Academic degrees around the world An academic degree

Preparatory programs — Foundation / Pathway

Foundation programs (sometimes — Pathway Programs / Preparatory Courses) exist at universities of Europe, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, and many other countries. Graduating from a Foundation course does not grant a degree, but helps to achieve the required level for admission to the first stage of higher education.
Foundation program:

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  Prepares the applicant to study at the university, gives the necessary basic knowledge;
  
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  Covers a missing year of study, if an applicant has 11 years of secondary school (many countries adopted a 12-year system of secondary education);
  
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  Combines intensive language practice with specialized preparation for entering a certain specialty.
  
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  Depending on the university Foundation program lasts from 6 months to 1.5 years. At the end of the training, a certificate is issued, which is accepted by this educational institution, as well as by partner universities. Sometimes, applicants who successfully complete the preparatory program are automatically enrolled in the university or exempted from passing entrance exams. In any case, with a Foundation certificate, the probability of entering a selected university is 80-100%.
  
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  Important: the Foundation / Pathway Program should not be confused with the Foundation degree. The latter is a special degree that exists exclusively in British universities.
  

Associate's degree
Associate's degree is awarded in the United States, as well as some schools in Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands, after two years of college or university. Associate’s degrees are mostly obtained in the US community colleges, where tuition costs are much lower than in the universities. Associate's degree programs are common in the arts, applied sciences, business, medical services, engineering, natural sciences.
Associate's degree allows:

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  To save on tuition in university during the first two years of study and then transfer to a university for a third bachelor’s year;
  
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  To facilitate admission to a prestigious university for those students who have not scored enough points on SAT or other entrance exams immediately after school;
  
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  To improve English to the level required for university studies.
  

Upon completion of training, graduates are awarded the degree of associate, which is accepted by the universities in the US and several other countries if a student decides to continue training. In addition, this degree is enough to find work in some fields (junior staff).

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  UK: Foundation degree, Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE), Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE);
  
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  France: French Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie (DUT), Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS);
  
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  Russia: diploma of secondary vocational education (college, technical school).