Academic vocabulary and natural classroom phrases every international student needs. 每个留学生都需要的学术词汇和课堂常用语。

2:1 (upper second) Neutral Neutral

Said "two one". The second-highest degree classification, for an average of 60 to 69. It is the most common good result, and many graduate employers ask for "a…

读作 two one，二等一级学位，平均分60到69。这是最常见的好成绩，很多招聘毕业生的公司要求"2:1 或以上"。

2:2 (lower second) Neutral Neutral

Said "two two". The classification for an average of 50 to 59. Still a pass with honours, but some employers filter it out, so students often worry about "gett…

读作 two two，二等二级学位，平均分50到59。仍是荣誉学位，但有些雇主会筛掉，所以学生常担心"只拿到 2:2"。

Academic misconduct Formal Neutral

The formal term for breaking academic rules: plagiarism, collusion, cheating in exams, buying essays, or breaking AI rules. Cases go to a panel and penalties r…

学术不端的正式说法：抄袭、违规合作、考试作弊、买论文、违规用AI等。会提交委员会处理，处罚从警告到开除不等。

Academic year Neutral Neutral

The university year, usually late September to June. It is split into terms or semesters, with breaks at Christmas and Easter.

学年，通常从九月底到六月，分为几个学期，圣诞节和复活节有假期。

Any questions? Neutral Neutral

How lecturers invite questions, usually at the end. British students often stay silent, but asking is welcomed — and if you are shy, it is completely normal to…

老师邀请提问的说法，通常在课程结尾。英国学生常常沉默，但提问是受欢迎的——不好意思当众问的话，下课后到讲台前问也完全正常。

Assignment Neutral Neutral

Any piece of set work that will be marked — an essay, report, problem sheet or project. Usually submitted online through the university system.

泛指任何要打分的作业——论文、报告、习题或项目，通常通过学校的在线系统提交。

Bachelor's degree (BA/BSc) Neutral Neutral

The first university degree. BA is Bachelor of Arts, BSc is Bachelor of Science. In England it normally takes three years and is usually an honours degree.

本科学位。BA 是文学学士，BSc 是理学学士。在英格兰通常读三年，一般是荣誉学位（honours）。

Bibliography / reference list Formal Neutral

The list of all the sources you used, placed at the end of your essay in the required style. It usually does not count in the word limit — check the module rul…

论文末尾按格式列出的全部参考文献清单。通常不计入字数限制——具体以课程规定为准。

Campus Neutral Neutral

The university's grounds and buildings. Some UK universities have one green campus outside town; "city universities" have buildings spread through the city cen…

大学的校园和建筑。英国有的大学是城外集中的绿地校园，有的是"城市大学"——教学楼分散在市中心各处。

Careers service Neutral Neutral

A free university service offering CV checks, mock interviews, job fairs and advice on placements and graduate schemes. Open to all students — use it well befo…

大学免费的就业指导服务：改简历、模拟面试、招聘会、实习和管培生申请建议。对所有学生开放——别等到最后一年才用。

Collusion Formal Neutral

Working together on work that was set as individual — for example sharing your essay text with a friend. Discussing ideas is usually fine; producing similar an…

违规合作：在要求独立完成的作业上合作，比如把自己的论文发给同学参考。讨论思路通常没问题，一起写出相似答案就不行。拿不准…

Contact hours Neutral Neutral

The hours each week you actually spend in classes with staff. UK degrees often have few contact hours (sometimes 8 to 12 for arts subjects) — the rest is indep…

每周实际上课的小时数。英国大学的课时常常很少（文科有时只有8到12小时），其余靠自学，很多留学生对此很意外。

Could I book a time to see you? Neutral Polite

How to arrange a meeting with a lecturer or tutor, in person after class or by email. Suggest what it is about and offer to fit their schedule. Many staff also…

和讲师或导师约见面的说法，可以课后当面说或发邮件。说明大致事由，并表示可配合对方时间。很多老师也有在线预约链接。

Could I just add something? Neutral Polite

A gentle way to enter a group discussion without interrupting rudely. Say it in a small gap, or raise a hand slightly. Also: "Just to jump in here…"

加入小组讨论而不显得粗鲁打断的温和说法。趁话语间隙说，或稍微举一下手。也可以说 "Just to jump in here…"。

Could you clarify what you mean by…? Neutral Polite

A polite way to ask for a clearer explanation of one specific thing. It sounds engaged, not slow — British academics take it as a good question.

