Vocabulary

Explanation

Example

A (school) term

A quarter at school or semester at university.

I can't wait for the winter term to finish.

A Bachelor's degree, a Bachelor of Arts (BA), a Bachelor of Science (BS)

The diploma you get after 3 years of university studies in Europe, 4 in the US.

Gemma finally got her Bachelor's degree.

A boarding school/dormitory

A school where you sleep.

To concentrate better, he studied in a boarding school.

A curriculum/syllabus-syllabi (pl)

A program.

The curriculum was extremely interesting.

A degree

A diploma.

What is your latest degree?

A deputy head

Assisting the headmaster/headmistress

The deputy head did an excellent job.

A donation

Money which is given.

As an alumnus of the university, i am expected to make regular donations.

A failure

When you don't succeed.

As long as you learn something out of it, it is not a failure.

A grade (US)/form (GB)

A class

Tenth graders are so kind.

A grade (US)/mark (GB)

A score.

Their grades were low last year.

A graduate (student)

A student who has his/her bachelor's degree.

All the graduates were so proud of their degree.

A grant (US)/scholarship (GB)

Money given by the government for your studies.

Dina applied to have a grant and got it.

A headmaster/headmistress

Person in charge of a school.

We were lucky to have such a kind headmaster.

A high school (US)/ secondary school (GB)

School after primary school and before university.

Being in high school was so difficult.

A kindergarten (US)/nursery school (GB)

School when children are between 3 and 6 years old.

The files to register forkindergarten are really thick now.

A lexicographer

A dictionary writer

This lexicographer is extremely thorough in his research.

A master's degree, a Master of Arts (MA), a Master of Science (MS), a Master of Business Administration (MBA)

A diploma you get after 5 years of study in Europe/ 6 in the US.

Do you have a master's degree?

A mortgage

A loan to buy a property.

Did you ma,age to get a mortgage?

A postgraduate (student)

A student who studies after a bachelor's degree.

All postgraduate students are expected in the lobby at 4 PM.

A private school (US)/public school (GB)

A school you have to pay for, not subsidized by the government.

In England many pupils go to public schools.

A Professor

A teacher who published a lot, did some research and his recognized by his peers as an expert.

This Professeur is an excellent researcher.

A school yard/playground

Place where children play during break time.

Our school year was full of games.

A senior high school (US) / sixth form college (GB)

School after junior high school from 16 to 18 years old.

There were many parties when he was in senior high school.

A state school/state-run school/governmental school/government-funded school

A school subsidized by the government so free.

He was very lucky to be in a good state school.

A subject

A topic taught at school such as Mathematics, Physics or Geography.

Her favorite subject has always been English.

A university/college

A school for higher studies after senior high school.

All the intelligent students who had enough money applied to university.

A university staff/ a faculty (member)

Someone who works for a university/college.

All the faculty members were extremely helpful.

A vocational school

A school with more practice than theory to professionalize people.

Vocational school is open to anyone who's willing to learn.

An au pair

Usually a student accomodated in a family who looks after children and do a bit of housework.

Last year's au pair was so nice that we kept her for another year.

An internship (US)/placement (GB)/training program (GB)

When students work as part of their studies.

In fifth year you have to do a sixth-month internship.

An investment

Money you keep for a bigger project which will bring you even more money.

The investment he made was very good.

An overdue book

A book youshould  have brought back earlier to the library

How many overdue books do you have?

An undergraduate (student)

A student before getting a bachelor's degree.

The undergraduates are so serious.

Break a leg!

Sentence we say to wish luck notably before an exam or interview.

Dave wished me luck by saying "Break a leg!".

Compulsory schooling

The fact school is a must (usually until a certain age).

Thanks to compulsory schooling, illiteracy has decreased.

GCSE (GB)

Exam you take at the end of junior high school.

GCSEs were easy compared to A levels.

Illiteracy

The inability to read and write.

Thanks to compulsory schooling, illiteracy has decreased.

Physical education (PE)

Sports at school.

Her PE teacher wasn't nice at all.

Proud

Satisfied.

Your results are excellent, you should be proud of yourself.

Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs) (US)/ A levels (GB)

Exam you take at the end of secondary school/high school.

Did you do well in your SATs?

Shy

Introverted, reserved.

It can be difficult to stand out when you're shy.

To better oneself

To improve yourself

I can better myself with regular practice.

To cheat/to crib

To use an illegal help during an exam either copying on a neughbor or a cheat sheet or anything else.

When students are caught cheating, they're in trouble.

To come out of the closet

To announce you are gay.

Justin had a hard time coming out of the closet.

To drop out school

To stop going to school.

His results were so low that he dropped out.

To fail an exam

Not to pass, not to validate a test.

Despite his intense preparation, he failed his exam.

To graduate

To get a degree.

When did you graduate?

To groom someone

To make yourself neat.

His mother groomed him for the graduation ceremony.

To learn a foreign language

To learn a language which is not your mother tongue.

I have been learning a foreign language and I love that.

To pass an exam

To validate a test.

He passed and was so relieved about it.

To practice a foreign language

To use on and on a language which is not your native language.

Why don't you go to the pub to practice English?

To repeat a year

To do the same year another time (usually when your results were too low)

Mandy will have to repeat her year next year.

To skip a course/to play truant

Not to go to class when you're supposed to.

Oliver decided to skip his French course in order to lie in.

To speak a new language

To use orally a language which is new to you.

Thanks to my language classes, I can now speak a new language.

To take/sit/write an exam

To go to a place and try to answer questions.

At the end of the year, all the students take an exam.

Tuition fees

Money you have to pay for your studies.

Tuition fees are getting higher and higher.

Weak

Not very good.

He is very weak in maths.

Well-off

Finacially at ease.

He has no money problem, he is well-off.