 Degree

The qualification students obtain when they successfully complete a college or

university course.

 Bachelor’s degree
The first degree that students get when they study at the university for three or four
years.

  Bachelor of Arts (= BA)

A first university degree in an arts or social sciences subject.

 Bachelor of Science (= BSc)

A first university degree in science.

 Higher degree
A degree that is taken after a first degree, at a more advanced level. For example, a
Master’s Degree ( = MA = Master of Arts), a Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) …

 Dropouts
Students who left school before completing basic education.

 Basic education
It refers to a variety of educational activities that take place in a variety of settings
(formal, informal and non-formal). These activities aim to meet basic learning needs like
writing, reading.

 Compulsory education
A number of years or age span during which children are legally obliged to attend school.
(education vocabulary)

 Formal education 
Formal education refers to the education that students receive in an educational
institution using a programme. This type of education leads to certification (diploma
/certificate /degree)

 Informal education
Informal education is learning that takes place outside the educational institution in the
context of daily life and work. It is a lifelong process whereby people acquire knowledge,
skills, and values from daily experience, family, the Internet, mass media, etc.

 Non-formal education
 Non-formal education usually results from a programme but it is not usually evaluated
and learners don’t get a certificate. Specifically, The term non-formal education refers to
adult literacy. This type of education is voluntary.

 Self-directed learning
It is a type of learning in which a learner plans, implements and evaluates what he/she
is learning without the help of anyone.

 Vocational education
Vocational education is the kind of education that prepares students for careers or
professions.

 Vocational school
A school where learners learn and develop skills that are necessary for particular jobs.
 Literacy
The ability to read and write. Nowadays, a literate person is someone who is able to use
a personal computer as well.

 Adult literacy
Teaching adults who are illiterate reading, writing, and arithmetic.

 Adult education (continuing education)

Education for adults that is available outside the formal education system, for example
at evening classes.

 Educator
A person whose job is to teach or educate people. (education vocabulary)

 Educationalist
A person who has a special knowledge of the principles and methods of teaching.

 Private school
A school where the education of students is paid for by their parents. This type of
school doesn’t receive any money from the government.

 State school 
A school that is paid for by the government and provides free education.

 Public school (in England)

 A private school for young people between the ages of 13 and 18, whose parents pay
for their education. The students often live at the school while they are studying.

 Play school
A school where kids younger than five years old go to play and learn.

 Primary school (in Britain)

A school for pupils between the ages of 5 and 11.

 Elementary education
Elementary education, also called primary education, the first stage traditionally found in
formal education, beginning at about age 5 to 7 and ending at about age 11 to 13. In the
United Kingdom and some other countries, the term primary is used instead of
elementary.
In the United States, the term primary customarily refers to only the first three years of
elementary education—i.e., grades 1 to 3. Elementary education is often preceded by
some form of preschool for children age 3 to 5 or 6 and is often followed by secondary
education.
 Secondary education
Education beyond the elementary grades; provided by a high school /a secondary
school.

 Elementary school (in the US)

A school for students between the ages of about 6 and 12.

 Secondary school 
A school for young people between the ages of 11 and 16 or 18. (

 High school (in the US)

A school for young people between the ages of 14 and 18.

 High school ( in Britain)

A school for young people between the ages of 11 and 18.

 Compulsory
Something that is compulsory must be done because of a rule or law. (Compulsory
education)

 Polytechnics
 They are similar to universities, but in polytechnics, the courses tend to be more
practically-oriented.

 Tertiary education
Refers to education at the college or university level.
 Timetable (UK)/ Schedule( US)
A list of the times when classes in school happen.

  Principal (UK) 
1. The person who is in charge of a college or a university.
2. A teacher who is in charge of a school.
 Headmaster (US)
A teacher who is in charge of a school, especially a private school.

 Staff
A group of people working together for the same school, college, university,
organization, etc.

 Textbook (US)
A book that teaches a particular subject and that is used especially in schools and
colleges.

 Coursebook (UK) 
A book that is used regularly in a class for studying.

