Student


A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution, or more generally, a person who takes a special interest in a subject.
In the United Kingdom and most commonwealth countries, a "student" attends a secondary school or higher ; those in primary or elementary schools are "pupils".

Africa

Nigeria

In Nigeria, education is classified into four systems known as a 6-3-3-4 system of education. It implies six years in primary school, three years in junior secondary, three years in senior secondary and four years in the university. However, the number of years to be spent in university is mostly determined by the course of study. Some courses have longer study lengths than others. Those in primary school are often referred to as pupils. Those in university, as well as those in secondary school, are referred to as students.
The Nigerian system of education also has other recognized categories like the polytechnics and colleges of education. Colleges are more for teaching students how to become teachers, while polytechnics teach students about engineering, industrialization and economics.

South Africa

In South Africa, education is divided into four grade groups: the Foundation Phase, the Intermediate Phase, the Senior Phase, and the Further Education and Training or FET Phase.

Asia

Singapore

Six years of primary school education in Singapore are compulsory.
  • Primary School
Primary 1 to 3 Primary 4 to 6
  • Secondary School
Sec 1s are 13, and Sec 4s are 16. Express Students take secondary school from Sec 1 to 4, and Normal Acad and Technical will take secondary school from Sec 1 to 5.
There are also schools which have the integrated program, such as River Valley High School, which means they stay in the same school from Secondary 1 to Junior College 2, without having to take the "O" level examinations which most students take at the end of secondary school.
International schools are subject to overseas curriculums, such as the British, American, Canadian or Australian Boards.

Bangladesh

Primary education is compulsory in Bangladesh for children aged six to ten years through a short five year primary cycle defined as basic education,. Sending children to work instead of school is a crime, however. Because of the socio-economic state of Bangladesh, child labour is sometimes legal, but the Primary Education Act of 1990 says that the student guardians must ensure that the child does not participate in occupations that would prevent them from getting a primary education.
Educational LevelGradeAgeSchool Years
Primary1 to 56 to 105
Junior Secondary6 to 811 to 133
Secondary9 to 1014 to 152
Higher Secondary11 to 1216 to 172

Brunei

Education is free in Brunei, with mainly two types of educational institutions: public, and private institutions. In 2009, Brunei introduced the GenNEXT education program. The education system has been undergone by the prospective students leading to higher qualifications, such as bachelor's degree.
This is the list of the education sectors in Brunei:
  • Primary School
  • Secondary School
  • High School
  • Colleges
  • University Level

    Cambodia

Education in Cambodia is free for all students who study in Primary School, Secondary School or High School.
  • Primary School
  • Secondary School
  • High School
  • College
  • University
After basic education, students can opt to take a bachelor's degree at a higher education institution, which normally lasts for four years, though the length of some courses may be longer or shorter depending on the institution.

India

In India school is categorized in these stages: Pre-primary, Primary, Middle Stage, Secondary and Senior Secondary. For undergraduate it takes 3 years and sometimes 4.

Nepal

In Nepal, 12-year school is categorised in four stages: Primary school, Upper Primary school, Secondary school, and Upper Primary school. For college it averages three to four years for a bachelor's degree and one to two years for a master's degree.

Pakistan

In Pakistan, 12-year school is categorized in three stages: Primary school, Secondary school and Upper Secondary school. It takes five years for a student to graduate from Primary school, five years for Secondary school, and five years for Higher Secondary school. Most bachelor's degrees span over four years, followed by a two years master's degree.

Philippines

The Philippines is currently in the midst of a transition to a K-12 basic education system. Education ideally begins with one year of kinder. Once the transition is complete, elementary or grade school comprises grades 1 to 6. Although the term student may refer to learners of any age or level, the term 'pupil' is used by the Department of Education to refer to learners in the elementary level, particularly in public schools. Secondary level or high school comprises two major divisions: grades 7 to 10 will be collectively referred to as 'junior high school', whereas grades 11 to 12 will be collectively referred to as 'senior high school'. The Department of Education refers to learners in grade 7 and above as students.
After which, students have the option to get Higher Education. This includes a bachelor's degree and master's degree, which take six years to complete. Students can also get PhDs.

Iran

In Iran 12-year school is categorized in two stages: Elementary school and High school. It takes six years for a student to graduate from elementary school and six years for high school. High school study is divided into two part: junior and senior high school. In senior high school, students can choose between the following six fields: Mathematics and physics, Science, Humanities, Islamic science, Vocational, or Work and Knowledge. After graduating from high school, students acquire a diploma. Having a diploma, a student can participate in the Iranian University Entrance Exam or Konkoor in different fields of Mathematics, Science, Humanities, languages, and art. The university entrance exam is conducted every year by National Organization of Education Assessment, an organization under the supervision of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology which is in charge of universities in Iran. Members of the Baháʼí Faith, a much-persecuted minority, are officially forbidden to attend university, in order to prevent members of the faith becoming doctors, lawyers or other professionals; however, Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian people are allowed entry to universities.

Oceania

Australia

In Australia, Pre-school is optional for three and four year olds. At age five, children begin compulsory education at Primary School, known as Kindergarten in New South Wales, Preparatory School in Victoria, and Reception in South Australia, students then continue to year one through six. Before 2022, primary school education was to Year 7 in South Australia, and prior to 2015 was to Year 7 in Queensland and Western Australia.
Students attend High School in year seven through twelve. After year twelve, students may attend tertiary education at university or vocational training at Technical and Further Education.

New Zealand

In New Zealand, after kindergarten or pre-school, which is attended from ages three to five, children begin primary school, 'Year One', at five years of age. Years One to Eight are Primary School, where children commonly attend local schools in the area for that specific year group. In the majority of cases, Year Seven and Eight take place in an 'intermediate' school. From Year Nine until Year Thirteen, students attend a secondary school or a college.

Europe

Finland

In Finland a student is called "opiskelija", though children in compulsory education are called "oppilas". First level of education is "esikoulu", which used to be optional, but has been compulsory since the beginning of year 2015. Children attend esikoulu the year they turn six, and next year they start attending "peruskoulu", which is compulsory. Peruskoulu is divided to "alakoulu" and "yläkoulu". After compulsory education most children attend second-level education, either lukio or ammattioppilaitos, at which point they are called students. Some attend "kymppiluokka", which is a retake on some yläkoulu's education.
To attend ammattikorkeakoulu or a university a student must have a second-level education. The recommended graduation time is five years. First year students are called "fuksi" and students that have studied more than five years are called "N:nnen vuoden opiskelija".

France

The generic term "étudiant" applies only to someone attending a university or a school of a similar level, that is to say pupils in a cursus reserved to people already owning a Baccalauréat. The general term for a person going to primary or secondary school is élève. In some French higher education establishments, a bleu or "bizuth" is a first-year student. Second-year students are sometimes called "carrés". Some other terms may apply in specific schools, some depending on the classe préparatoire aux grandes écoles attended.

Germany

In Germany, the German cognate term Student or "Studentin" is reserved for those attending a university. University students in their first year are called Erstsemester or colloquially Ersties. Different terms for school students exist, depending on which kind of school is attended by the student. The general term for a person going to school is Schüler or Schülerin. They begin their first four years in primary school or Grundschule. They then graduate to a secondary school called Gymnasium, which is a university preparatory school. Students attending this school are called Gymnasiasten, while those attending other schools are called Hauptschüler or Realschüler. Students who graduate with the Abitur are called Abiturienten.