请对方把某个具体问题解释得更清楚的礼貌说法。这听起来是积极参与，不是反应慢——英国老师会认为这是好问题。

Council tax exemption (students) Formal Neutral

Council tax is a local property tax, but full-time students do not have to pay it. Halls are automatically exempt; in a private house of full-time students you…

Council tax 是地方房产税，但全日制学生免缴。学校宿舍自动免税；全是全日制学生的合租房要凭学校开的证明向地方议会申请。详…

Course Neutral Neutral

In the UK, "course" usually means your whole degree programme, not one class. "What course are you on?" means "What degree are you studying?"

在英国，course 通常指整个学位专业，而不是一门课。"What course are you on?" 意思是"你读什么专业？"

Coursework Neutral Neutral

Assessed work done during the term — essays, reports, projects, presentations — as opposed to exams. Many UK modules are marked partly or fully by coursework.

平时考核作业——论文、报告、项目、展示等，与考试相对。英国很多课程的成绩部分或全部来自 coursework。

Credits Neutral Neutral

Points showing how much study a module is worth. A full undergraduate year is usually 120 credits; a master's is 180. If you fail a module you may not have eno…

学分，表示一门课的学习量。本科一年通常修120学分，硕士共180学分。挂科可能导致学分不够、无法升级。

Deadline Neutral Neutral

The date and exact time your work must be submitted, usually online. UK deadlines are strict — even a few minutes late can trigger a penalty. Plan for computer…

交作业的截止日期和具体时间，通常线上提交。英国的截止时间很严格——晚几分钟也可能被扣分。要为电脑出问题留出余量。

Dear Dr Smith… (emailing staff) Formal Polite

Email etiquette: start with "Dear Dr/Professor + surname" the first time, keep it short, say which module you are on, and use your university email. If they si…

给老师发邮件的礼仪：第一次用"Dear Dr/Professor + 姓"开头，内容简短，写明你上的是哪门课，用学校邮箱发。如果对方落款用名…

Deferral Formal Neutral

Officially moving an exam or deadline to the next opportunity because of serious circumstances, with the mark not capped. It must be approved through the mitig…

因严重情况经批准把考试或作业推迟到下一次机会，成绩不封顶。必须通过特殊情况申请获批——不能直接不去考试。

Dissertation Neutral Neutral

A long piece of independent research writing, usually done in your final year (often 8,000 to 12,000 words). For taught master's students it fills the summer. …

毕业论文——一篇较长的独立研究文章，通常在最后一年完成（约8000到12000词）。授课型硕士的论文占用整个夏天。题目自选，由导师…

Does that make sense? Neutral Polite

What lecturers say after explaining something, to check understanding. It is genuinely fine to answer "not quite" — that is what they are asking for. You can u…

老师讲解后确认大家是否听懂的常用语。回答 "not quite"（还不太懂）完全没问题——他们问的就是这个。你自己做展示讲完一段后也…

Enrolment / registration Formal Neutral

The official process of registering as a student at the start of each year — confirming your details, showing documents, getting your student card. You are not…

每学年开始时的正式注册：确认信息、出示证件、领学生证。没完成注册就不算正式在读，也开不了证明信。

Essay Neutral Neutral

The main type of written assessment in arts and social science subjects. UK essays want an argument supported by evidence and references — not just a summary o…

文科和社科最主要的书面作业形式。英国的 essay 要求提出论点并用证据和文献支撑——不能只是总结读过的内容。

Exam period Neutral Neutral

The weeks set aside for exams, usually in January and May–June. The library gets crowded, and the timetable comes out a few weeks before. Check your exam locat…

