credits gained on an associate's degree programme at a community college to transfer to a four-year institution to complete their bachelor’s degree.
Specialist institutions focus their courses around particular subject areas including science, engineering, technology, performing and visual arts. They may offer both two- and four-year programmes.
Liberal arts colleges usually focus on undergraduate degrees. They believe in making sure students have a broad grounding across subjects in the arts and sciences. They are generally smaller institutions with a low student to faculty ratio.

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Programmes & Qualifications

Choosing a university

Types of universities

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