Not many people realise it, but going to university isn’t the only way to get a degree. For some people, studying at a smaller local college is the best option. Dozens of colleges dotted around the UK offer degree qualifications.

Smaller, institutions have something different to offer to students. Although the university undergraduate experience is great, the supportive and immersive learning experience at a college can be just as transformative because of the unique opportunities that it presents. Colleges are also great at delivering higher and degree apprenticeships which are a great way to combine a qualification with real work experience.

There’s usually a fantastic age range in college higher education. The mixture of ages creates a melting-pot of collective experience, the contrasting perspectives and range of skills can be amazing and inspiring, creating unique and challenging learning experiences for those at each end of the scale.

The student experience that you get at a College is different to a university. Some students live at home, some with parents, or as mums and dads themselves (or grandparents!), working part-time, full-time or volunteering to gain experience while they study. Rather than the live-away university experience, college-based HE usually means fitting studies around professional life and family responsibilities, enabling a good work and study balance.