In a number of countries, a university college is a
college
A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...
institution that provides
tertiary education
Tertiary education, also referred to as third-level, third-stage or post-secondary education, is the educational level following the completion of secondary education. The World Bank, for example, defines tertiary education as including univers ...
but does not have full or independent
university
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United Stat ...
status. A university college is often part of a larger university. The precise usage varies from country to country.
Australia
In
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
, the term ''university college'' was used to refer to educational institutions that were like universities, but lacked full autonomy. The ''La Trobe University College of Northern Victoria'' was one such college. University colleges existing today generally cater for specific subjects (such as theology or the arts).
UNSW
The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensive ...
@
ADFA
The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) is a tri-service military Academy that provides military and academic education for junior officers of the Australian Defence Force in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and Royal Au ...
was previously known as the University College, ADFA, and it provides the tertiary education component of officer cadet training at the Australian Defence Force Academ
It is a branch of the
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensiv ...
.
Additionally, some
residential colleges associated with universities are named "University College". These halls of residence are common in Australian universities and primarily provide accommodation to students. They may also provide academic support (such as tutorials) and social activities for residents.
University College, Melbourne
University College (UC) is a residential college affiliated with the University of Melbourne in Australia. It was formerly known as University Women's College and was established in 1937 as the first of the Melbourne residential colleges to permit ...
, formerly University Women's College, is one such residential college. It is affiliated with the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb ...
.
Belgium
In Belgium, the term ''university college'' is used to refer to state-funded institutions of higher education belonging to one of the three
communities of Belgium, that are specifically not universities. They can issue academic or non-academic
bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to si ...
s or academic
master's degrees, and they are performing practice-oriented and artistic research. Even if they are at the same level, academic degrees issued from university colleges are different from university degrees.
In the Dutch-speaking Flemish community, university colleges are called ''Hogescholen,'' while in the French community they are called ''Hautes écoles''. However, the French community makes a difference between ''Hautes écoles'' and ''Écoles supérieures des arts,'' which are specialised
art schools authorized to select incoming students. Both count as university colleges.
Canada
In Canada, ''university college'' has three meanings: a degree-granting institution; an institution that offers university-level coursework; or a constituent organization (college) of a university, such as
University College at the University of Toronto or
University College Residences at Laurentian University.
The title "University College" is extensively used by institutions that do not have full university status, but which do extensive teaching at
degree level. The title "university" is protected by regulations of the Canada Corporations Act, but the title "college" is only regulated in some
Canadian provinces. Some Canadian university colleges are public institutions, some are private; some are regulated by government agencies, others are not. The
Council of Ministers of Education maintains a list of accredited institutions through the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC). Institutions that are members of the
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Universities Canada (french: Universités Canada) is an organization that represents Canada's universities. It is a non-profit national organization that coordinates university policies, guidance and direction.
Formed in 1911, as the Association ...
are full universities.
"University College" is also the name of a Canadian educational institution.
University College is the name of a constituent college of the
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...
.
The
Ontario College of Art & Design University is sometimes referred to as a university college due to its history as a college prior to 2002 when it was designated as a university under the Ontario College of Art and Design University Act.
There are a total of
16 affiliated and federated universities in Ontario, Canada.
Finland
A classical university with several colleges is called ''yliopisto'' in Finnish. However, some specialized universities are called ''korkeakoulu'', because unlike classical universities, they focus only on one discipline, even though they have the same status as an ''yliopisto''; for example,
Teatterikorkeakoulu, a theatre school, can be considered a single "theater college". The
vocational universities, however, are called ''
ammattikorkeakoulu
An ammattikorkeakoulu (yrkeshögskola in Swedish, polytechnic or university of applied sciences in English), abbreviated ''AMK'', is a Finnish institution of higher education.
The term literally means "school of higher vocational education". A ...