集中考试的几周，通常在一月和五六月。图书馆会爆满，考试时间表提前几周公布。仔细核对考场——常常安排在平时不去的楼里。

Extension Neutral Neutral

Official extra time to submit work after the deadline. You must apply before the deadline, usually with a reason such as illness. Do not just hand work in late…

正式批准的延期交作业。必须在截止日期前申请，通常要说明原因（如生病）。不要不打招呼就晚交、指望没事。

Feedback Neutral Neutral

The written comments markers give with your grade, explaining strengths and weaknesses. Use it for the next assignment — and it is fine to ask the marker to ex…

批改老师随成绩给出的书面评语，指出优缺点。要用它改进下一次作业——去答疑时间请老师详细解释也完全可以。

First-class degree (a First) Neutral Neutral

The top degree classification, for an average mark of 70 or above. People say "she got a First". It is genuinely hard to get — 70 in the UK is an excellent mar…

最高的学位等级，平均分70分以上，口语说"got a First"（拿了一等学位）。很难拿——在英国70分是优秀，不是刚及格。

Formative assessment Formal Neutral

Work that is marked for practice and feedback but does NOT count towards your final grade. Do it anyway — it is your safe chance to learn what the markers want.

练习性质的作业：有批改和反馈，但不计入最终成绩。还是要认真做——这是你了解评分标准的安全机会。

Fresher Informal Neutral

A first-year student, especially in their first weeks. The British equivalent of "freshman", used for any gender. Being a fresher is a social identity — everyo…

大一新生，尤指刚入学几周的学生，相当于美式的 freshman，不分性别。fresher 是一种社交身份——大家都是新人，都在交朋友。

Freshers' flu Informal Neutral

The cold that almost every new student catches in the first weeks — thousands of people from everywhere sharing germs, little sleep, and freshers' week parties…

几乎每个新生开学头几周都会得的感冒——来自各地的几千人互相传播病菌，加上睡眠不足和迎新周聚会。通常只是普通感冒；如果感觉…

Freshers' week Informal Neutral

The welcome week before teaching starts, full of events, parties, campus tours and the freshers' fair where societies recruit members. Tiring but the easiest t…

正式上课前的迎新周：各种活动、聚会、校园参观，还有社团招新的 freshers' fair。很累，但这是全年最容易交朋友的时候。

Good point Informal Polite

A quick way to acknowledge someone's contribution in a discussion — "Good point", "That's a fair point". Keeps the conversation friendly, and buys you a second…

在讨论中认可别人发言的简短说法——"Good point"（说得好）、"That's a fair point"（有道理）。既维持友好气氛，也给自己争取一…

Graduation Neutral Neutral

The ceremony where your degree is formally awarded — gowns, caps, a walk across a stage, photos. Usually in July. You often need to book your place and hire th…

毕业典礼：穿学位袍、戴方帽、上台领证、拍照，通常在七月。一般要提前报名并租学位袍，亲友票有限。

Halls of residence Neutral Neutral

University student accommodation, usually called just "halls". Most first-years live there — typically your own bedroom with a shared or private (en-suite) bat…

大学学生宿舍，通常简称 halls。大多数新生都住宿舍——一般是单人卧室，卫生间共用或独立（en-suite），厨房共用。大二起多数学…

Honours degree (Hons) Neutral Neutral

A standard UK bachelor's degree with a classification (First, 2:1, 2:2, Third). You will see "(Hons)" written after degree names, e.g. "BA (Hons)". Almost all …

带等级（First、2:1、2:2、Third）的英国标准本科学位。学位名称后常写"(Hons)"，如 BA (Hons)。英国几乎所有本科学位都是荣誉…

I see your point, but… Neutral Polite

The classic British way to disagree politely: accept part of what was said, then give your view. Disagreeing in seminars is expected and welcomed — just soften…

英式礼貌反驳的经典句式：先认可对方的部分观点，再提出自己的看法。研讨课上提出异议是被期待和欢迎的——只要语气委婉。也可以…

Independent study Neutral Neutral

Study you do alone: reading, research and writing outside class. UK universities expect a lot of it — a full-time degree is treated like a 35 to 40 hour week e…

