Difference Between University and College: As students start to explore their postsecondary education options, they often tend to wonder the difference between a college and a university. While most of the times, the two are confused by most students and parents alike, we have brought you a comprehensive list of how a college is different to a university.
Colleges are usually smaller in size as compared to universities. Due to their small size, colleges provide limited research options for students wanting to pursue their higher education. On the other hand, a university could be home to multiple colleges functioning on or off the campus. They are vast in size and offer a number of choices to its students. Universities also have multiple schools within their campus, such as School of Arts, School of Music, and School of Architecture among others.
A college typically offers its students undergraduate and associate degrees due to the availability of limited courses in the college. A university, on the other hand, is home to various departments and faculties that provide students with all major degrees including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees leading to a master’s degree or a Ph.D. It is also important to note that due to limited resources provided in a college, it is comparatively cheaper to enroll into a college than compared to a university where the fee structure is much higher due to the number of facilities and programs available to the students.
Not all colleges provide students with professional degrees, however, all universities are integrated with medical or law school for students wishing to pursue professional degrees. Many a time universities also offer special programs, where a student can pursue an undergraduate degree along with a graduate degree in a reduced amount of time, a facility that is rare to find in a college. In short, we can conclude, by saying, universities have a more diverse offering of classes and programs than a college because of the larger number of enrolled students.
| College | University | |
| Size | Smaller in size | Larger in size |
| Courses | Courses are limited to undergraduate studies. | Courses vary from graduate level studies to professional courses. |
| Budget | Due to the limited space and facilities, the fee structure is usually lesser compared to a university. | Due to multiple facilities and programmes being offered to students, universities are deemed more expensive. |
| Degree | Offers student undergraduate and associate degrees. | Offers students postgraduate degrees leading to a master’s degree or a Ph.D. |
| Facilities | Due to the restricted space the facilities provided are limited. | The large size of the university provides a plethora of facilities to the students. |
