Private colleges and universities refer to institutions of higher learning and other educational institutions run by enterprises, institutions, social organizations, other social organizations and individual citizens with non-state financial education funds. Their school-running level is divided into junior college and undergraduate course. The state encourages social forces to establish educational institutions that implement compulsory education as a supplement to the implementation of compulsory education by the state. The state strictly controls social forces to establish institutions of higher learning. The state implements a school-running license system for schools run by social forces. Education administrative departments at all levels shall, in accordance with the prescribed examination and approval authority, issue school licenses to approved educational institutions.

Public universities are founded and maintained with the support of national or local governments, which are different from private universities dominated by private capital. In some countries and regions in the world (such as China), public universities can be selected as important research universities. However, public universities in some countries and regions (such as the United States) are not as prestigious and competitive as many private universities.

Supplement:

Private universities in China are different from public universities. Generally speaking, private colleges and universities are under the responsibility of the education department or education commission of the province, city and autonomous region where they are located, while public colleges and universities are under the responsibility of the government of the province, city and autonomous region where they are located.

Independent colleges do not belong to the category of private colleges and universities, but only supplement them. There are public independent colleges and non-public independent colleges.