Glossary of Terms
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Education Terminology
A
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Adult education is specifically targeted at individuals who are regarded as adults by their society to improve their technical or professional qualifications, further develop their abilities, enrich their knowledge to complete a level of formal education, or to acquire, refresh, or update their knowledge, skills, and competencies in a particular field.
This also includes what may be referred to as ‘continuing education’, ‘recurrent education’, or ‘second chance education’.
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The Bologna Process, launched with the Bologna Declaration of 1999, aims to bring more coherence to higher education systems across Europe.
It is now implemented in 49 countries, which define the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).
All participating countries agree to:
Introduce a standard three-cycle higher education system consisting of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral studies
Ensure the mutual recognition of qualifications and learning periods abroad completed at other universities within the EHEA.
Implement a system of quality assurance to strengthen the quality and relevance of learning and teaching.
For students, in practice, the Bologna Process makes student mobility (studying abroad) easier, credits earned at another European university are easily transferable through the standardized credit system (ECTS), and degrees earned in another EHEA country are (usually) recognized without nostrification.
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The highest level of formal education an individual has completed.
There are differing systems of classification at national, European, and international levels. But most systems align on having 8 levels, and the three highest (levels 6, 7, & 8) often align as bachelor (level 6), master (level 7), and doctoral (level 8) qualification levels.
Also see definitions for:
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The European Union (EU) student exchange program for higher education.
Erasmus allows EU students to study in another EU Member State for part of an academic year.
Approximately 90% of European universities participate in the program, and several million students have participated since its launch in 1987.
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ECTS credits are the standardized measurement of academic credit in Europe.
Calculating ECTS Credits
Typically, 1 US credit = 2 ECTS credits
1 ECTS credit = about 25-30 hours of study.
60 ECTS credits = one full year of study.
A bachelor's degree consists of either 180 or 240 ECTS credits.
A master's degree usually equates to 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
ECTS at the Ph.D. level vary.
ECTS Benefits
ECTS allows credits taken at one higher education institution to be counted towards a qualification studied for at another. It is a central tool in the Bologna Process, which aims to make national education systems more comparable internationally.
ECTS has been adopted by most of the countries in the European Higher Education Area as the national credit system and is increasingly used elsewhere.
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Established by the Bologna Process, the European Higher Education Area is a group of countries that support the Bologna Process and agree to enhance the quality and relevance, improve cross-border academic cooperation, and the mutual recognition of study periods and qualifications earned abroad.
The 49 members include every EU Member State plus:
Iceland
Liechtenstein
Norway
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Serbia
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Moldova
Ukraine
Kazakhstan
Türkiye
Andorra
Holy See (Vatican City)
San Marino
The memberships of Russia and Belarus were suspended in April 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.
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The EQF is the European Union’s framework for categorizing educational attainment and all types of qualifications (e.g., academic, professional, vocational, etc.).
Although all EU member states and the UK largely align their higher education systems thanks to the Bologna Process, each country still has its own national framework and uses differing terminology— each in its own national language. The EQF serves as a translation tool between different national qualifications frameworks for countries across the EU.
Learn more from Europass.
F
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A Faculty is a division within a university comprising one subject area or a group of related subject areas, possibly also delimited by level.
European universities use the term “Faculty” similar to how American universities might use the terms “department”, “school”, or “college”.
ie. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, Harvard Medical School, andUConn Department of Psychological Sciences could all be referred to as a Faculty in a European university.
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Post-compulsory education that takes place after secondary education. This includes college, university, and vocational courses.
Also called tertiary education or post-secondary education.
I
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ISCED is an international classification system for organising education programmes and related qualifications by levels and fields.
Maintained by UNESCO, it classifies education programs by levels (ISCED 2011) and fields (ISCED-F 2013).
The levels of educational attainment are:
ISCED 0: Early childhood education (preschool)
ISCED 1: Primary education (Elementary school grades K-6)
ISCED 2: Lower secondary education (Middle school or junior high school grades 7-9)
ISCED 3: Upper secondary education (High school grades 10-12)
ISCED 4: Post-secondary non-tertiary education (e.g., trade school)
ISCED 5: Short-cycle tertiary education (e.g., Associate degree)
ISCED 6: Bachelor’s or equivalent level
ISCED 7: Master’s or equivalent level
ISCED 8: Doctoral or equivalent level
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Lifelong learning encompasses all learning activities undertaken throughout life to improve knowledge, skills, and competences, within personal, civic, social, or employment-related perspectives.
The intention or aim to learn is the critical point that distinguishes these activities from non-learning activities, such as cultural or sporting activities.
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Nostrification is the official recognition of a foreign education as equivalent to the corresponding level of education in the host country.
The term nostrification is most often used in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Other countries typically say “recognition of equivalence.” Spain uses the term “Homologation” (Homologación) for regulated professions only and “equivalence” for all other degrees.
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The RQF is the United Kingdom’s framework for categorizing educational attainment.
“Its intention is to improve consistency around how awarding organisations describe the size and challenge, or demand, of the qualifications they offer.” (Gov.uk, The Ofqual blog)
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Middle and high school grades 7-12.
Education that takes place after primary (elementary) school, often from ages 11 to 18 or the last 6 years of education before college/university (tertiary education).
