]My impression of Mr Collins has always been he was university educated and probably had a degree and even letters of recommendation to intially present to Lady Catherine;

Here is what JA says about him

Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful acquaintance.