I'm an international student and I'm confused...

Alright, so let me lay out my education for you. I'm Canadian. I finished high school in 2010 (after doing an extra year). After that I did two years at a 'college', which in the US would be called a 'community college' but I have no idea what the UK equivalent is. When I started university, the two years included in my Ontario College Diploma was considered a full year of university, so while I'm technically in my first year of university, my transcripts say second year (as a bunch of my college courses transferred over as equivalent 'transfer credits'). I'm looking to apply to a UK university for my third year, only if I get in but I'd at least like to apply and see since I'm doing very well (with an A average right now), however I have NO idea what my Ontario College Diploma counts as in the qualifications on an UCAS application. It's NOT like a high school diploma in any way, so I don't want to enter that as I already have one from a couple years previous to that, but UCAS doesn't have any Canadian qualifications available besides a high school diploma - so I assume I have to enter it by the UK equivalent. What is the UK equivalent to a college diploma here? Does anyone know?

For a little more information, a college is an institute that one here can attend either INSTEAD of university or BEFORE university (or in some cases, some people get their degree and then transfer to a college after university). It's like a technical school, where you can only do specific programs (usually high in-demand programs) and get a lot of hands on opportunities. You do the same amount of classes as included in most degrees, but it's condensed into two years, and instead of receiving a degree, you receive a diploma (or a certificate if your program was less than two years). I did a Social Service Worker diploma, in which the university equivalent is a Bachelor of Social Work - someone with an SSW diploma can't do all social work jobs, however they can be considered for some social work jobs. Anyway, I'm working on a BA in History in university because I never cared for social work (I only did the SSW program because my high school grades weren't good enough for university and I needed to complete a college program to pull up my grades first).

Reply 1

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Don't enter any qualifications as uk equivalents.

If your qualification isn't listed then use the "other" options to write in your quals.

You are unlikely to find a UK uni which will be willing to accept you into yr 3. Uk universities rarely accept transfers into yr 2 from other UK unis and only then when the courses are closely comparable. Your HE credits might exempt you from one year of a BA but it's very unlikely it would exempt you from two years.

Your best bet will be to contact universities you're interested in directly and ask them whether they accept applications for Yr3 and if so if your background is acceptable.

Reply 2

PadawanBrittany

OP

Original post by PQ

Don't enter any qualifications as uk equivalents.

If your qualification isn't listed then use the "other" options to write in your quals.

You are unlikely to find a UK uni which will be willing to accept you into yr 3. Uk universities rarely accept transfers into yr 2 from other UK unis and only then when the courses are closely comparable. Your HE credits might exempt you from one year of a BA but it's very unlikely it would exempt you from two years.

Your best bet will be to contact universities you're interested in directly and ask them whether they accept applications for Yr3 and if so if your background is acceptable.

I'm not looking for them to exempt two years based on my college transfer credits, but rather the two years from the Canadian university. The college qualifications transferred automatically into my university trnascripts here, and the courses are entered into my transcripts as courses from my current university. So the transcripts that any UK universities would see from me would state that I had completed two and a half years at a Canadian university, when it would have actually been a year and a half.

Reply 3

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by PadawanBrittany

I'm not looking for them to exempt two years based on my college transfer credits, but rather the two years from the Canadian university. The college qualifications transferred automatically into my university trnascripts here, and the courses are entered into my transcripts as courses from my current university. So the transcripts that any UK universities would see from me would state that I had completed two and a half years at a Canadian university, when it would have actually been a year and a half.

I understand that.

I'm just warning you that transfers into year 3 are pretty much unheard of even between UK universities where courses tend to have a fairly similar content and structure (and academic staff work as external examiners for their colleagues at other uk unis). Before you commit to an application or pay UCAS application fee then get in touch with the universities you're interested in to ask if they're likely to make you an offer.

You may be better applying as a visiting student where you're be awarded credit rather than a formal qualification. You may then be able to use that credit with your existing qualifications to "cash in" a BA with your existing university in Canada.

Reply 4

IronMan97

4

I think your 2 years of college are most similar to HNC and HND, in the UK once you get a HND you can go to uni (straight into third year in some) and turn it into a degree.

Reply 5

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Original post by IronMan97

I think your 2 years of college are most similar to HNC and HND, in the UK once you get a HND you can go to uni (straight into third year in some) and turn it into a degree.

Generally a top up to a degree is only an option at the same university.

And HNDs tend to be vocational subjects so it's not common to find a university offering HND history with articulation/top up to BA history. Same goes for FdA foundation degrees.

There's a chance but it's a very slim one.

Reply 6

StudentsSolution

Unfortunately, the chances to transfer your current qualification into a History top up program is very bleak. The top degrees mostly offered in post 1992 universities, and you may not find too many universities among them offering even a full 3-year degree in History.

If you have 2 years studies from university or a college level, that is not equivalent to HND or FD level in the UK, therefore you will be looking to complete atleast 2 years from a UK institution. It will be tiresome experience, as mentioned, not too many options to apply among post 1992 universities and the traditional ones does not accept credit transfer that easily.

Reply 7

yasminfareed

Hi,
I am intending to apply to dietetics next year, but have a Canadian
qualification instead. I'm actually currently studying Nutrition in Austria, but will have trouble with the credit transfer later on, so I thought that applying for a bachelor's degree would increase my chances. According to the King's Website, my 85% average with all sciences included with As are equivalent to an AAB/ABB in A levels. I'm mostly really worried that most universities won't accept my qualification and will penalise me for having already started uni. I've applied for a shadowing program and have numerous voluntary experiences though. I'm also a little worried that being an EU citizen, it would be more difficult to get into rather than the UK due to the NHS funding.

Any opinions on this? Will be grateful for any replies. Thanks!

I'm an international student and I'm confused...

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