Lower secondary education: Middle/junior high school grades 7-9
Upper secondary education: High school grades 10-12
T
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Post-compulsory education that takes place after secondary education. This includes college, university, and vocational courses.
Also called higher education or post-secondary education.
V
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The training in skills and teaching of knowledge related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation.
Examples: Culinary arts, cosmetology, electrical work, automotive mechanics, cybersecurity.
Geographic Terminology
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Geographic Region
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
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Geographic Region
Belgium (BE), the Netherlands (NL), and Luxembourg (LU).
C
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An arrangement between the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland that grants the right to live, travel, work, and study within the Common Travel Area.
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The European Economic Area consists of the 27 EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, which are not EU member states but are members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
The EEA is an agreement between these 30 countries, strengthening trade and economic relations.
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Established by the Bologna Process, the European Higher Education Area is a group of countries that support the Bologna Process and agree to enhance the quality and relevance, improve cross-border academic cooperation, and the mutual recognition of study periods and qualifications earned abroad.
The 49 members include every EU Member State plus:
Iceland
Liechtenstein
Norway
Switzerland
United Kingdom
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Serbia
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Georgia
Moldova
Ukraine
Kazakhstan
Türkiye
Andorra
Holy See (Vatican City)
San Marino
The memberships of Russia and Belarus were suspended in April 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.
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The European Union is an economic and political union of European countries.
There are 27 Member States of the EU that create a single market for free movement of goods, services, capital, and people. Member States collaborate on shared economic, social, security, and justice policies to foster peace and prosperity.
Members in alphabetical order:
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
The United Kingdom was a member until 2020.
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The Euro is the official currency for 19 EU nations, collectively known as the Eurozone.
Not all EU member states use the Euro as their official currency.
In alphabetical order:
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Cyprus
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
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A common designation of countries for which their citizens pay the same tuition rate as a local student, rather than the increased international student tuition rate.
G
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Geographic Region
The largest island and main landmass of the United Kingdom.
Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and Wales. Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain.
M
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Geographic Region
Spain (ES), France (FR), Italy (IT), Malta (MT), Slovenia (SI), Greece (EL), and Cyprus (CY).
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A country that is a member of the European Union.
N
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Geographic Region
The Nordic countries are Denmark (DK), Finland (FI), Iceland (IS), Norway (NO), and Sweden (SE).
Of these, Denmark (DK), Finland (FI), and Sweden (SE) are EU Member States.
S
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Geographic Region
Denmark (DK), Norway (NO), and Sweden (SE).
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The Schengen area encompasses 29 European countries that have eliminated all passport controls on their common borders.
The Schengen Area consists of 25 EU Member States plus the four EFTA member countries of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
Members in alphabetical order:
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
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A nation or territory considered to be an organized political community under one government.
Essentially synonymous with "country."
ie. “Germany, Italy, and Belgium are European states."
T
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Any country that is not a member of the European Union.
Ie. The United States and Canada are third countries.
U
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A political union of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
The UK is a fully independent sovereign state, a country. It is comprised of these four nations, which are also countries in their own right and have a certain extent of autonomy.
[See Map]
Immigration Terminology
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The particular legal bond between an individual and his or her State, acquired by birth or naturalisation, either by declaration, choice, marriage, or other means under national legislation.
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The country in which one’s birth took place, or the country of residence (in its current borders) of the mother at the time of the birth.
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A person undertaking an emigration.
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The action by which a person, having previously been usually resident in the territory of a Member State, ceases to have his or her usual residence in that Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months.
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A person who lives outside their native country.
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A person undertaking an immigration.
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The action by which a person establishes his or her usual residence in the territory of an EU Member State for a period that is, or is expected to be, of at least 12 months, having previously been usually resident in another (EU) Member State or a third country.
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All residence permits granted to third-country nationals that are valid for at least five years or more (including permanent residence permits).
A document enabling residents to prove their legal status easily and immediately. It may come in the form of an ID card or a sticker in the permit holder’s passport.
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Any third-country national who has been granted long-term resident status in an EU member state.
Member States shall grant long-term resident status to third-country nationals who have resided legally and continuously within their territory for five years immediately before the submission of the relevant application. Only half of the periods of residence for study purposes or vocational training may be taken into account.
Member States shall issue a long-term resident's EC residence permit to long-term residents. The permit shall be valid for at least five years; it shall, upon application if required, be automatically renewable on expiry.
A long-term resident should be granted a set of uniform rights which are as close as possible to those enjoyed by citizens of the European Union.
M
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People changing their residence to or from a given area, usually from one country to another, but may also occur within a single country.
N
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Citizens of the country in which they currently reside.
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People who are not citizens of the country in which they currently reside.
R
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A residence permit is any authorization valid for at least three months, issued by the authorities of an EU Member State, that allows a third-country national to stay legally on its territory.
A document enabling residents to prove their legal status easily and immediately. It may come in the form of an ID card or a sticker in the permit holder’s passport.
A residence permit in one EU member state does not confer the right of residence in the other Member States.
S
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A stateless person is not considered a national/citizen by any State (country) under the operation of its law, as set out in Article 1 of the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons.
T
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Any person who is not a citizen of the European Union (EU).