- 1 [countable, uncountable] (often in names) (in Britain) a place where students go to study or to receive training after they have left school a college of further education (= providing education and training for people over 16) a secretarial college the Royal College of Art a college course/library/student She's at college. see also community college (1), sixth-form college Wordfindertrainingapprentice, certificate, coaching, college, course, intern, probation, qualify, training, work experience Culturefurther educationFurther education in Britain means education after GCSE exams taken around the age of 16. It includes courses of study leading to A level s which students take at their school or sixth-form college. Some students go straight to a college of further education which offers a wider range of full- and part-time courses. Further education also includes training for professional qualifications in nursing, accountancy and management, and in fields such as art and music. The term higher education is used in Britain and the US to refer to degree courses at universities.In the US further education usually means any other education after secondary school. It can mean study at college, or any study towards a professional qualification, and it can have a meaning similar to that of adult education or continuing education, i.e. something that people do after completing their main education, often for personal interest and satisfaction.Many students in Britain take vocational training courses in fields such as building, engineering, hairdressing or secretarial skills. Colleges of further education offer courses leading to NVQ s and other certificates and diplomas (= documents awarded for completing a course of study). Work-related courses are designed with advice from industry, with the aim of producing students who will have the skills employers require. On longer courses students may do placements (AmE internships) (= periods of work) lasting several months with companies. On other courses, called sandwich courses, students divide their time between periods of paid work and periods of study. A common arrangement is for students to get day release from their work to attend college one or two days a week over several years. Some students do a formal apprenticeship, learning their skills on the job and attending college part-time.The British government is keen to persuade more young people to remain in education as long as possible in order to build up a more highly skilled, better educated workforce. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecommunity, local, private, … verb + collegeattend, go to, enter, … college + verboffer something, run something, attract somebody, … college + nounadministrator, faculty, lecturer, … prepositionat college, in college, to college, … See full entry See related entries: Higher education institutions
- 2 [countable, uncountable] (often in names) (in the US) a university where students can study for a degree after they have left school Carleton College a college campus/student a private college He got interested in politics when he was in college. She's away at college in California. He's hoping to go to college next year. CollocationsEducationLearning acquire/get/lack (an) education/training/(British English) (some) qualifications receive/provide somebody with training/tuition develop/design/plan a curriculum/(especially British English) course/(North American English) program/syllabus give/go to/attend a class/lesson/lecture/seminar hold/run/conduct a class/seminar/workshop sign up for/take a course/classes/lessonsSchool go to/start preschool/kindergarten/nursery school be in the first, second, etc. (North American English) grade/(especially British English) year (at school) study/take/drop history/chemistry/German, etc. (British English) leave/finish/drop out of/ (North American English) quit school (North American English) graduate high school/collegeProblems at school be the victim/target of bullying (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/skive off school (= not go to school when you should) (both especially North American English) skip/cut class/school (British English) cheat in/(North American English) cheat on an exam/a test get/be given a detention (for doing something) be expelled from/be suspended from schoolWork and exams do your homework/(British English) revision/a project on something work on/write/do/submit an essay/a dissertation/a thesis/an assignment/(North American English) a paper finish/complete your dissertation/thesis/studies/coursework hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/essay/assignment/paper study/prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/an exam take/ (both British English) do/sit a test/an exam (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/a test (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (informal, especially North American English) ace a test/an exam pass/fail/ (informal, especially North American English) flunk a test/an exam/a class/a course/a subjectUniversity apply to/get into/go to/start college/(British English) university leave/graduate from law school/college/(British English) university (with a degree in computer science) study for/take/ (British English) do/complete a law degree/a degree in physics (both North American English) major/minor in biology/philosophy earn/receive/be awarded/get/have/hold a master’s degree/a bachelor’s degree/a PhD in economics see also community college (2) Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecommunity, local, private, … verb + collegeattend, go to, enter, … college + verboffer something, run something, attract somebody, … college + nounadministrator, faculty, lecturer, … prepositionat college, in college, to college, … See full entry See related entries: Higher education institutions
- 3[countable, uncountable] (Canadian English) a place where you can study for higher or more specialist qualifications after you finish high school British/Americancollege / university In both British English and North American English a college is a place where you can go to study after you leave secondary school. In Britain you can go to a college to study or to receive training in a particular skill. In the US you can study for your first degree at a college. A university offers more advanced degrees in addition to first degrees. In North American English college is often used to mean a university, especially when talking about people who are studying for their first degree. The is not used when you are talking about someone studying there:My son has gone away to college. ‘Where did you go to college?’ ‘Ohio State University.’ In British English you can say:My daughter is at university. In North American English you cannot use university or college in this way. You use it with a or the to mean a particular university or college:I didn’t want to go to a large university. Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivecommunity, local, private, … verb + collegeattend, go to, enter, … college + verboffer something, run something, attract somebody, … college + nounadministrator, faculty, lecturer, … prepositionat college, in college, to college, … See full entry See related entries: Higher education institutions
- 4[countable, uncountable] one of the separate institutions that some British universities, such as Oxford and Cambridge, are divided into King’s College, Cambridge a tour of Oxford colleges Most students live in college. See related entries: Higher education institutions
- 5(in the US) one of the main divisions of some large universities The history department is part of the College of Arts and Sciences. See related entries: Higher education institutions
- 6[countable + singular or plural verb] the teachers and/or students of a college See related entries: Higher education institutions
- 7[countable] (especially in names, in Britain and some other countries) a secondary school, especially one where you must pay Eton College See related entries: Teaching and learning, Types of school
- 8[countable] (usually in names) an organized group of professional people with special interests, duties or powers the Royal College of Physicians the American College of Cardiology see also electoral college Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, from Latin collegium ‘partnership’, from collega ‘partner in office’, from col- ‘together with’ + legare ‘depute’.Extra examples I got interested in politics when I was at college. Not all the lecturers are in college at any one time. She’s at college in Swindon. The college graduated 50 students last year. The college runs a course for would-be arts administrators. a college of education college graduation exercises the college staff= all the people who work there apart from those who teach the college staff= all the people who work there A college of cardinals will choose the next pope. New guidelines have been released by the Royal College of Surgeons. The whole college was shocked to hear the news. When I left school I went to secretarial college.
noun jump to other results
BrE BrE//ˈkɒlɪdʒ//; NAmE NAmE//ˈkɑːlɪdʒ//
Teaching and learning, Higher education institutions, Types of schoolCheck pronunciation: college
