school
- university
used as countable nouns
In both British and American English, a school is a place where children are educated, and a university is a place where students study for degrees.
The village had a church and a school.
Heidelberg is a very old university.
used as uncountable nouns
In American English, school (without ‘a’ or ‘the’) is used to refer to both schools and universities. If someone is attending a school or university, Americans say that they are in school.
All the children were in school.
She is doing well in school.
When speakers of American English ask an adult ‘Where did you go to school?’, they mean ‘What college or university did you study in?’.
In British English, school refers only to schools for children. If someone is attending a school, British speakers say they are at school. If they are attending a university, British speakers say they are at university.
I was at school with Joty, but I haven't seen her since I was 16.
She is studying medicine at university.
➜ See student