Affiliated school

A federated school, federated college, federated university, or affiliated school is an educational institution which is independent in some respects, but is ultimately governed by a larger institution. This model of institutional governance is analogous to a political federation, in which authority is divided between subregions (provinces, states, etc.) and a central federal government.

For example, federated schools of the University of London each have considerable authority over their own affairs, including independent admission of students and negotiation of funding from the government of the United Kingdom, although the University of London itself retains the sole right to award degrees to graduating students.

The University of Toronto and Laurentian University in Canada also have federated school structures, although their federated colleges have less authority than do those at the University of London.

For the most part, this model is restricted to colleges and universities. On rarer occasions, however, elementary schools or high schools may also enter into federated school agreements.