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Places to study

Every kind of place you can study, worldwide, with the official register check on top wherever a government publishes one.

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Places to study, by kind

Each one explained before the list, because "what is a polytechnic" is a real question and nobody else answers it.

Universities

15,700 listed Degree-awarding institutions. In the four countries with a public register, we check daily that each one is still licensed to enrol international students.

Colleges

8,119 listed Community, further education and junior colleges. Often cheaper, often a route into a degree - and a category where licences change more often than at universities.

Research institutes and doctoral schools

2,428 listed Doctoral and post-doctoral research. Funding and supervision matter more than rankings.

Medical and health schools

1,219 listed Medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary. Check professional-body recognition too - a degree that does not let you register to practise is an expensive souvenir.

Schools and boarding schools

1,106 listed International and boarding schools taking students under 18. In the UK these need a child student sponsor licence, which is a separate list.

Polytechnics and universities of applied sciences

1,049 listed Applied and technical higher education. Strong on employment outcomes, and usually cheaper than a research university.

Vocational and technical institutes

837 listed Trade, VET and TAFE providers. This is where register removals concentrate, so the check matters most here.

Specialist academies

682 listed Aviation, maritime, hospitality, culinary and sport. Industry licensing usually sits alongside the education licence.

Business schools

206 listed MBA and management-focused institutions. Check the accreditation as well as the register - AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA mean something different from a government licence.

Seminaries and religious institutions

197 listed Theological and religious education. Often licensed, often not recognised for secular professional purposes - check both.

Conservatoires and art schools

134 listed Music, drama, dance, art and design. Auditions and portfolios matter more than test scores here.

Language schools

4 listed English and other language courses. The highest-risk category for students: short courses, quick enrolments, and the category regulators watch closest.

Pathway and foundation providers

Being added Foundation years and pre-masters courses that lead into a degree. Check what the pathway actually guarantees, in writing.

Online and distance providers

Being added Studied from anywhere. Online study usually does not come with a student visa, so the register check normally does not apply - we say so rather than implying one.

Bootcamps

Being added Short, intensive technical training. No government register covers these anywhere, so judge them on outcomes they can evidence.

Test preparation centres

Being added IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and Duolingo preparation. Check whether the centre is recognised by the test provider itself.

Summer schools and short courses

Being added Weeks rather than years. Visa rules differ sharply from degree study, and the register may not apply.

31,681 listings. Free to read, no account needed.

ASA College

College · Brooklyn, NY · United States
Open for its register standing →

ATI College

College · Kota Kinabalu · Malaysia
Open for its register standing →

Aalborg University

University · Aalborg · Denmark

aau.dk

Open for its register standing →

Aalto University

University · Espoo · Finland
Open for its register standing →

Aarhus University

University · Aarhus · Denmark
Open for its register standing →

Abasyn University

University · Peshawar · Pakistan
Open for its register standing →

Abia State Polytechnic

Polytechnic · Aba · Nigeria

abiastatepolytechnic.edu.ng

Open for its register standing →

Abrar University

University · Mogadishu · Somalia
Open for its register standing →

Abu Dhabi University

University · Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates
Open for its register standing →