课外自主学习：阅读、查资料、写作。英国大学非常看重自学——全日制学位相当于每周35到40小时的工作量，即使课很少。

International student support Neutral Neutral

The university office that helps international students with orientation, official letters, and questions about student visa rules. For visa questions always u…

帮助国际学生的校内办公室：入学指引、开具官方证明信、解答学生签证规定方面的问题。签证问题一定要问这个办公室、查 GOV.UK …

Invigilator Formal Neutral

The person who supervises an exam room — checking IDs, handing out papers, watching for cheating. Raise your hand if you need anything; do not speak to other s…

监考员：核对证件、发考卷、防止作弊。有需要就举手，不要和其他考生说话。

Lab Informal Neutral

Short for laboratory. A practical science or computing session. Lab attendance is often compulsory and lab reports are often marked.

laboratory（实验室）的缩写，指理科或计算机的实验课。实验课通常必须出席，实验报告常计入成绩。

Late penalty Formal Neutral

Marks taken off work submitted after the deadline without an extension — commonly 5 to 10 marks per day, and after about five days the work may score zero. Eac…

未获延期而迟交作业的扣分——常见是每天扣5到10分，迟交约五天后可能直接记零分。各校有自己公布的规则。

Lecture Neutral Neutral

A large class where the lecturer talks and students mostly listen and take notes. Often 50 to 300 students in one room. You are usually not expected to speak.

大课，由讲师主讲，学生主要听讲和记笔记，通常有50到300人。一般不需要发言。

Lecture capture Neutral Neutral

Recordings of lectures (often via Panopto) posted online so you can rewatch them. Very useful for checking things you missed — but watching at home rarely repl…

课程录像（常用 Panopto），课后放到网上供回看。补漏很有用——但在家看录像通常代替不了到场听课。

Lecture theatre Neutral Neutral

The large room with rows of seats where lectures happen. In the UK it is called a theatre even though there is no acting.

上大课用的阶梯教室。英国叫它 theatre（剧场），但和演戏无关。

Lecturer Neutral Neutral

A university teacher. In the UK this is a job title, not just someone who gives lectures. Most of your teachers will be lecturers, not professors.

大学教师的职称，不只是"讲课的人"。在英国，大多数任课老师的头衔是 lecturer，而不是教授。

Marking criteria Formal Neutral

The published description of what work at each grade looks like — what earns a 60, what earns a 70. Read it before you write, not after you get your mark back.

评分标准：说明各分数段的作业应达到什么水平（60分什么样、70分什么样）。写作业之前就要看，不要等出分后才看。

Marks out of 100 (UK scale) Neutral Neutral

UK marks look low to many international students: 70+ is excellent, 60s is good, 50s is average, 40 is a pass. Marks above 80 are rare in essay subjects. A 65 …

英国的分数在很多留学生眼里偏低：70分以上是优秀，60多分是良好，50多分是中等，40分及格。文科论文超过80分很罕见。拿65分应…

Master's degree (MA/MSc) Neutral Neutral

A postgraduate degree, usually just one year full-time in the UK — much shorter than in many countries. Taught master's courses end with a dissertation over th…

硕士学位。英国全日制硕士通常只读一年，比很多国家短。授课型硕士最后一个夏天要写毕业论文。

Merit / Distinction Neutral Neutral

The grades for a taught master's degree: Pass (50+), Merit (60+) and Distinction (70+). A Distinction is the master's equivalent of a First.

授课型硕士的成绩等级：Pass（50分以上）、Merit（60分以上）、Distinction（70分以上）。Distinction 相当于本科的一等学位。

Mitigating circumstances Formal Neutral

The formal process for telling the university that something serious (illness, bereavement, emergency) affected your work or exams. Also called "extenuating ci…

正式向学校说明有严重情况（疾病、亲人去世、突发事件）影响了你的作业或考试的程序，也叫 extenuating circumstances。通常需…

Module Neutral Neutral

One unit of study within your degree, for example "Introduction to Marketing". Each module has its own classes, assessment and credits. Some are compulsory (co…

学位课程中的一门课，例如"市场营销导论"。每个 module 有自己的课时、考核和学分，分必修（core）和选修（optional）。

Module convenor Formal Neutral

The academic in charge of a module — the person to contact about its content, assessment or problems. Also called "module leader" or "module organiser".

