Qualification normally first gained in the UK at the age of 18, but without a formal age limit. Available in many subjects. Two or three A-levels are often used to meet university entrance requirements.

 

Any member of teaching or research staff at a degree-awarding institution; or sometimes used as a general term for any study which is not related to preparing for a career.

 

Year running from September to September of the following year. Most UK courses start in September or October.

 

One-year full-time course for students who are not ready to enter degree programmes. Usually features study and writing skills, English language and some study of the subject to be studied at degree level.

 

Process of examining various aspects of a course, such as teaching methods and facilities, to ensure they meet agreed standards.

 

Describes a course that has been examined and approved as meeting an agreed standard.

 

Academic officer, such as a lecturer, at a college or university who decides which applicants will be offered places. Each course or discipline at an institution has its own admissions tutor.

 

Association of the graduates of an institution. Means of keeping in touch with fellow-students, and getting news about the college where you studied. Some associations have overseas branches.

 

Advanced Placement Test. Graded test taken in the US for university entrance.

 

Qualification equal to one half of an A-level.

 

Process of considering a student's academic ability and work through essays, examinations, interviews or other methods.

 

Any piece of work, such as an essay, which a student must complete and submit by a specified time for marking and grading.

Abbreviation of the first-degree qualification Bachelor of Arts.

 

First degree usually obtained after three years or more of full-time study.

 

British Accreditation Council for Independent Further and Higher Education. Organisation that runs an accreditation scheme for UK private colleges.

 

British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes. Organisation that works to develop the provision of English-language teaching for international students in higher education institutions in the UK.

 

Continuous period (usually several weeks) where an employer allows an employee time away from work to attend an educational institution.

 

General name for any course preparing students who need to improve their academic study skills or language ability before they progress to higher level study.

 

Abbreviation of the first-degree qualification Bachelor of Science.

 

Business and Technician Education Council. Body which validates BTEC Certificates and Diplomas.

 

Vocational qualifications available at various levels.

 

Financial award granted by an institution to a student. Bursaries have strict selection criteria, and are usually for a fixed amount, very often less than the full cost of a course.

Certificate in Advanced English. Widely accepted English high-level language qualification. One of the University of Cambridge ESOL examinations.

 

University or college grounds.

 

Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults. Teaching qualification validated by Cambridge University.

 

Of educational and other documents, officially stamped and signed by an authorised officer to prove that a document is genuine and accurate.

 

College of Further Education. College that offers academic and vocational courses ranging from GCSEs or equivalents to Diploma or Certificate courses that approach the level of first degrees. May also offer degrees validated by other institutions.

 

Christian organisation within a college or university, holding meetings and religious services.

 

College of Higher Education. College that offers academic and vocational qualifications from A levels and equivalents to HNDs. Some also offer degrees validated by a partner university.

 

Broad range of vocational qualifications, validated by City & Guilds Institute. These qualifications are not generally used to meet university entrance requirements.

 

One of the universities established in the 19th and early 20th centuries in major industrial centres such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and other big cities.

 

Process allowing applicants with no offers of places for degree programmes to secure places at institutions, which have vacancies, shortly before the start of the academic year. Begins mid-August each year.

 

Examination where students are not allowed to refer to books or notes and have a specific time to complete a certain number of questions.

 

Room used by students or staff for relaxation.

 

System whereby academic work is marked and graded throughout a course, rather than just at the end.

 

Compulsory subjects or modules as opposed to optional subjects or courses.

 

Any material or items used on a course of study. Includes printed matter, stationery, and items specifically used for one subject, such as oil paint for Fine Art.

 

Work that is done in the student's own time, rather than in seminars or tutorials. Coursework usually counts towards a student?s final mark in their course or module. Coursework can be continually assessed.

 

Certificate of Proficiency in English. Widely accepted English language qualification. Managed by UCLES.

 

Christian Union. Society in an educational institution for Christians working or studying there.

Arrangement whereby an employer allows an employee to attend a part-time course, usually by taking the same day or days off work each week for the length of the course.

 

Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults. Advanced teaching qualification validated by Cambridge University.

 

Diploma in Higher Education. Qualification approximately equal to two years of a three-year degree. Often available in work-related subject areas such as nursing or accountancy.

 

Long essay, usually contributing to the overall mark or grade for a course.

 

Special honour or recognition for excellent work, as an examination grading.

