LOA Portal
LOA Portal Logo
Background

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE IN CANADA? SHOULD I CHOOSE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE?

Published on July 21, 2023 (updated July 24, 2023)

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE IN CANADA? SHOULD I CHOOSE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE IN CANADA? SHOULD I CHOOSE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE?

"I was confused between choosing a University or College in Canada. My family's finances are not too abundant and are more suitable for college. However, I am afraid that the degree from the College will not be able to apply for a job in Canada in the future. So should I choose University or College?" - Ha My, Grade 12 student in Ho Chi Minh City.

Not only Ha My but this is also the concern of many students in the process of learning about their school studying in Canada. Choose the school with the most economical tuition fees but are concerned about the quality of the degree to apply for a job after graduation. So let LOA Portal "troubleshoot" your question "Should you choose University or College"!

First, we need to understand how University and College are different:

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN UNIVERSITY AND COLLEGE IN CANADA

CriteriaCollege University 
School TypeProfessional AcademyUniversity
Training qualifications

Certificate

Diploma (College)

Bachelor

Post-graduate

Bachelor

Post-graduate

Masters

Doctor of Phylosophy (PhD)

Duration of training< 1 year – 3 years2-5 years
Mandatory requirements

IELTS 6.0 

Academic performance TB is good

IELTS 6.5 (no band < 6.0)

Good academic performance or higher

Class SizeSmall (15 - 30 friends)Large (50 - 100 friends)
Tuition13,000 - 20,000 CAD 18,000 - 40,000 CAD 
Co-op Program (paid internships)Most schools have co-op programsWithout
Admission periods

March 1

March 5

March 9

March 1

March 9

Career orientationHighly applicable and focused on training specific skills for a career job.Highly academic and research-focused, focusing on training for professions requiring solid professional qualifications.
Careers>90% are employed within 6 months of graduation>70% are employed within 6 months of graduation

After understanding the differences between University and College, what factors will determine "Should I choose University or College?"

You should choose College if:

  • Finances are not too rich.
  • The field you choose needs a lot of practice such as: restaurant - hotel, beauty, nursing, accounting. marketing...
  • You want the cost of studying abroad to be as economical as possible.
  • The duration of the study is short.
  • The goal is to stay after graduation.

University will be suitable for those who:

  • The family is financially sound.
  • The field of study needs research knowledge - high expertise such as: Doctor, Lawyer, Computer Science ,....
  • Have the desire to study for master's or doctoral degrees.
  • Desire to have a deep professional environment.
  • Settlement goals.

So what about those of you who want to focus on your degree but want the most economical cost?

Speaker Portal can suggest you study a Bachelor degree program at colleges in Canada. This will be the most suitable program if you want to resonate with the above elements.

Tags:

Canada study abroad