StudyingAbroad
Education vocabulary & university English
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Warm-up · Section 1
5 minGet talking
Name a subject you loved and one you hated. Why?
Yes/no, with one reason. Convince your partner.
If money was no problem, which university would you choose and why?
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minEducation collocations
Education English runs on fixed verb-noun chunks.
→ I applied for three universities last year.
→ She enrolled on the business course in September.
→ I'm sitting my final exams next month.
→ He graduated from Edinburgh in 2022.
More detail
APPLY FOR a university / a scholarship / a course. ENROL ON / IN a course. STUDY a subject (no preposition). TAKE / DO a course. SIT / TAKE an exam. PASS / FAIL an exam. HAND IN an assignment. SUBMIT an essay. GET INTO university. DROP OUT of a course. GRADUATE FROM (a uni) / IN (a subject). DO a master's / a PhD. Get fluent in these chunks — they're tested in B1 exams.
Question 1.I applied ____ five universities.
Question 2.She enrolled ____ a business course.
Question 3.I'm sitting ____ ____ next week.
Question 4.He graduated ____ Oxford in 2020.
Question 5.I had to ____ ____ the essay by Friday.
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
to get a scholarship
win funding for study
"She got a scholarship to study in Berlin."
Have you ever applied for a scholarship?
tuition fees
cost of studying
"Tuition fees can be a real barrier."
Are tuition fees fair in your country?
campus life
student community life
"Campus life was the best part of university."
Describe ideal campus life.
to pull an all-nighter
work all night
"I pulled an all-nighter before the deadline."
Have you ever pulled an all-nighter?
to cram for an exam
study intensively last-minute
"I crammed for two days straight."
Cram or steady prep — which are you?
to fall behind
be late with studying
"I fell behind in the first semester."
Have you ever fallen behind in studies?
to broaden your mind
expand your perspective
"Travelling broadens your mind."
What's broadened your mind recently?
a culture shock
surprise from a new culture
"Moving to Japan was a real culture shock."
What might be your biggest culture shock abroad?
Discuss with a partner
- →Tuition fees: should they be free? Defend your view.
- →Tell a 'pulled an all-nighter' story.
Finish the sentence about you
- I'd enrol on… because… …
- The biggest culture shock would be… …
- I'd apply for a scholarship in… …
60-second write
Write 4 sentences about studying abroad using 4 collocations.
Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minPhrasal verb stress: hand IN, drop OUT, fall BEHIND
- • I HANded it IN late.
- • She DROPPED OUT after one year.
- • I'm FALLing beHIND in MATHS.
- • She enROLLED ON the COURSE.
How to say it
In phrasal verbs, the particle (in/out/back/up) often takes the strongest stress. 'I HANDED it IN.' 'She DROPPED OUT.' 'I'm FALLing beHIND.' The verb part is lighter; the particle delivers the meaning.
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minMy year in Lisbon
I'd never lived abroad before, so applying for an Erasmus year in Lisbon was a leap. I enrolled on a half-business, half-Portuguese course, and got a small scholarship to cover part of the tuition fees. The first month was real culture shock — different food, different rhythm, lectures in two languages. I fell behind a bit in October. By November I'd found my routine: I sat in the campus library every afternoon, joined a salsa class, and stopped pulling all-nighters. The friends I made were from eight countries. I graduated from the programme with my best marks ever. Honestly, the year broadened my mind more than three years at home had. If I could do it again, I'd apply tomorrow.
Question 1.What did the writer get to help with fees?
Question 2.When did the writer settle in?
Question 3.What activity did they join?
Q1.The writer had lived abroad before.
Q2.Their marks were worse abroad.
Q3.They'd recommend the experience.
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minTwo students discuss studying abroad
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Mira:Are you really going to apply for that exchange in Madrid?
Jon:I am. I've already started the application — deadline's next month.
Mira:What about tuition fees?
Jon:There's a scholarship I'm applying for. If I get it, fees are covered.
Mira:Aren't you worried about falling behind?
Jon:A bit. But I think it'll broaden my mind, and I want a real culture shock.
Mira:Will you graduate later then?
Jon:No — Madrid credits count back home. I'll graduate on time, just with better Spanish.
Question 1.Where is Jon applying?
Question 2.What is Jon applying for?
Question 3.Will Jon graduate later?
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — Writing Part 2 (article)
Task
Write a 120-word article: 'Is studying abroad worth it?' Use 5+ education collocations.
Strategy
Open with a clear position. Use 'enrol on / apply for / graduate from / hand in / sit exams' naturally. Balance arguments — give one downside (culture shock, tuition fees) before reaffirming. End with a clear recommendation.
Example
Studying abroad is one of the best decisions a young adult can make. Yes, tuition fees can be high, and culture shock is real in the first month. But the chance to enrol on courses you can't take at home, to make friends from ten countries and to broaden your mind is priceless. I'd recommend applying for at least one scholarship and choosing somewhere you'd actually live, not just visit.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Question 1.I applied ____ three universities.
Question 2.She enrolled ____ the engineering course.
Question 3.I had to hand ____ the essay by Friday.
Question 4.It was a real ____ ____.
Question 5.I'm cramming ____ my exam tomorrow.
Q1.Use 'apply for': 'I / Erasmus / next year' →
Q2.Use 'enrol on': 'she / business course' →
Q3.Use 'graduate from / in': 'he / Edinburgh / law / 2022' →
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Your task
Write a 140-word personal post: 'My ideal year abroad'. Use 6 education collocations and 2 idioms.
Show model answer
If I could plan my ideal year abroad, I'd enrol on a half-business, half-language course in Madrid. I'd apply for one scholarship to cover part of the tuition fees, and I'd find a small flat near campus to soak up real campus life. I'd accept the culture shock at the start — I know I'd fall behind for a month or two. But by Christmas, I'd have my rhythm: lectures in the morning, library in the afternoon, salsa in the evening. I'd pull as few all-nighters as possible — I learn better with sleep. I'd sit my final exams in May and graduate on time, hopefully with better Spanish and one or two real friends for life. Honestly, even imagining it broadens my mind. I should probably just apply.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
STUDY ABROAD CHAT · Pairs. Each partner pitches their ideal study-abroad plan (90 sec) using 5+ collocations. Listener asks 3 follow-up Qs (Where? Why? How would you pay?). Swap. Class votes on most realistic plan.
Useful phrases
- • I'd apply for / enrol on / graduate from…
- • Tuition fees…
- • Culture shock would be…
- • I'd love to broaden my mind by…
- • I'd sit my exams in…
- • I might apply for a scholarship.
- AHave you applied for any exchanges?
- B_______________
- AAren't you worried about culture shock?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Lock the collocations through repetition with variation. ~28 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Write your 'ideal year abroad' plan (140 words) using 6 collocations.
Record a 90-second voice note pitching one university exchange.
Find 2 university programme pages in English; note 8 education collocations.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- apply FOR / enrol ON / graduate FROM / sit / hand IN / drop OUT.
- Fees / scholarships / campus life — fixed nouns.
- Culture shock and broaden your mind — go together.
- Particles in phrasal verbs take the stress.
- Memorise whole chunks, not single words.