College Means Something Different on Each Side of the Atlantic
In America college means university. In Britain it usually means a school for 16 to 18 year olds, or a self-governing part of a university.
College is one of the most reliably confusing words between British and American English. An American who says they are in college means they are at university. A Briton who says the same is probably seventeen and studying for A levels.
- A university (American). *She is at college in Boston.*
- A school for 16 to 18 year olds (British). *Sixth form college.*
- A part of a university. *King's College, Cambridge.*
- A professional body. *The Royal College of Surgeons.*
- An electoral body. *The electoral college.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | college | A technical college. |
| Adjective | collegiate | A collegiate university. |
| Person | colleague | A former colleague. |
| Adjective | collegial | A collegial atmosphere. |
| Related | faculty | The faculty of law. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He finished college and started work.American — after a degree; British — at eighteen.
- Oxford and Cambridge are collegiate universities.Made up of self-governing colleges.
- The electoral college meets in December.The body that formally elects the American president.
College across English
- United States — an undergraduate institution, or a university generally
- United Kingdom — further education for 16 to 18, or a constituent part of a university
- Canada — usually a vocational institution, distinct from university
- Australia — often a secondary school, sometimes a residential hall
- Ireland — university is frequently called college in speech
From Latin *collegium*, a body of colleagues, from *collega*, one chosen alongside another. The educational meaning came late: a college was originally any association of people with a shared function, which is why the College of Cardinals still bears the name.
College or university in Britain?
University means degree-level study. College usually means further education, or a constituent college of a university.
Collegial or collegiate?
Collegial describes friendly cooperation among colleagues. Collegiate describes a structure made of colleges.