| Awards | Qualifications |
| Exemption | If the University of London recognizes that you have already covered a syllabus in the same depth and breadth as part of a previous qualification you will be granted an ‘exemption’, i.e. you will not be required to take a particular subject as part of your degree. For example, you must normally take 12 units/subjects to complete an undergraduate degree. If you are granted two exemptions you only have to take 10 units/subjects. |
| External student | A student registered for a course or programme of study via the External System. |
| External System | The structure that provides support and delivery for study via the External System, i.e. the framework by which someone is able to earn a University of London award without attending a College or Institute of the University. |
| Federal University | The University of London is a federal university made up of 19 Colleges (e.g. King’s College London, LSE, UCL) and a number of smaller, specialist Institutes. |
| Graduate Entry Route | If you already have a full first degree (acceptable to the University) you may opt for this study route, where nine units/subjects are studied instead of 12. |
| Institutions: Affiliate Centre |
An independent teaching institution that, in the view of the University of London, demonstrates a sustained commitment to developing and maintaining high standards in respect of the teaching, support and administration of External students. |
| Institutions: Registered Centre |
An independent teaching institution that, in the view of the University of London, demonstrates standards in respect of teaching, support and administration that are of a level acceptable to the University of London for the purposes of supporting External students in preparing for their examinations. |
| Laws Consortium | The academic direction for the LLB and Diploma in Law by External study is provided by a Consortium of those Colleges of the University that have a Law School/Faculty: Birkbeck, King’s College London, LSE, Queen Mary, School of Oriental and African Studies, and UCL. |
| Lead College | This refers to the College of the University responsible for the academic direction and management of each course or programme. |
| Occasional student | If you meet the entrance requirements you may choose to study one or more of the subjects from the syllabus as a short course. You may choose to be examined on this subject and, on passing, will receive a certificate. |
| Short courses | For certain programmes you can apply to study units individually as a short course. |
| Prerequisites | Some courses have a specific order in which units must be studied. Prerequisites are units which you must pass first, before you can progress. |
| Regulations | The rules governing the structure and content of your course or programme, as well as progression rules and assessment details. |