''. The potential for confusion has led some ''korkeakoulu''s to change their name to ''yliopisto'', abandoning the distinction between the terms ''yliopisto'' and ''korkeakoulu''. Additionally three Greater Helsinki-based ''korkeakoulu''s,
Helsinki University of Technology,
University of Art and Design Helsinki and
Helsinki School of Economics, have opted to merge to form the
Aalto University, ''Aalto-yliopisto''.
Ireland
The
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland (NUI) ( ga, Ollscoil na hÉireann) is a federal university system of ''constituent universities'' (previously called '' constituent colleges'') and ''recognised colleges'' set up under the Irish Universit ...
and
Queen's University Belfast were based on the
UK university college system, and were both set up in 1908 before the establishment of the
Republic of Ireland
Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. ...
and having roots in the earlier Queen's University of Ireland which was also a university college-type system. The university colleges of the National University have since been raised to the status of universities—as they were considered for many years before statute recognition—but the system still maintains its overall federal status. Queen's University Belfast initially had no university colleges and the first university college was created in 1985 (
St Mary's) and second in 1999 (
Stranmillis
Stranmillis () is an area in south Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is also an electoral ward for Belfast City Council, part of the Laganbank (District Electoral Area), Laganbank district electoral area. As part of the Queen's Quarter, Belfast, Que ...
), these two institutions previously were associated with the university, offering its degrees since 1968.
Malaysia
The term ''university college'' in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...
denotes institutions that are granted the authority to issue degrees in their own names within specialised fields and disciplines. In contrast, an institution granted the status of "university" provides courses of training in multiple disciplines. The empowering legislations governing the establishment and governance of university colleges in Malaysia include the University and University Colleges Act 1971, Universiti Teknologi MARA Act 1976, the Education Act 1995, and the Private Higher Education Act 1996, the National Council of Higher Education Act 1996.
Netherlands
In the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, the term ''university college'' refers to special programmes at several universities which are similar to United States
liberal arts college
A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual ca ...
s in providing a broad tertiary education; students at Dutch universities normally study one subject only. The first university college to be founded was
University College Utrecht
University College Utrecht (UCU) provides English-language Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate education. Founded in 1998, as the first university college in the Netherlands, it is part of Utrecht University. Around 750 students of 70 diffe ...
at the
University of Utrecht (1998); later, the universities of Amsterdam, Leiden (in the Hague), Middelburg (Roosevelt), Maastricht, Rotterdam, Enschede (Twente), Groningen
University of Groningen, and Tilburg followed. University colleges are different from what is called a ''Hogeschool''. While university colleges provide a broad liberal arts, often interdisciplinary education, similar to American small liberal arts colleges, a hogeschool is higher education context that focuses on vocational or applied training.
New Zealand
Nearly all
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
universities were originally described as ''university colleges'' and were constituent parts of a federal body, the
University of New Zealand. All of these are now fully independent; for example, the former Canterbury University College is now the
University of Canterbury.
There is a specific university hall of residence named "
University College" at the Otago University.
Philippines
In the 1950s, new academic units and degree programs were established at the
University of the Philippines; the General Education (GE) Program, a series of core courses prescribed for all students at the undergraduate level were being taught at the then-''College of Liberal Arts'' (now the College of Arts and Letter
, was introduced in 1959. As a result, University President Vicente Sinco saw fit to reorganize the college into a ''university college'', which would offer the core subjects to be taken during the first two years of the undergraduate program.
In 2000, retired educators from the
University of the Philippines, led by Dr.
José Abueva
José Veloso Abueva (May 25, 1928 – August 18, 2021) was a Filipino political scientist and public administration scholar who served as the 16th president of the University of the Philippines. A Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee for poli ...
(president of the university from 1987 to 1993), sought to provide the quality of education offered by UP's ''University College'' to individuals who could not get into the UP System due to its limited quotas. Together with similarly minded individuals, all former UP educators and administrators, Dr. Abueva formed
Kalayaan College. Under a memorandum of agreement between KC and UP, 'UP-quality education' is made possible by active members of the UP academic community being given teaching stints in KC, as well as the adoption of the same GE Program and grading system offered in UP. The college aims to develop the critical and creative faculties of its students in the basic fields of knowledge; particularly in the natural and physical sciences, the social sciences and the humanities to help them compete in a fast-changing environment.
