An associate's degree usually lasts two years and is awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, business colleges and some undergraduate colleges and universities.

An Associate degree in the United States and Canada is equivalent to the initial two years of a four-year university degree. Associate degrees are the lowest in the hierarchy of higher education degrees offered in the US and Canada. Internationally, the award is equivalent to the UK's Foundation degree and France's diplome d'etudes universitaires generales or DEUG.

Hong Kong introduced associate degrees in 2000 as an equivalent to higher diplomas. The programs in Hong Kong are usually provided through affiliated colleges at universities.

In 2004, Australia added the Associate degree to the Australian Qualifications Framework. This award is given to more academically focused advanced diploma courses.