一门课的负责老师，课程内容、考核或问题都找他。也叫 module leader 或 module organiser。

Office hours Neutral Neutral

Set times each week when a lecturer is available in their office (or online) for any student to drop in with questions. You do not usually need an appointment …

讲师每周固定的答疑时间，学生可以直接去办公室（或线上）提问。通常不用预约——去问问题很正常，不算打扰。

Open day Neutral Neutral

A day when a university opens its campus to possible future students — tours, subject talks, chances to meet staff and current students. Free, but you usually …

大学向准学生开放校园的日子：参观、专业讲座、与老师和在校生交流。免费，但通常要先在网上预约。

Oxbridge Neutral Neutral

A single word meaning Oxford and Cambridge together — Britain's two oldest universities. Used when talking about things they share: colleges, tutorials, and th…

牛津（Oxford）和剑桥（Cambridge）的合称——英国最古老的两所大学。谈到它们共有的特点（学院制、导师制、特殊的申请流程）时用…

Past papers Neutral Neutral

Exam papers from previous years, usually available on the VLE or library website. The best revision tool — question styles repeat even when topics change.

历年考卷，通常在学习平台或图书馆网站上。最好的复习工具——题目内容会变，出题风格常常不变。

Personal tutor Neutral Neutral

A member of staff assigned to support you personally during your degree — with study problems, wellbeing, or references. Meet them at least once; they write yo…

学校指派给你的个人导师，负责在学业、身心健康和推荐信等方面支持你。至少去见一次——以后找工作的推荐信常由他们写。

PhD Neutral Neutral

A doctorate — the highest degree, usually three to four years of original research in the UK, ending with a thesis and a viva. PhD students often teach seminar…

博士学位——最高学位。在英国通常需要三到四年的原创研究，最后提交论文并参加答辩（viva）。博士生常兼任助教。

Placement year / year in industry Neutral Neutral

A year spent working in a company as part of your degree, usually between second and final year. Often paid, and a big advantage when job-hunting. Internationa…

学位中的一年企业实习，通常在大二和最后一年之间，多数有工资，对找工作帮助很大。国际学生应先向学校签证团队确认相关规定。

Plagiarism Formal Neutral

Using someone else's words or ideas without saying where they came from. UK universities treat it very seriously, even when it is accidental — and many now inc…

抄袭：使用别人的文字或观点却不注明出处。英国大学对此非常严格，即使是无心之失也可能受罚——许多学校还把违规使用AI列入同类…

Postgraduate Neutral Neutral

A student studying after a first degree — a master's or PhD. Britain says "postgraduate" or "postgrad", not "graduate student" as in the US.

本科毕业后继续深造的学生（硕士或博士）。英国说 postgraduate 或 postgrad，而不是美式的 graduate student。

Professor Formal Neutral

In the UK, "Professor" is the most senior academic rank, not a word for any teacher. Do not call every lecturer "Professor" — check their title, or use "Dr" or…

在英国，Professor（教授）是最高级别的学术头衔，不是对所有老师的称呼。不要见到老师就叫 Professor——先确认头衔，或称 Dr，…

Reading list Neutral Neutral

The list of books and articles set for each module, usually split into "core" (essential) and "further" reading. You are not expected to buy everything — most …

每门课指定的书目和文章清单，通常分"核心阅读"（必读）和"扩展阅读"。不需要全买——大多数都能在图书馆或网上找到。

Reading week Neutral Neutral

A week in the middle of term with no classes, meant for catching up on reading and assignments. Not all courses have one. Many students treat it as a holiday —…

学期中一周没有课的时间，本意是让学生补阅读、赶作业。不是所有专业都有。很多学生把它当假期——小心，之后常常就是交作业的截…

Recall (library) Neutral Neutral

When the library asks you to return a borrowed book early because another student has requested it. You get an email with a new due date — return it on time or…

