University vs College | 10 British vs American English Differences

Do you want to study at a British university or an American college? Because if you do,

this is the video for you! Because we are going to look at ten essential words that

you are going to need to know if you want to study abroad. This is going to be super

useful guys. So let's roll the intro.

The first big difference is that British students go to university whereas American students

would call it college or school, ok? So in Britain we would say 'Which uni do you go

to?' So we shorten university down to uni. So which uni do you go to? "I go to Leeds

uni.' But in American English they would say school. Well college is the institution but

often they would say school. So which school do you go to? I go to Harvard or Yale or whatever.

That's a bit of a strange one for British students because school for us, well that's

when you are a kid, right? From the ages of five to eighteen you go to school. Then you

go to university. So using the word school, it's always a bit of a strange one for us

but in American English school is high school and also college. So that's the first major

difference. British students go to university or uni. American students go to college or

school. When British students arrive at uni they are known as freshers. So I was a fresher

for my first year. In America they are known as freshmen. So the idea is the same, that

fresh, like new but slightly different. So fresher in the UK, freshman in America. Now

at the beginning of the course you will find out your timetable. This is when your classes

are, what time, what day your classes are. So in Britain we would say timetable. In America

they would probably say schedule. So in Britain we get our timetable, in America they will

get their schedule. Now this is an interesting difference. In American English I know that

they major in a subject. So let's say I'm studying English, 'I major in English'. But

in Britain we would use other verbs. So we don't use major we'd use things like I read

so 'I'm reading English' or 'I read English' in the past. Or we might say 'I'm doing English'

or 'I did English'. I did media studies, not sure why but anyway. So you could say 'I did

media studies' or 'I'm doing media studies' if it's in the present tense. You could also

say study so 'I'm studying English' or 'I'm studying history.' So we've got a couple of

verbs read, study and do whereas in America it's just major.

Here's a question for any of you guys out there in America. Now in Britain we have something

called a gap year. This is a year in between school and university where somebody might

want to work for a while or travel. The idea is that you get a bit more experience of life.

So we take a gap year. Now what is that in American English? I don't actually know. So

I'd love it if you guys knew so let me know in the comments below. What is a gap year

in American English? Maybe it's gap year, I don't know. Anyway, let me know. In British

English we divide the academic year up into terms so usually we have three terms one before

Christmas, one between Christmas and Easter and then the summer term so from Easter till

the summer. Now in American English they would say semester but I have noticed that the word

semester is coming more and more into British English. So perhaps they are interchangeable

here. So maybe in American English they will also say term, in British English we will

also say semester but generally in British universities we use term and in American colleges

they'll say semester. Now when you are on your course you will have to write essays

all about different topics whatever the thing is that you are studying.

In American English they call those papers. So 'On Friday I have to hand in a paper' you

would say, whereas in British English 'On Friday I have to hand in an essay.' So essay

in British English, paper in American English. Then at the end of the term or the course

or the year whatever it might be in British English we have to do exams whereas in American

English I think they would say tests. Now again this could be quite fluid. I think maybe

in American English they might also say exams and certainly in British English we say tests.

Throughout the year you might have little tests, kind of progress tests or whatever

it might be but at the end of the year you'll have an exam and that's the big important

one that will decide if you pass your course or not. In American English, I think they

call that a test. Now on your course you are going to have different classes. Now in American

English it is a class and that could be small or big it doesn't really matter whereas in

British English we divide them up into two different categories.You have lectures where

the lecturer or professor will talk for an hour two hours and you sit and you take notes.

There isn't much of a discussion. You don't really generally ask questions. It's usually

in a big hall or big lecture theatre. Whereas we also have seminars. Now a seminar is smaller.

So there are fewer students, you've got one professor, one teacher and you can generally

ask them questions. It's more of a discussion. So yeah we have a seminar and a lecture whereas

in American English it's a class, it's the same thing. Now before your big exam at the

end of the course, in British English we revise. That means to study again the things that

you have already learned. So you revise for an exam or you revise for a test. In American

English I think it's review. They would use the word review or study but i think we would

use study as well. But the concept here of revising is that you have already studied

it and so you are looking at it again to remind yourself of what you have already learned.

So in British English revise, in American English review. And finally for that exam

the verb that we use in British English is to sit an exam. Also we use take as well,

so you could take an exam as well. In American English I think they would generally use the

word take. So in British English we sit an exam, in American English they take a test.

Now guys, if at the moment you are studying in the UK or in the USA or that you want to

study in the UK or the USA let me know in the comments below. Tell me where you are

studying, what you are studying and if you have found any other differences between studying

at a British university or an American college. Let me know if you know any different words

or generally how's your experience been? How is it different from studying back home? Let

me know, I would love you to share it with the rest of the Eat Sleep Dreamers. Alright

guys, you know that I am back every Tuesday and every Friday with fresh modern British

English. Please check me out on Facebook, check me out on Instagram where we do daily

English content but until next time guys this is Tom, the Chief Dreamer, saying goodbye.