Meaning & use
go to university
Last updated
Meaning
phrasefixed phraseBritish
To attend a university as a student, especially after finishing high school.
Grammar: Used without 'a' or 'the' in British English; in American English you usually say 'go to college' or 'go to a university'.
Patterns
- go to university
- go to university to study something
- go to university in a place
She decided to go to university instead of looking for a job straight away.
He went to university in Manchester and studied history.
Many students go to university to improve their career chances.
Common combinations
- go to university abroad
- He wanted to go to university abroad to learn a new language.
- go to university full-time
- She goes to university full-time and works at weekends.
- go to university after school
- Most of my friends went to university after school.
- go to university to study
- I went to university to study engineering.
Synonyms and how they differ
- attend university
- More formal; it focuses on being present at classes rather than the general experience of being a student.
- go to college
- The usual American equivalent, though 'college' can also mean a smaller institution.
Word family
- university noun
- A place where students study for degrees and do research.
Commonly confused: go to university or go to the university?
go to university vs go to the university
In British English, 'go to the university' usually means visiting the building, not studying there. Use 'go to university' for being a student.
Practice
In British English, which sentence means that she is a student at a university?
Choose one answer.
'Go to university' without an article means to be a student there. The other options suggest a single visit or a specific university building.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “go to university”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.