Understand the Difference Between a College and University in the U.S

The word "college" doesn't have the same meaning in every country, which can create confusion for prospective international students interested in studying in the U.S.

"In Spanish, 'colegio' means high school," says George DaPonte, director of international admissions at the University of Tampa in Florida , citing one example.

For this and other reasons, some prospective students may pass over U.S. schools that have "college" instead of "university" in their name, admissions experts say. By doing so, students could miss out on a school that may have been a good fit.

[Explore 10 free resources to help with a U.S. college search.]

While some four-year postsecondary institutions in the U.S. have "college" in their name and others have "university," both types grant undergraduate degrees. Here are some things to keep in mind when researching U.S. institutions that call themselves colleges and those that identify as universities.

College

Oftentimes schools with "college" in their name are smaller institutions that emphasize undergraduate education, Johanna Fishbein, head of university advising at the United World College of South East Asia's Dover Campus, an international school, said by email. This is not a strict rule, since there are a number of exceptions.

Some colleges, known as liberal arts colleges, give students an education in a broad range of academic areas as opposed to having them specialize early in one particular subject.

[Check out how international students can benefit from liberal arts colleges.]

Since liberal arts colleges are uncommon outside the U.S., prospective international students aren't always familiar with them, says Carly Mankus, senior assistant dean of international admission at Franklin and Marshall College, a liberal arts school in Pennsylvania.

Prospective students may also sometimes mistakenly believe liberal arts institutions only focus on the humanities, admissions experts say. But many of these schools offer degrees in science fields too.

Another common misconception is that schools with "college" in their name don't offer much in the way of research opportunities, said Fishbein, who serves as president of the International Association for College Admission Counseling. But, for example, 65 percent of Franklin and Marshall students participate in research before they graduate, Mankus says.

Another type of school in the U.S. with "college" in its name is a community college. These are two-year schools that grant associate degrees and career-related certificates. Community colleges vary in enrollment size -- some are large, despite having "college" in their name.

Some students begin their education at a community college and then transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor's degree.

University

Many schools with "university" in their name are larger institutions that offer a variety of both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Public universities are some of the most sizable schools, sometimes enrolling tens of thousands of students. These schools are also highly committed to producing research.

But it is a misconception that all schools with "university" in their name are big, says Chelsea Keeney, assistant director of international student recruitment at the University of Minnesota--Twin Cities.

Some are relatively small, such as Marymount California University, which had a total enrollment of 985 students in fall 2016, per U.S. News data.

Also, not all universities are public. Private universities include, among many institutions, some of the Ivy League schools, like Princeton University.

Sometimes adding to the confusion for international students, Keeney says, is the fact that large universities are often made up of smaller divisions called colleges. Each of these colleges has a specific academic focus, such as business, engineering or social work.

[Browse a glossary of U.S. higher education terms.]

And liberal arts-type study is not exclusive to small colleges. Some, but not all, universities have a core curriculum for undergraduates, meaning students take a variety of general education courses before focusing on their major.

By nature of their size, large universities tend to offer a wider array of research opportunities than small colleges. "But undergraduate students may need to compete with graduate students for resources and opportunities," Fishbein said.

Which Type of School Is Right for You?

Mankus from Franklin and Marshall says prospective international students may want to keep their options open by applying to different types of institutions in the U.S. She says students often learn new things about themselves and their options later in the application process.

"If some place really interests you or some place just sounds so tantalizing, even if it's not that same type that you think you might want when you start out, keep it in the mix," Mankus says. "What harm could it do?"

Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges.

Kelly Mae Ross is an education reporter at U.S. News, covering international higher education. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at kross@usnews.com.