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Community Colleges

Community colleges provide two-year associate degree programs, usually called the associate of arts (A.A.) or associate of science (A.S.) degrees, as well as excellent technical and vocational programs. As the name suggests, community colleges are community-based institution with close links to secondary schools, community groups, and employers, and many U.S students live close to campus with their families. Community colleges can be public or private institution and are sometimes called junior colleges or two-year colleges. A growing number of international students are choosing to study at community colleges, and this is discussed in further detail later in this booklet. Tuition costs are often lower at two-year than at four-year institution, and many have agreements to allow students on transfer programs to move easily into the third year of a bachelor’s degree at the local state university.

Technical and Vocational Colleges 

These institutions specialize in preparing students for entry into, or promotion within, the world of work. They offer certificate and other short-term programs that train students in the theory behind a specific vocation or technology, as well as in how to work with the technology. Programs usually last for two years or less. There are several thousand technical and vocational colleges across the United States, and they may be private or public institutions.

Distance Education

Distance education is an increasingly popular way to study for everything from a short professional course to a graduate degree in the United States, and there are numerous institution offering undergraduate degree programs using distance education teaching methods. Under the distance education model, students no longer attend classes in a classroom on a campus; instead, classes are delivered “from a distance” through the use of technologies such as the Internet, satellite television, video conferencing, and other means of electronic delivery. For international students this means that they can study for a U.S. degree without leaving their home country, though they will almost certainly have to go to the United States for short periods of face-to-face contact and study on the campus. Studying for a degree using distance education requires students to have special qualities such as self-discipline and the ability to work on their own. If you are considering distance education, you should thoroughly research the quality of the program, the accreditation of the institution in the United States, and its recognition in your home country to make sure this option is the appropriate one for your future goals. Further information on distance education is provided in the third booklet of this series.

Non-Degree Study at a U.S. College

Do you want to study in the United States at a college or university, but not for a full degree? Perhaps you want to experience life on a U.S. campus, while improving your knowledge of certain subjects. This is certainly a useful addition to your educational experience, and U.S. colleges welcome students such as you. You should write to colleges, explain your situation, and request information on applying for “special student” or “non-degree student” status. See Booklet Three in this series for more information on short-term study opportunities in the United States, and refer to chapter 8 in this booklet for further details on requesting information from U.S. universities.

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→ The US Bachelor's Degree