College (Canada)

In Canadian English, the term college usually refers to a technical, applied arts, or applied science school. These are post-secondary institutions granting certificates, diplomas, associate's degree, and bachelor's degrees.

In English Canada, the term "college" is usually used to refer to technical schools that offer specialized professional or vocational education in specific employment fields. They include colleges of applied arts and technology, colleges of applied sciences, etc.

In Ontario and Alberta, and formerly in British Columbia, there are also institutions which are designated university colleges, as they only grant under-graduate degrees. This is to differentiate between universities, which have both under-graduate and graduate programs and those that do not. There is a distinction between "college" and "university" in Canada. In conversation, one specifically would say either "They are going to university" (i.e., studying for a three- or four-year degree at a university) or "They are going to college" (suggesting a technical or career college).

In Quebec, mostly with speakers of Quebec English, the term "college" is seldom used for post secondary education, instead the word "Cegep" (/ˈsiːdʒɛp/ or /ˈseɪʒɛp/) has become part of the lexicon. Cegep is a loanword from the French acronym cégep (Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel), meaning "College of General and Vocational Education". A Cegep is a public college in the Quebec education system, a college diploma is required in order to continue onto university (unless one applies as a 'mature' student, meaning 21 years of age or over, and out of the educational system for at least 2 years), or to learn a trade.

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