 

Doctor of Letters. Higher doctorate qualification.

 

Any research degree resulting in the successful candidate being able to use the title Doctor (e.g. PhD, DPhil).

 

Doctor of Science. Higher doctorate qualification.

European Credit Transfer System. European system of grading academic work in different countries so students can use work done abroad as a credit towards their degree.

 

Examination board that validates some vocational qualifications.

 

English for Commerce. Widely accepted English test, on use of English in business.

 

Process of registering as a student at the start of a course.

 

Examination or essay test set by an institution to assess an applicant's academic ability.

 

Student society within an institution that organises entertainment events.

 

Assignment consisting of an extended piece of writing. May put forward an argument and draw conclusions.

 

1) Regional or national board that validates qualifications such as GCSEs, A levels etc. 2) Committee set up within a university to oversee the marking and grading of examinations and other work by students on degree programmes.

 

Essay with a word limit greater than a normal-length essay.

 

Four-year Bachelor's degree that includes a foundation or preliminary year.

 

Academic from another institution who checks the marks and grading of degree awards, in consultation with an institutionÂ?s own Examination Board.

Senior member of the academic staff of a college or university.

 

Trip that students go on as part of their studies. Students usually have to do practical work while on the trip.

 

Highest grade given for first degree. An overall mark of at least 70% is needed to gain first class honours.

 

One-year full-time course to prepare a student for entry to a degree programme in a particular subject.

 

See 'intro week'.

 

For a study visa, full-time means attendance for at least 15 hours of organised study each week. Generally, a full-time course is one where you may be expected to attend all or part of every weekday.

General Certificate of Secondary Education. The first qualification obtained by students, at the age of about 16. There is no age limit, and mature or international students may take GCSE examinations.

 

Graduate Management Admissions Test. Examination often taken to meet entrance requirements for MBA programmes.

 

Graduate Diploma. Qualification equivalent to a BachelorÂ?s degree, awarded by a small number of institutions.

 

Successful completion of a degree or course. Also the ceremony where students are officially given their awards.

 

Money awarded to a student or researcher to assist their studies.

Institutional accommodation for students. Also called Â?hallsÂ?. Halls provide kitchens, bed linen and other facilities. In some halls, meals are provided, others are self-catering.

 

Fund administered by a UK university or college, making small payments to students with financial difficulties.

 

Higher Education Statistics Agency. UK national agency that collects and publishes statistical information on higher education throughout the UK.

 

Degree occasionally awarded some time after a PhD.

 

Scottish qualification that is taken by students aged between 16 and 18.

 

Higher National Certificate. Vocational course approximately equal to two or three A levels.

 

Higher National Diploma. Vocational course approximately equal to the first two years of a three-year BachelorÂ?s degree.

 

Degree title (usually a higher doctorate) awarded as an honour not for academic work, but for an outstanding contribution in another field such as entertainment, philanthropy or community work.

 

Bachelor's degrees are generally awarded as honours degrees in one of three classes, First, Second or Third, depending on the overall marks awarded. Those who reach the pass mark, but fail to attain a high enough mark to gain honours graduate with a pass degree.

International Baccalaureate: a two-year course approximately equal to three A levels. It is available in several countries including the UK, and is accepted as an entry qualification by British universities.

 

International English Language Testing System. English test managed by the British Council and partner organisations. Available worldwide. One of the most widely accepted qualifications in the English language.

 

International General Certificate of Secondary Education. Equivalent to GCSE.

 

During a course. For instance, you may take an in-sessional English language course during term-time to complement your other studies.

 

Level above basic but below advanced.

 

Employment a student (especially of medicine) takes to gain experience for a qualification.

 

An introductory week for new university or college students which enables them to become familiar with their institution, its facilities, their course and the town or city they will be studying in.

Junior Common Room. Room or area set aside for the use of students. Also an organisation within a hall of residence that organises events for student residents.

 

Type of first degree where a student studies two subjects in equal depth. For example English and French, or Maths and Computer Science.

Key English Test. Basic English language qualification. Managed by UCLES.

London Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Examination board validating some English language and other tests.

 

Local Educational Authority. Part of local government in the UK that administers education up to college level in a particular district. Universities are not governed by LEAs.

 

Educational talk given by a member of teaching staff to a (usually large) group of students.

 

Exchange programme that enables students to study or work in another European country.

