college

college — noun

1. a place where people go to study after finishing high school, where they can ear

1.nounB1
Definition

a place where people go to study after finishing high school, where they can earn a degree in a particular subject

Example

Ravi went to college in Toronto to study business and economics.

go to college + subject of study

After high school, Leila applied to several colleges across the country.

apply to college

Common collocations
  • apply to college
  • go to college
  • finish college
  • drop out of college
Synonyms
  • university

    often interchangeable in many English-speaking countries, though 'university' is more common for degree-granting institutions while 'college' may refer to a broader range of schools

  • institute

    more formal and often used for specialized or technical schools

Common Mistakes

I went to the college in 2019.
I went to college in 2019.
When talking about being a student at college in general, do not use 'the'.

2. a school for people over the age of sixteen that teaches practical skills for a

2.nounB1
Definition

a school for people over the age of sixteen that teaches practical skills for a particular job, such as cooking, car repair, or nursing

Example

Priya enrolled at a local college to train as a veterinary nurse.

enroll at college + vocational training

The technical college near Yusuf's home runs courses in welding and plumbing.

Common collocations
  • technical college
  • community college
  • enroll at college
  • college course
Synonyms
  • vocational school

    focuses even more narrowly on hands-on job training rather than general education

  • community college

    common in the US; offers two-year degrees and vocational programs at lower cost

Usage Note

Commonly called a 'technical college', 'community college', or 'further education college' depending on the country. In the UK, it is often referred to as an 'FE college'.

3. a small, self-contained school within a larger university, such as those at Oxfo

3.nounB2
Definition

a small, self-contained school within a larger university, such as those at Oxford and Cambridge, with its own buildings, teachers, and student social life

Example

Tomás received an offer from King's College, one of the oldest colleges at Cambridge.

named college + university affiliation

Each college at Oxford has its own dining hall, library, and student accommodation.

Common collocations
  • be accepted into a college
  • college dining hall
  • college library
Synonyms
  • residential college

    emphasizes the living aspect; some universities outside the UK also use this model

Usage Note

This sense is mainly UK-based. When applying to Oxford or Cambridge, students choose a specific college. In the US, large universities are divided into 'schools' or 'colleges' (see sense 4).

4. a division within a large university that focuses on a particular area of study,

4.nounB1
Definition

a division within a large university that focuses on a particular area of study, such as engineering, arts, or medicine

Example

Yara is studying architecture at the College of Design at State University.

College of [Subject] + university structure

The College of Medicine at Emory University runs several research centers.

Common collocations
  • College of Arts
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Medicine
Synonyms
  • school

    often interchangeable; e.g. 'School of Law' vs 'College of Law'

  • faculty

    more common in UK and European universities

Usage Note

Common in US university names, where a 'college' is a semi-autonomous unit within a larger university. In the UK, this is usually called a 'faculty' or 'school'.

5. a school or part of a school in the UK for students aged sixteen to eighteen who

5.nounA2
Definition

a school or part of a school in the UK for students aged sixteen to eighteen who are studying for exams that can lead to university

Example

Hana is studying for her A-levels at a sixth-form college in Manchester.

sixth-form college + A-level preparation

Olu is studying biology and chemistry at a sixth-form college in Leicester.

named person + specific subjects + place

Common collocations
  • sixth-form college
  • go to college at sixteen
  • college student
Synonyms

Usage Note

Mainly used in the UK education system. Students typically attend sixth-form college for two years before applying to a university. In other countries, students of this age attend 'senior high school'.

6. a school for children, often a private school where parents pay fees, that uses

6.nounB1
Definition

a school for children, often a private school where parents pay fees, that uses the word 'College' in its official name

Example

Theo attended Eton College, a famous private school near London.

Eton College as a named private school

Wellington College is one of the best-known independent schools in the UK.

Common collocations
  • attend college
  • named college
  • famous college
Synonyms
Antonyms

Usage Note

In the UK and Australia, many prestigious private schools (called 'public schools' in British English) include 'College' in their names. This does NOT mean they are universities.

Common Mistakes

Eton College is a university in England.
Eton College is a private secondary school in England.
Despite the name, Eton is a school for boys aged 13 to 18, not a university.

7. a formal association of people working in the same profession, created to share

7.nounB2
Definition

a formal association of people working in the same profession, created to share knowledge, set standards, or make important decisions for their field

Example

The Royal College of Nursing published new workplace guidelines for hospital staff.

Royal College of [Profession]

Kofi presented his research at the annual conference of the College of Surgeons.

Common collocations
  • Royal College of
  • College of Surgeons
  • College of Physicians
Synonyms
  • association

    a more general term; less formal than 'college' in this sense

  • society

    often used for scholarly or learned groups

  • institute

    commonly used for research-focused professional bodies

Usage Note

This sense is often found in the names of professional bodies, such as the Royal College of Physicians, the College of Law, or the Electoral College. These are associations, not schools.

8. all the teachers, students, and staff who belong to a college, thought of as a s

8.nounB2
Definition

all the teachers, students, and staff who belong to a college, thought of as a single group

Example

The whole college gathered in the main hall to listen to the guest speaker.

the whole college = the entire community

When the college voted on the new policy, both teachers and students took part.

Common collocations
  • the whole college
  • the college agreed
  • college community
Synonyms

Usage Note

Used like a collective noun — 'the college' refers to the people, not the building. Similar to how 'the school' or 'the university' can refer to the community rather than the institution.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

College and university often overlap in everyday speech. In the US, 'college' typically refers to a four-year undergraduate institution or a division within a larger university, while 'university' is a larger institution offering both undergraduate and graduate degrees. In the UK, 'university' is the standard term for degree-granting institutions, and 'college' more often means a sixth-form or further education school. 'Institute' tends to sound more formal and is commonly used for specialized or research-focused schools, such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 'School' is the broadest term — it can refer to any educational institution, from primary school to a university's 'School of Law'. 'Academy' suggests a more selective or prestigious institution, often with a special focus. For example, you would say 'I'm applying to college' (never 'I'm applying to institute'), but 'She works at a research institute' sounds natural. A British student might say 'I'm at sixth-form college' while an American would say 'I'm in college' to mean studying for a bachelor's degree.

university ↗institute ↗school ↗academy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • college student
  • college education
  • college degree
  • college campus
  • college life
  • college application

Phrases

  • go to college
  • apply to college
  • attend college
  • finish college
  • drop out of college
  • start college

Prepositions

  • at college
  • in college
  • to college
  • from college
  • through college

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'college' comes from the Latin 'collegium', which meant a partnership or association of people working together. This was formed from 'collega' (a colleague or partner in office), which itself combined 'com-' (together) and 'legare' (to send as a deputy or to appoint). In medieval times, the term was used for groups of scholars living and studying together, which later gave rise to the modern meaning of an educational institution. The sense of a professional body (like the Royal College of Physicians) preserves this original meaning of an 'association of colleagues'.