Scandinavia
Spain
In Spain, a ''escuela universitaria'' is the name given to some higher education teaching centers where both undergraduate and postgraduate studies are taught. Together with the faculties, they are the centers in charge of organizing the teachings and academic, administrative and management processes of the universities. They can receive different denominations, such as ''escuela técnica'', ''escuela técnica superior'', ''escuela universitaria politécnica'', ''escuela politécnica superior'' or ''escuela universitaria'', depending on the nature of the university studies taught and the university to which they belong.
United Kingdom
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
, the use of the word ''university'' (including ''university college'') in the name of an institution is protected by law and must be authorised by an act of parliament, a royal charter, or by the privy council. Regulations governing the award of the title are drawn up by the government or devolved administration, and specify (in England) that an institution must hold taught degree awarding powers. However, it is permissible for an institute to be described as a university college without such permission as long as it does not use the term in its name.
As ''university college'' is a less prestigious title than ''university'', institutes that meet the (stricter) criteria for university title normally apply for the latter. In 2005 a number of large university colleges became universities after the requirement to hold research-degree awarding powers was dropped, the only remaining difference between the criteria for university and university college title being the requirement for a university to have 4,000 students. From 2012 the requirement on the number of students needed for university title reduced to 1,000, allowing ten more university colleges to become universities. a further review of the criteria was under way.
Historically, the term ''university college'' denoted colleges (as opposed to universities) that delivered university-level teaching – particularly those in receipt of the parliamentary grants to universities and university colleges from 1889 until the formation of the
University Grants Committee in 1919. – but, unlike in the modern usage of the term, did not hold their own degree-awarding powers. Instead, university colleges were associated with universities and thus formed a larger institutional unit while being physically independent. In most cases students at university colleges took the external exams of the
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...
, but the colleges of the
University of Wales and the
Victoria University took degrees of those institutes while the university colleges in
Newcastle and
Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
were associated with the universities of
Durham and
St Andrews respectively. Not all of these university colleges used ''university college'' in their name.
With the exception of colleges in London that remain part of the University of London, all have gone on to become independent
civic universities. Examples include the
University of Nottingham
, mottoeng = A city is built on wisdom
, established = 1798 – teacher training college1881 – University College Nottingham1948 – university status
, type = Public
, chancellor ...
(which was University College Nottingham when
D. H. Lawrence
David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...
attended), the
University of Southampton
, mottoeng = The Heights Yield to Endeavour
, type = Public research university
, established = 1862 – Hartley Institution1902 – Hartley University College1913 – Southampton University Coll ...
(associated with the University of London until 1952), and the
University of Exeter
, mottoeng = "We Follow the Light"
, established = 1838 - St Luke's College1855 - Exeter School of Art1863 - Exeter School of Science 1955 - University of Exeter (received royal charter)
, type = Public
, ...
, which until 1955 was the University College of the South West of England;
Keele University was founded in 1949 as the University College of North Staffordshire until it was granted its
royal charter
A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, b ...
in 1962 and transformed into a university. This was the recognised route for establishing new universities in the United Kingdom during the first half of the 20th century, prior to the founding of the
plate-glass universities.
A related, but slightly different, use of the term existed in the federal
University of Wales in the late 20th century; some of its constituent colleges took titles such as "University College Aberystwyth". These colleges were to all intents and purposes independent universities (the University of Wales' powers being largely restricted to the formal awarding of degrees). In 1996 the University of Wales was reorganised to admit two former higher-education institutions and the older members became "Constituent Institutions" rather than colleges, being renamed along the lines of ''
University of Wales, Aberystwyth''.