图书馆因他人预约而要求你提前还书。你会收到写明新还书日期的邮件——按时还，否则开始罚款。

Referencing Formal Neutral

Showing exactly where every idea or quote in your work came from, in a set style such as Harvard, APA or footnotes. Every UK assignment needs it. Your library …

在作业中按规定格式（如 Harvard、APA 或脚注）标明每个观点和引文的出处。英国所有作业都要求引用规范。图书馆有免费的引用格…

Resit Neutral Neutral

Taking a failed exam or assessment again, usually in late summer. The resit mark is often capped at the pass mark (40), so it protects your degree but not your…

补考：挂科后重新考试或重交作业，通常在夏末进行。补考成绩常被封顶在及格分（40分），能保住学位但拉不高平均分。

Russell Group Neutral Neutral

A group of 24 research-focused UK universities (including Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Manchester, Edinburgh). Often compared to China's top-tier universities. Pres…

英国24所研究型大学组成的联盟（包括牛津、剑桥、UCL、曼彻斯特、爱丁堡等），常被类比为中国的顶尖高校联盟。名气大，但联盟之…

Sandwich course Neutral Neutral

A degree that includes a placement year "sandwiched" between years of study, making it four years instead of three. Nothing to do with food — the name confuses…

包含实习年的学位课程——实习年"夹"在学习年之间，所以叫三明治课程，共四年。和食物无关——这个名字一开始人人都会误会。

Semester Neutral Neutral

Half of the academic year. Many UK universities have two semesters (autumn and spring), each ending with assessment. Others use three shorter terms instead.

学期（一学年分两个 semester：秋季和春季），每学期末有考核。有些学校则用三个较短的 term。

Seminar Neutral Neutral

A small discussion class, usually 10 to 25 students. You are expected to prepare the reading and join the discussion. Staying silent every week can affect how …

小组研讨课，通常10到25人。老师期望你提前阅读并参与讨论，每次都不发言可能给导师留下不好的印象。

Seminar leader Neutral Neutral

The person who runs your seminar. Often a PhD student or junior lecturer, not the main lecturer. They usually mark your work, so it is worth engaging with them.

主持研讨课的老师，常常是博士生或初级讲师，而不是主讲人。你的作业往往由他们批改，值得多交流。

Shall we divide up the work? Neutral Polite

The practical phrase for organising a group project — splitting tasks and agreeing deadlines. Group work is common in UK degrees and marks are often shared, so…

组织小组作业的实用句子——分工并约定各自的时间点。英国大学小组作业很常见，成绩常常共享，早点开口分工才不会最后一个人干所…

Short loan Neutral Neutral

A library book in high demand that you can only borrow for a few hours or days, sometimes without taking it out of the building. Late returns bring fines fast,…

图书馆的高需求书籍，只能借几小时或几天，有的不能带出馆。逾期罚款涨得很快，注意时间。

Society (soc) Neutral Neutral

A student club for any interest — sport, film, debating, national cultures (most universities have a Chinese Students' Society), baking, anything. Called a "so…

学生社团，什么兴趣都有——运动、电影、辩论、各国文化（大多数学校有中国学生社团）、烘焙等等，简称 soc。加入一两个社团是英…

Sorry, could you repeat that? Neutral Polite

The standard polite way to ask a lecturer to say something again. Also: "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that." Completely normal — lecturers would rather repeat t…

请老师重复的标准礼貌说法，也可以说 "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."（不好意思，我没听清）。这很正常——老师宁愿重复也…

Sorry, I'm not sure I follow Neutral Polite

A face-saving way to admit you do not understand. Softer than "I don't understand". British classrooms respect honesty about confusion — pretending to understa…

承认自己没听懂的体面说法，比 "I don't understand" 委婉。英国课堂尊重坦诚说不懂的人——不懂装懂以后麻烦更大。

Student card Neutral Neutral

Your university ID card. You need it to enter buildings, borrow books, sit exams — and it gets you student discounts in many shops, cinemas and restaurants. Ca…

