There are a number of UK universities that offer 2-year fast-track degrees which provide the same level of academic content as traditional 3-year degree programs.
In America, “college” means higher education, but in the UK college is where many students go for two years after finishing school at 16. Students can choose between studying at a school sixth form, sixth form college or a further education college.
A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE) is a level 5 qualification holding the same weight as an HND or two years of a bachelor's degree. The focus will be on academic study and completing a DipHE will allow you to move onto the final year of a bachelor's degree. Studying a DipHE full-time will take two years.
UK bachelor's degree courses in England and Wales generally take three years to complete. This is because UK courses focus more narrowly on the main degree subject. While students do have to take some courses outside of their discipline, most of these occur in the later years, particularly with science courses.
Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
A DipHE at Level 5 is the academic equivalent to the HND and is awarded after two years of full-time study at a university or other HE institution.
A Top-up degree is the equivalent to the final year of undergraduate study, and it usually takes one year to complete. This course allows you to achieve a full Bachelor level qualification and graduate with a BSc (Hons) or BA (Hons) .
You must then do one of the following until you're 18: stay in full-time education, for example at a college.
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).
With the massive influx of students under the free system, the quality of the system declined and struggled financially to keep up with demand. In response, in 1994, the government capped the number of students that could enroll in each university under state funding.
The Master's degrees are offered as either a one-year intensive Master's programme, or as a two-year programme which includes Advanced Practice. The one-year programme is a great option for students who want to gain a traditional master's qualification, graduate and start on their career path within 12 months.
"A standard bachelor's degree in the U.K., with the exception of Scotland, takes just three years, which means that students can graduate quicker and start their careers," says Green. American universities usually require four years to complete a bachelor's degree, which can be more costly.
A critical feature of tuition fees in the English system is that no student has to pay anything up front: the full amount can be financed via government loans (in other words, fees are effectively deferred until after graduation). Thus, while college is no longer free in England, it remains free at the point of entry.
The term high school is more frequently used in Scotland, which is where the term originates. 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.
As an international student, you are likely to need a visa to take up your study place in the UK.
Details. Further education and sixth-form colleges are able to enrol students aged 14 to 16 on a full-time study programme and receive funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency ( ESFA ).
Study at a UK College
Colleges of Further Education are a popular choice for international students taking a university preparation course or completing vocational qualifications on a full- or part-time basis.
A high school diploma in the UK doesn't actually exist. UK secondary schools do not provide them for the leaving Year 11 students, however, there are equivalents of high school diplomas within the UK. UK secondary schools provide students with GCSEs instead of a high school diploma.
If study isn't for you, you could look to do an apprenticeship. This is where you work for an employer and train for a job which you could then be offered after turning 18. These can be done for over 1,500 different jobs and there are 180 different types of apprenticeships.
School leaving age
Children can leave school on the last Friday in June of the school year in which they reach 16 years of age. They must however do one of the following until they are 18: stay in full-time education, e.g. at a college.
According to statistics, Law is officially the hardest course to get a first-class degree in. It demands a lot of time from students, reading, understanding, and scrutinising various case studies and legislation from around the world – often looking at texts that date back by hundreds of years.
Bachelor's degrees usually have a set programme of academic study, while some also incorporate practical elements and placements. There are different types of degrees, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Education (BEd) and Bachelor of Engineering (BEng).
Bachelor's degree
A first degree, leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc) or equivalent, is gained after three or more years studying at university or a similar institution. Degrees usually begin at the age of 17 or 18, after a student has finished school.