 

Part of the SOCRATES programme which aims to increase people?s competence in modern European languages.

 

Living on campus, eg in a hall of residence.

 

Living off campus, eg in a private house, or rented flat.

 

Bachelor of Law.

 

Master of Law.

 

The vacation between years of a first-degree course, usually lasting for three months between July and October.

Postgraduate degree qualification, or Scottish first degree, Master of Arts.

 

Hand-written document. Completed set of examination answers, or other assignment.

 

Students above the age of 21 in England Wales and Northern Ireland, or above 20 in Scotland.

 

Master of Business Administration. Postgraduate degree in management, finance and other aspects of business.

 

Master of Engineering.

 

Grade below a distinction but above a pass.

 

Programme of studies that consists of a number of discrete units or short courses. Students are given a mark or grade for each module, and accumulate points for an overall grade for their course.

 

Short course taken as part of some degree programmes. Students can customise their degree programme by their choice of modules.

 

Master of Philosophy.

 

Master of Science.

National Academic Recognition Information Centre. UK NARIC is an organisation that gives advice on the comparability of international and UK qualifications, and promotes UK qualifications overseas.

 

Any of the universities established in the 1960s.

 

Small magazine or booklet, describing events in a particular institution or society. Alumni associations regularly send newsletters to members throughout the world containing news items about their college.

 

Student-run telephone service that offers information, listings and discusses personal issues in confidence.

 

Nursing and Midwifery Admissions Service. UK national organisation that administers applications for entry onto courses in nursing.

 

The National Union of Students. If an institution's Students' Union is affiliated to the NUS, their students automatically become members of the NUS.

 

National Vocational Qualification. A first qualification related to an area of employment.

Type of institution historically linked to the Church, and established between the 13th and 15th century. Oxford and Cambridge are old universities.

 

Examination where the student can refer to books or notes and may be able to take the question paper away and return it by a certain time.

 

Degree programme where successful students are not graded, but simply pass or fail. Sometimes also used in same sense as 'pass degree'.

 

Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme. Annual UK governmental scheme making awards annually to pay the difference between 'home' and 'overseas' fees for selected research students.

 

Device that projects and enlarges acetates on a white screen or wall using an overhead mirror.

Course where students attend a limited number of days or evenings each week. Any course that requires less than 15 hours attendance a week is part-time for the purposes of visa regulations.

 

Satisfactory mark in examination or course

 

Bachelor's degree grading with insufficient marks to earn honours.

 

Preliminary English Test. English test managed by UCLES. Not advanced enough to meet university entrance requirements.

 

Postgraduate Certificate.

 

Postgraduate Diploma.

 

Postgraduate Certificate in Education. Qualification allowing holder to teach in primary or secondary in the UK. Taken as a one-year full-time programme after completing a Bachelor's degree.

 

Doctor of Philosophy.

 

To take the work/words/ideas of someone else and pretend it is your own. Universities and colleges heavily penalise anyone caught plagiarising another person?s work.

 

Former type of degree-awarding higher education institution in the UK. All polytechnics were elevated to university status in 1992.

 

Collection of original work. May be assessed to contribute to the mark a student receives on their course.

 

Non-written work that is performed by a student either alone or as a member of a group.

 

Any course, especially an Access, Foundation or Certificate course taken to meet university entry requirements for a degree programme.

 

Short course that runs before another longer course. For example, a pre-sessional English language course may run in July and August, to prepare students for a degree programme beginning in September.

 

College that is not subsidised by the government but is owned and run by private individuals.

 

Title sometimes given to a senior academic following several years successful teaching and research, and election by the senior academics at an institution.

 

Brochure published by a university or college to advertising their institution and courses and to encourage student recruitment.

Qualified Teacher Status. Necessary qualification to teach in primary or secondary education in the UK obtained by taking a Bachelor's degree in education or BachelorÂ?s degree in another subject followed by a PGCE.

Student society that raises money through fund-raising holding events, often taking place during an annual 'rag week'.

 

List of books students are expected to read for their particular course.

 

Week during term-time when students are expected to concentrate on reading and studying for their course. There are usually no lectures or seminars during this period.

 

Universities that were founded in the late 19th and early 20th century.

 

Any cafeteria, restaurant or dining room for general use in a college or university.

 

Person to whom enquiries about your academic and other abilities and character can be made.

 

Statement (usually written) about a person?s abilities and character.