学生证（校园卡）。进楼、借书、考试都要用，在很多商店、电影院和餐厅还能打学生折扣。随身携带。

Student finance Neutral Neutral

The UK government loan system that pays tuition and living costs for most home (UK) students, repaid later through salary. International students are generally…

英国政府为本土学生提供学费和生活费贷款的系统，工作后从工资中偿还。国际学生一般不符合条件，需自付学费。官方信息见 GOV.UK…

Student services Neutral Neutral

The university's central support department: wellbeing and counselling, disability support, money advice, and general help. Free and confidential. British univ…

学校的综合支持部门：心理咨询、残障支持、财务建议和各种帮助，免费且保密。英国大学鼓励主动求助——这不被视为软弱。

Students' Union (SU) Neutral Neutral

An organisation run by students for students — usually with its own building containing a bar, cafés, shops and event spaces. It runs societies, campaigns and …

由学生自己运营的学生会——通常有自己的大楼，里面有酒吧、咖啡店、商店和活动场地。它管理社团、组织活动，还提供免费独立的学…

Study abroad / exchange Neutral Neutral

Spending a semester or year at a partner university in another country as part of your degree. Apply early — places are limited and applications open in the ye…

作为学位的一部分，去国外合作大学交换一学期或一年。要早申请——名额有限，且提前一年开放申请。

Summative assessment Formal Neutral

Assessment that counts towards your final module mark — exams, assessed essays, projects. If a task is summative, treat it seriously and check the marking crit…

计入课程最终成绩的考核——考试、计分论文、项目等。凡是 summative 的任务都要认真对待，先看评分标准。

Supervisor Neutral Neutral

The academic who guides your dissertation or research project. PhD students have a supervisor for the whole degree. Meetings are usually your responsibility to…

指导你毕业论文或研究项目的导师。博士生整个学位期间都有 supervisor。约见面通常要你自己主动安排。

Teaching assistant (TA) Neutral Neutral

A postgraduate student, often a PhD student, who teaches seminars or labs and marks some work. Sometimes called a GTA (graduate teaching assistant).

协助教学的研究生（多为博士生），负责带研讨课或实验课并批改部分作业，有时叫 GTA。

Term Neutral Neutral

One of three teaching periods in the traditional UK system: autumn, spring and summer. "Term-time" means during teaching weeks — your visa or contract may ment…

英国传统学制的三个学段之一：秋季、春季、夏季。term-time 指上课期间——签证或合同条款里可能出现这个词。

The library Neutral Neutral

The centre of student life at exam time — many open 24 hours then. There are usually silent floors and group-work floors; check which one you are on before tal…

考试季学生生活的中心——很多图书馆那时24小时开放。通常分静音楼层和讨论楼层，说话前先确认自己在哪层。借书刷学生卡。

Thesis Neutral Neutral

In the UK, "thesis" usually means the long research work written for a PhD. The undergraduate or master's version is normally called a dissertation — the oppos…

在英国，thesis 通常指博士论文；本科和硕士论文一般叫 dissertation——正好和美国的用法相反。

Third-class degree (a Third) Neutral Neutral

The lowest honours classification, for an average of 40 to 49. Rare, and students joke about it, but 40 is the normal pass mark in the UK system.

最低的荣誉学位等级，平均分40到49。比较少见，学生常拿它开玩笑，但40分确实是英国的及格线。

Timetable Neutral Neutral

Your weekly schedule of lectures, seminars and labs. British universities say "timetable", not "schedule". It is usually published online just before term star…

每周的课程表。英国说 timetable 而不是 schedule，通常开学前才在网上公布。

To build on that point… Neutral Polite

A smooth way to contribute in a seminar by agreeing with someone and adding to their idea. Easier than starting a new argument, and it makes the discussion fee…

研讨课发言的顺畅方式：先呼应别人的观点，再补充自己的想法。比另起炉灶容易，也让讨论更有协作感。

To play devil's advocate Neutral Neutral

To argue the opposite side on purpose, to test an idea — not because you believe it. Common in UK seminars: "Just to play devil's advocate…" It is a debating m…

