How to say "college" in Japanese

• 大学だいがくJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounCovers both 'university' and 'college'. When 'college' means the institution you attend to earn a degree, as in American 'go to college', this is the word you want.
  あなたは理科系りかけいの大学だいがくに進すすんだほうがいいよ。↗

  You should go on to a technical college.
• カレッジCommon
  nounA loanword for 'college', used chiefly in the names of schools — junior colleges, vocational schools — rather than as a common noun; to refer to a college as an institution, 大学 is the word you want.
  そのカレッジは大学だいがくに付属ふぞくしている。↗

  The college is affiliated with the university.
• 学部がくぶJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounA faculty or school within a university. Its 'college' sense is a division of a university, not an independent institution; for a whole college or university, 大学 is the word you want.
  学部がくぶの選択せんたくで迷まよった。↗

  He was at a loss as to which faculty to choose.

For 'college' as an institution of higher education use 大学; 「カレッジ」 appears chiefly in school names; 学部 is for a college or faculty as a division within a university.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 大学だいがくuniversity
• カレッジcollege
• 学部がくぶfaculty (of a university)
• 学群がくぐんschool (within a university)
• 学寮がくりょうcollege (in UK universities)