Northern Ireland has two institutions using the title ''university college'':
St Mary's University College, Belfast
St Mary's University College is a university college in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
History
The origins of the College can be traced back to 1900 when the Dominican Sisters opened St Mary’s Training College on the present Falls Road campus with ...
and
Stranmillis University College
Stranmillis University College is a university college of Queen's University Belfast. The institution is located on the Stranmillis Road in Belfast. It had students in . The school offers the BEd, PGCE and TESOL, as well as other courses.
Hi ...
. The usage here is closer to the older usage in England, as neither have their own degree-awarding powers but are instead listed bodies associated with
Queen's University Belfast.
There are several specific British institutions named ''university college'', including, but not limited to:
*
University College, Oxford
University College (in full The College of the Great Hall of the University of Oxford, colloquially referred to as "Univ") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. It has a claim to being the oldest college of the unive ...
is one of the constituent
colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford has thirty-nine colleges within universities in the United Kingdom#Traditional collegiate universities, colleges, and five permanent private halls (PPHs) of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-gov ...
; founded in 1249, it claims to be the oldest
Oxbridge college.
*
University College London
, mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward
, established =
, type = Public research university
, endowment = £143 million (2020)
, budget = ...
(often known as UCL) is one of the original constituent colleges of the federal
University of London
The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...
. While remaining part of the University of London, it has awarded its own degrees since 2008 and is, like other large London colleges, effectively an independent university.
*
University College Hospital
University College Hospital (UCH) is a teaching hospital in the Fitzrovia area of the London Borough of Camden, England. The hospital, which was founded as the North London Hospital in 1834, is closely associated with University College Lon ...
is a
teaching hospital in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
founded as part of, and still closely associated with, UCL.
*
University College, Durham
, motto_English = Not for ourselves alone
, scarf =
, established =
, principal = Wendy Powers
, vice_principal = Ellen Crabtree
, undergraduates = 698
, postgraduates = 153
, coordinates =
, location_map = Durham
, map_size ...
is one of the constituent
colleges of Durham University
The Colleges of Durham University are residential colleges that are the primary source of accommodation and support services for undergraduates and postgraduates at Durham University, as well as providing a focus for social, cultural and sporting ...
; founded in 1832, it is the foundation
Durham college.
*
Wolfson College, Cambridge is a constituent college of the
University of Cambridge
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
which was named University College from its foundation in 1965 until its endowment by the Wolfson Foundation in 1972.
*
University College Birmingham is a former university college of the
University of Birmingham
, mottoeng = Through efforts to heights
, established = 1825 – Birmingham School of Medicine and Surgery1836 – Birmingham Royal School of Medicine and Surgery1843 – Queen's College1875 – Mason Science College1898 – Mason Univers ...
(in the modern sense) that now has university status but has continued using ''university college'' in its name.
Current university colleges include:
*
The London Institute of Banking & Finance, an educational charity established by royal charter, was granted taught degree awarding powers in 2010, and in 2013 was awarded university college status although it does not use ''university college'' in its name.
United States
Universities such as
Washington University in St. Louis,
Arizona State University
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
,
Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
, the
University of Denver, the
University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the
University of Maine,
Syracuse University, the
University of Toledo, and
Virginia Wesleyan University use "University College" for the name of the division dedicated to
continuing education and the needs of the non-traditional student. The
University of Maryland University College is a separate institution dedicated to non-traditional education.
The
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island (URI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. It is the flagship public research as well as the land-grant university of the state of Rhode Isla ...
, the
University of North Carolina Wilmington,
Illinois State University,
Arizona State University
Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
,
Ball State University, and the
University of OklahomaUniversity college homepage enroll all of their new students into their programs under the name of "University College", which does not grant degrees, but instead provides orientation, academic advising, and support for
honors students, probationary students, student
athletes
An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance.
Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-develo ...
, and/or students undecided in their choice of
academic major.
Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University (; Appalachian, App State, App, or ASU) is a public university in Boone, North Carolina. It was founded as a teachers college in 1899 by brothers B. B. and D. D. Dougherty and the latter's wife, Lillie Shull Dough ...
uses University College to refer to the general education and first-year seminar programs.
References
{{reflist
*
Types of university or college