Croydon College

Choosing the right college for you is a huge decision – one of the biggest you’ll make. So you need to get it right. Whether you’re ready to move on from school to a more adult learning environment as a stepping stone to either employment or university, or you want to come back into education to acquire the skills you need to further your career, Croydon College is here to help get you to where you want to be in life. 

Over 8,000 students choose to study with us each year. We’re one of the largest and most successful providers of Further (college) and Higher (university) Education courses in the South East, judged Good at all levels in all areas by external inspections by Ofsted and the Quality Assurance Agency (for Higher Education). This means greater choice for you: we have a wide range of qualifications at different levels and across different specialisms for you to choose from, so there’s something to suit everyone. We’re flexible too: you can study full-time, part-time or in the evening. You can choose from courses that are academic, vocational or industry- and work-based. 

We offer academic and vocational qualifications, including Apprenticeships, A Levels, BTEC, City and Guilds and NVQs. We’re here to advise and guide you through this rich range of opportunity and help you to make the right decision.

Our teaching staff are experts in their field and have exactly the right mix of academic and industry experience to help you succeed in your chosen field. Over the years, Croydon College has built up close relationships with employers and businesses to ensure that the work-related skills our students learn, using up to date equipment reflecting best industry practice, are the ones employers require now and in the future. 

The Croydon College experience extends far beyond your studies. We look at your development as a whole person, how we can help you build your confidence, ambition and aspiration for the rest of your life. Our Enrichment Programme gives you opportunities that might just change your life.

Our academic, welfare and employment support services are there every step of the way to cater to each student’s individual needs. 

University Centre Croydon, our Higher Education campus, works in partnership with University of Sussex, ranked amongst the top 15 universities in the UK. Most of our degree-level courses are now University of Sussex awards.

As a student at Croydon College, you will be joining an institution with a remarkable legacy of volunteer projects that have had a major impact on local, national and international communities. Last year alone, over 1,500 of our students volunteered 24,000 hours - lobbying, campaigning, fundraising, awareness-raising and even representing young people at the UN. 

We want you to use your time as a student at Croydon College to make your own contribution to that legacy which future generations, in their turn, will nurture and make their contribution to. As a student at the only UNICEF Rights Respecting college in the UK, you are encouraged to recognise the importance of giving your time to others.

In 2014 the College received the prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Service – the first college in the country to receive the honour, in recognition of our students’ excellence in services to the community. Becoming a volunteer will give you a sense of pride and achievement which will encourage you to aspire to achieve your own goals.

Croydon College has invested £60 million in recent years to ensure that we offer you the best, state-of-the art facilities in the region. This includes outstanding physical and online resources for you to learn and practise skills in a wide range of academic and vocational areas, and incorporates the first class teaching and facilities of the Croydon School of Art.

Here are just a few examples of our top quality teaching and learning facilities:

• Lee Stafford Hair and Beauty Academy, including hairdressing and spa therapy salons. 
• Chefs Restaurant, Bar and Coffee Lounge. 
• Parfitt Gallery, showing a range of student and external art exhibitions. 
• Light, airy and spacious classrooms and lecture theatres.
• Brand new science labs.
• Top quality IT suites.
• Industry standard construction, engineering and motor vehicle workshops.
• Specialist photography, film and animation equipment.
• Dedicated performance theatre and sound recording studio.

In addition to the outstanding teaching and learning resources within each curriculum area you will have access to a range of other exciting features including:

• A modern three-storey Library and Learning Resource Centre for personal and group studies.  
• Over 1,500 PCs, Apple Macs, tablets and laptops dedicated for student use.
• Fast and free Wifi to help with your studies.
• One of the best online learning platforms in the country (Moodle) that you can access from your PC, phone or tablet.
• Student common room with pool tables, table tennis, games consoles, board games and newspapers available for relaxing during your break time.
• Student Refectory and Café as well as access to Chefs Restaurant and Coffee Lounge for a variety of food options.
• Employability Hub for all things work-related, including finding temporary and part-time work, work experience, CV support, mock interviews and professional networking opportunities. 
• Croydon College Conference Centre.

We are:

• a 2-minute walk from East Croydon rail station;
• a 10-minute walk from West Croydon rail station and bus terminus;
• accessible via over 25 bus routes and three tram routes
• accessible by bicycle via the many cycle routes which also lead into Croydon centre.