 Homework (uncountable)
Work that a teacher gives to students to do at home.

 Course
A series of lessons or lectures on a particular subject, usually leading to an exam or
qualification.

 Curriculum
The subjects which are included in a course of study or taught in an educational
institution; a school, a college, or an institute.

 Syllabus 
A list of the topics, books, etc. that students have to study in a particular school subject
or a particular subject at university.
 E-learning
It is a type of education and training that uses information technology such as
computers and the Internet.
 Active learning 
In this type of learning, students learn by doing things rather than sitting at their desks
reading, listening to a teacher, or doing exercises inside or outside of school. Education
vocabulary

 Mental agility
The ability to think quickly and clearly.

 Library
A building where a collection of books, CDs, newspapers, etc. are kept for people to
read, study or borrow.

 Seminar
A class at university or college when a teacher and a group of students meet so as to
study and discuss something.

 Lecture
A formal event at university or college where a larger group of students listen to a
lecturer and take notes.

 Student counselor 
A person who is trained to listen to students and give them pieces of advice about their
personal problems.

 A student
A student who always gets higher marks.

 Tutor
A teacher who works with a student / a learner or a small group of students.

 Professor 
A university teacher of the highest rank. ( a senior university academic)

 Lecturer
Somebody who teaches at a university or college.

 Freshman
 A student in his or her first year at a university or college.

 Sophomore
A student in the second year of a course of study at a college or university.

 Junior 
A third-year student at university or college.

 Senior 
A fourth-year student at college or university.

 Graduate student
A student with a bachelor’s degree (e.g. BA, BSc)

 Fees
The amount of money that students pay to go to a private school, university, etc.

 Scholarship
An amount of money paid by a school, university, etc. to a student who has a lot of
ability, but not much money.

 A student loan
The money that a student borrows from a bank while at university or college.

 MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) (Distance education/ distance

training)
A course of study that is made available over the Internet. It is usually followed by a
large number of learners.

Education vocabulary list of verbs: Education

collocations
 Attend
To go regularly to a school or university

 Learn
to acquire knowledge, a skill, or an ability to do something.

 Learn by heart
memorize, commit to memory.

 Study
 take a course or a number of courses on a particular subject.

 Prepare for an exam/a test /a quiz

To review what you have already learned to get ready for an exam…

 Take an exam/ a test/a quiz

To do an exam/a test/a quiz.

 Sit an exam/a test/a quiz

To do an exam/a test/a quiz.
 Pass an exam/a test /a quiz
To achieve a successful outcome from an exam…

 Fail an exam/a test /a quiz

Not to succeed in an exam…

 Resit an exam
To take an exam a second time.

 Do well
Do well in an exam/a test/a quiz

 Do badly
Do badly in an exam/a test/a quiz.

 Skip classes
miss classes deliberately.

 Skip lectures
miss lectures deliberately.

 Graduate
To complete a university degree successfully.

 Secure a place
To be accepted as a student; get a place.
 Acquire knowledge
To learn and get to know about different things.

Education Vocabulary: Adjectives with prepositions

 Good at: Successful
She is good at languages.

 Bad at: Not successful

She is very bad at Physics and Science and she hates them.

 Be interested in: To want to do something or know more about it.

I’m really interested in history.

 Be keen on sth: To like something very much.

My son is really keen on Mathematics. He likes it very much and he never skips it.

 Bored with: Not interested

He is usually bored with Philosophy. He finds it boring.

Education vocabulary: School vocabulary (school

subjects)
 Core subjects:
Subjects which all the students on a course have to do.

 Languages
 Physical Education (Sport)
 Physics
 Chemistry
 Science
 Biology
 History
 Geography
 Mathematics
 Art
 Computers
 Literature
This list of education vocabulary is not exhaustive. More vocabulary education,
education collocations, school vocabulary, and education advanced vocabulary will be
added to the list.

If you are interested in online education, check this article about the best online colleges
and universities.
If you are an English teacher, these free online courses with certificates are perfect for
you.
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