 

Person (usually a postgraduate student) appointed to help an academic or team on a research project.

 

Co-worker on a research programme. Often someone who already has a research degree.

 

UK national councils which administer funding for research programmes in their respective disciplines.

 

Senior academic whose work at an institution is mainly research and supervision of other researchers.

 

To re-take an examination, usually because of failure or gaining a low mark in the previous examination.

 

Royal Society of Arts. UK national organisation that validates several vocational qualifications.

Course that includes a long period of work experience. Degree sandwich courses usually last four years, with one whole year spent on a work placement.

 

Scholastic Aptitude Test. US test used as college entrance examination.

 

Scottish Certificate of Education. Equivalent to a GCSE.

 

Money award made to support a studentÂ?s education. It is often awarded on the basis of academic achievement.

 

Senior Common Room. Room or area set aside for staff within an institution. Social organisation for staff of an institution.

 

Most graduates of Bachelor's degree programmes achieve second-class honours. This grade is therefore divided into two divisions, upper and lower, written 2 i and 2 ii, or 2:1 and 2:2, and usually called 'two-one' and 'two-two'.

 

Spoken English for Industry and Commerce. Type of English language test. Widely accepted.

 

Halls of residence where students have to prepare their own meals. These residences have kitchens that students share.

 

Accommodation in a larger building which has its own kitchen and bathroom and a private entrance.

 

Term lasting half an academic year.

 

Small class where students discuss a topic with a lecturer or tutor. Questions are encouraged, but discussion is less free than in a tutorial, and not everyone present will necessarily be expected to contribute to the discussion.

 

Type of first degree awarded for study in only one subject, such as Law or Medicine.

 

Exchange scheme which enables European students to spend time studying or working in another European country.

 

General term for any condition, physical or mental that results in someone needing special educational facilities.

 

Person or organisation that accepts responsibility for all or part of a student?s fees or expenses.

 

Scottish Qualifications Authority. Body that is responsible for accrediting, awarding and developing academic and vocational qualifications in Scotland.

 

Groups with a shared general interest that students join e.g. rowing, Christian, Sociology. Student societies can be political, cultural, departmental, religious or sports societies.

 

Abbreviation for Students' Union. Also called Union of Students.

 

Courses and lectures that are held during the summer vacation.

Postgraduate degree that is taught in a similar way to first degrees, and does not include original research.

 

The Trans-European Mobility Programme for University Students. Encourages students to study part of their course in a different European country.

 

Period of continuous study without vacations. In the UK, the academic year is normally split into three terms. In universities, these terms are between eight and twelve weeks long, with a long vacation in the summer months.

 

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. High-level Certificate and Diploma qualifications validated by Trinity College London.

 

Dissertation containing results of original research to support a particular argument, usually written by a candidate for an academic degree.

 

Lowest honours grading for a Bachelor?s degree. Called a ?third?.

 

Test of English as a Foreign Language. Internationally recognised English test, available in over 100 countries. Widely accepted by UK institutions.

 

Detailed list of classes or courses a student has taken at college or university, with marks or grades for each subject.

 

University or college lecturer who supervises the welfare and studies of assigned undergraduates.

 

Class for a small number of students, led by a tutor, where one topic is discussed in depth. The topic may be introduced by a student, and everyone is expected to contribute to the discussion.

Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. UK national organisation that administers applications for entry onto full-time first degree and similar programmes.

 

University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate. Examination board that validates and manages several English language and other tests.

 

The UK Council for International Student Affairs. UK organisation offering advice to international students.

 

Single item or element which is part of a whole. Many courses in the UK are divided up into units.

 

Degree-awarding institution equivalent in status to a university.

Process of defining academic level of a course, and of setting the syllabus and standards for marking and grading. UK universities validate their own degrees.

 

Interview between members of an Examination Board and a student, on the material studied on a course to confirm a degree grading.

 

Qualification aimed at preparing students for employment, usually with practical experience as part of the course.

Person responsible for the supervision of halls of residence.

 

Limit to the number of words that can be written in an essay or dissertation. Varies from about 500 words to over 20,000 depending on its value in a student?s overall mark or grade for a course.

 

Practical experience gained on a work placement.

 

The part of a course which gives students the opportunity to gain practical experience of working in their chosen profession before graduation. Students may spend up to a year on work placement, especially on a sandwich course.