School and Education: English Vocabulary List

an elementary school attended by children between the ages of 6 and 12

"Grade school starts early."

"The grade school students lined up outside their classroom every morning and waited for the teacher to open the door."

a department in a university or college that offers graduates an advanced or further degree

"Graduate school is demanding."

"He applied to graduate school to earn a master's degree in business administration while continuing to work at his full time job."

a school for students between an elementary school and a high school, typically those in the 7th and 8th grades

"Junior high school can be stressful."

"The transition from elementary school to junior high school can be difficult for students because they change classes and have multiple teachers."

a school attended by students between the ages of 14 and 18

"Senior high school prepares students."

"She is in senior high school now and plans to apply to university."

a course of study that is held during the summer vacations at a school, college, or university

"She took math classes at summer school."

"She attended summer school to improve her math grade and get enough credits to graduate with her class in the spring."

a formal dance or gathering of high school students, typically held at the end of the senior year

"Prom was memorable."

"They dressed up for prom and took many photos with friends."

to officially register oneself or someone else as a participant in a course, school, etc.

"She enrolled in a cooking class."

"She decided to enroll in a Spanish course at the local community college to improve her language skills for work."

a small closet that usually has a lock, in which valuable items and belongings could be stored

"The locker is locked."

"He forgot the combination to his locker and had to ask the school custodian to help him open it before the first class started."

an official document that states one has successfully passed an exam or completed a course of study

"The certificate is framed."

"She received a certificate of completion after finishing the six week course in digital marketing and search engine optimization."

a very high-level university degree given to a person who has conducted advanced research in a specific subject

"He has a Doctor of Philosophy."

"She studied for six years to earn her Doctor of Philosophy in modern history."

a graduate student who is studying at a university to get a more advanced degree

"He is a postgraduate."

"The postgraduate student presented her research findings at the international conference."

a person who is being trained for a particular job or profession

"The trainee learned quickly."

"The trainee practiced every day to improve his skills."

to teach a single student or a few students, often outside a school setting

"Mary tutors students in mathematics."

"The retired teacher volunteers to tutor struggling students in mathematics at the local community center every Tuesday evening."

a sum of money given by an educational institution to someone with great ability in order to financially support their education

"She got a scholarship."

"He was awarded a prestigious scholarship for his outstanding academic achievements."

a class or course at a college or university in which a small group of students and a teacher discuss a specific subject

"I attended a seminar on climate change."

"The professor led an interesting seminar on modern poetry where students discussed the meaning of several complex poems in small groups."

the overall content, courses, and learning experiences designed by educational institutions to achieve specific educational goals and outcomes for students

"The curriculum covers many subjects."

"The school updated its curriculum to include more practical science courses."

the assignments, projects, and tasks done by students as part of their course of study

"Coursework is due soon."

"The coursework included essays, research papers, and a final presentation."

a book used for the study of a particular subject, especially in schools and colleges

"Students must buy the required textbook."

"A comprehensive textbook serves as the foundational resource for any rigorous course."

a book that provides students with extra exercises

"The workbook has exercises for each chapter."

"The students completed the exercises in their grammar workbook at home and brought them to class the next day for the teacher to check."

(of a quiz, question, etc.) providing several different responses from which only one is correct

"The test is multiple-choice."

"The multiple choice test had four possible answers for each question and only one was correct."

a large organization that serves a religious, educational, social, or similar function

"This institution helps poor people."

"The charitable institution has been providing essential services to the homeless population for over fifty years."

to enter one's name in a list of an institute, school, etc.

"Register for classes before the deadline."

"You must register for classes before the deadline to avoid paying a late fee which is quite expensive."

a person sharing a room, apartment, or house with one or more people

"My roommate is friendly."

"My roommate and I share the apartment and help each other."

the practice of using methods such as punishment, training, or guidance to enforce rules and improve behavior

"The coach used discipline."

"Fiscal discipline is the principle of a government balancing its budget and not overspending"

a university student who studies a particular subject as the main part of their course

"She is a history major."

"As a political science major, he was deeply interested in the upcoming election."

a person who holds a second university degree or an equivalent one

"He is a master chef."

"Having earned his master's degree, he now plans to pursue a doctorate in astrophysics."

to learn to perform or use a skill or ability thoroughly and completely

"Master this new skill."

"She dedicated years to diligently master the intricate techniques of classical ballet."

a person or organization that provides someone with financial supports for their education

"The sponsor paid for it."

"The sponsor supported the event with money and advice."

an original piece of writing on a particular subject that a candidate for a university degree presents based on their research

"Write your thesis now."

"Her doctoral thesis explored the socio-economic impact of renewable energy policies in developing nations."

available or possible to choose but not required or forced

"The class is optional."

"The final exam is optional so you only have to take it if you want to improve your grade."

to give a score to a student's performance

"Teachers grade papers every weekend."

"The teacher needs to grade more than one hundred essays over the weekend before the report cards are due."

a course of instruction that is presented to an individual or a small number of students, typically focused on a specific subject or topic

"I watched a math tutorial."

"An online tutorial for a complex piece of software can guide a new user through the basic functions with a voice-over"

a college or university building in which students reside

"The dormitory is crowded."

"Students live in the dormitory during the semester."

a room in a university, from which students can buy food and drink

"Buy lunch at the buttery."

"Students often congregated in the university buttery for affordable meals and lively conversation."