故意唱反调来检验一个观点——并不代表自己真的这么想。英国研讨课常用："Just to play devil's advocate…"（我故意抬个杠……）。…

Transcript Formal Neutral

The official document listing every module you took and the mark you got. Employers and other universities ask for it — order official copies from your univers…

成绩单：正式列出你修过的所有课程及分数的文件。求职和继续深造都会用到——正式版要向学校教务处（registry）申请。

Tuition fees Neutral Neutral

The money paid for teaching. International fees are set by each university and are much higher than home fees. Most universities let you pay in instalments — a…

学费。国际学生学费由各校自定，远高于本土学生。大多数学校可分期付款——务必通过学校官方系统缴费，绝不要通过声称有"折扣"的…

Turnitin Neutral Neutral

The software most UK universities use to receive assignments and check them for similarity with other texts. A similarity score is normal — copied sentences wi…

英国大多数大学用来接收作业并检测文字重复率的软件。有一定相似度很正常——问题在于没有标注引用的抄袭句子。

Tutorial Neutral Neutral

A very small teaching session, sometimes one-to-one or in a tiny group, where you discuss your work with a tutor. At Oxford and Cambridge this is the main way …

小型辅导课，有时是一对一或几个人一组，与导师讨论你的作业。在牛津和剑桥这是主要的教学方式。

UCAS Neutral Neutral

The central system through which almost all UK undergraduate applications are made — you apply to up to five courses through one UCAS form. Postgraduate course…

英国本科申请的统一系统——通过一份 UCAS 表格最多申请五个专业。硕士课程则直接向各大学申请，不走 UCAS。

Undergraduate Neutral Neutral

A student doing a first degree (a bachelor's), usually three years in England or four in Scotland. Often shortened to "undergrad".

攻读第一个学位（本科）的学生，英格兰通常三年，苏格兰四年。常缩写为 undergrad。

Uni Informal Neutral

The normal British word for university — "at uni", "going to uni". Nobody says "college" for university in the UK (a college is usually for 16 to 18 year olds …

英国对大学最常用的说法——at uni（在上大学）、going to uni（去上大学）。英国人不用 college 指大学（college 一般指16到18岁…

Viva Neutral Neutral

Short for "viva voce" — an oral exam where you defend your thesis in front of examiners. All PhD students have one; it can last several hours.

viva voce（口试）的缩写，指论文答辩：在考官面前口头回答关于论文的提问。所有博士生都要参加，可能持续数小时。

VLE (Moodle / Blackboard) Neutral Neutral

The Virtual Learning Environment — the website where each module posts slides, readings, announcements and submission links. Common systems are Moodle, Blackbo…

虚拟学习平台——每门课发布课件、阅读材料、通知和交作业入口的网站，常见的有 Moodle、Blackboard 和 Canvas。要每天查看。

What does everyone think? Neutral Polite

A way to open a group discussion or invite quieter members to speak — useful when you are leading a seminar task or group project meeting. Shows leadership wit…

开启小组讨论或邀请安静的成员发言的说法——主持研讨任务或小组会议时很有用。显得有领导力又不专断。

Word count / word limit Neutral Neutral

The set length for an assignment, e.g. "2,500 words". UK limits are usually strict, often with a 10% margin; going over can lose marks. References usually do n…

作业的规定字数，如"2500词"。英国的字数限制通常很严格，常允许上下浮动10%；超字数会被扣分。参考文献一般不计入——以规定为准…

Workshop Neutral Neutral

A practical, hands-on class where you do activities or exercises rather than just listen. Common for skills like writing, coding or design.

实践型课程，以动手练习为主而不是听讲，常见于写作、编程或设计等技能课。

Would it be possible to have an extension? Formal Polite

The polite way to request more time for an assignment, by email or in office hours. Ask before the deadline, give your reason briefly, and expect to fill in a …

请求延期交作业的礼貌说法，可以发邮件或在答疑时间提。要在截止日期前提出，简要说明原因，一般还要填表。不必过度道歉——这是…