Education and University Vocabulary in English: Words, Examples and Quiz

a school or class for young children before primary school; in the US, the first year of school at about age five

My daughter starts kindergarten in September.

the first school for children, from about five to eleven; in American English elementary school

I walked to primary school every morning.

a school for children from about eleven to sixteen or eighteen

She's in her last year of secondary school.

in the US and many other countries, a school for students from about fourteen to eighteen

We've been friends since high school.

a free school paid for by the government; in American English a public school

Most children in the area go to the local state school.

a school where parents pay fees

Private schools often have smaller classes.

a place where people study for a degree after school

He's studying law at university.

in the US, a university; in the UK, a place for study after sixteen, often for practical skills

Where did you go to college?

the land and buildings of a university

First-year students usually live on campus.

a group of related departments in a university; in American English also all the teachers

She works in the Faculty of Medicine.

a student studying for a first degree

There are about ten thousand undergraduates here.

a person who has finished a university degree

She's a history graduate from Ankara University.

a student studying for a second degree, like a master's or PhD; in American English a graduate student

Postgraduates often teach some seminars.

the qualification you get when you finish university

She has a degree in engineering.

a first university degree, usually after three or four years

He got his bachelor's degree in economics.

a higher degree after a bachelor's, usually one or two years

I'm doing a master's degree in data science.

the highest university degree, based on years of research

She's writing her PhD on marine biology.

in American English, the main subject you study at college

My major is psychology.

a talk given to a large group of students

The first lecture starts at nine.

a teacher at a university, especially in British English

Our lecturer explains things really clearly.

a senior university teacher; in American English, any university teacher

Professor Lee teaches the history course.

a small class where students discuss a topic with a teacher

We have a seminar every Thursday afternoon.

a teacher who helps one student or a small group

My tutor gave me feedback on my essay.

one of the two main parts of the school or university year; British English often says term

The fall semester starts in September.

a building where students live; often dorm in American English and hall of residence in British English

I shared a room in the dormitory in my first year.

the money students pay to a university for teaching; in American English usually just tuition

Tuition fees are very high in some countries.

money given to a student to help pay for studies

She won a scholarship to study in Canada.

a piece of work that a teacher gives students to do

I have three assignments due next week.

a short piece of writing about a subject

Write a 500-word essay on renewable energy.

a long piece of writing at the end of a degree, based on your own research

I'm writing my dissertation on social media and politics.

a very long piece of research writing, especially for a master's or PhD; the plural is theses

He finished his thesis after four years.

a formal test of what you know; short for examination

The final exam is in June.

the time or date when you must finish something

The deadline for the project is Friday at noon.

a letter or number that shows how good your work is; in American English also a school year

She got good grades in all her subjects.

the British word for a number or letter given for a piece of work

I got full marks on the spelling test.

careful study to find new facts or information

She's doing research on sleep and memory.

using someone else's words or ideas and pretending they are your own

Copying from the internet is plagiarism.

an official record that shows you finished a course or passed an exam

You need a teaching qualification for this job.

an official paper that shows you completed a course or passed an exam

Everyone gets a certificate at the end of the course.

to ask officially for a place on a course or at a university

I applied to three universities.

to officially join a course or school; spelled enrol in British English

He enrolled in an evening Spanish class.

to go to a class, lecture or school regularly

Students must attend at least 80 percent of classes.

in British English, to study again what you learned before an exam; Americans say review

I'm revising for my history exam.

to do an exam; British English also says sit an exam

I'm taking my driving theory exam on Monday.

to succeed in an exam or test

Great news, I passed my exam!

to not succeed in an exam or test

He failed the first time but passed the second time.

to take an exam again because you failed it or want a better result

You can retake the test in August.

to give your work to a teacher; American English also says turn in

Please hand in your essays by Friday.

to leave school or university before you finish

He dropped out of college to start a business.

to finish a degree or course successfully

She graduated from Boğaziçi University in 2020.