Glossary of Terms

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Education
Geography
Immigration

Education Terminology

A

  • 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’.

E

  • The highest level of formal education an individual has completed, classified according to the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011).

    The levels of educational attainment are:

    • SCED 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 (ie. trade school)

    • ISCED 5: Short-cycle tertiary education (ie. Associate degree)

    • ISCED 6: Bachelor’s or equivalent level

    • ISCED 7: Master’s or equivalent level

    • ISCED 8: Doctoral or equivalent level

  • 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.

L

  • 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. 

S

  • 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

  • Post-compulsory education that takes place after secondary education. This includes college, university, and vocational courses. 

    Also called higher education or post-secondary education.

H

  • Post-compulsory education that takes place after secondary education. This includes college, university, and vocational courses. 

    Also called tertiary education or post-secondary education.

V

  • 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

B

  • Geographic Region

    Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

  • Geographic Region

    Belgium (BE), the Netherlands (NL), and Luxembourg (LU).

C

  • An arrangement between the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland that grants the right to live, travel, work, and study within the Common Travel Area.

E

  • 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.

  • 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:

    1. Austria

    2. Belgium

    3. Bulgaria

    4. Croatia

    5. Cyprus

    6. Czechia

    7. Denmark

    8. Estonia

    9. Finland

    10. France

    11. Germany

    12. Greece

    13. Hungary

    14. Ireland

    15. Italy

    16. Latvia

    17. Lithuania

    18. Luxembourg

    19. Malta

    20. Netherlands

    21. Poland

    22. Portugal

    23. Romania

    24. Slovakia

    25. Slovenia

    26. Spain

    27. Sweden

    The United Kingdom was a member until 2020.

    More Information

  • 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.

  • 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:

    1. Austria

    2. Belgium

    3. Croatia

    4. Cyprus

    5. Estonia

    6. Finland

    7. France

    8. Germany

    9. Greece

    10. Ireland

    11. Italy

    12. Latvia

    13. Lithuania

    14. Luxembourg

    15. Malta

    16. Netherlands

    17. Portugal

    18. Slovakia

    19. Slovenia

    20. Spain

G

  • 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

  • Geographic Region

    Spain (ES), France (FR), Italy (IT), Malta (MT), Slovenia (SI), Greece (EL), and Cyprus (CY).

  • A country that is a member of the European Union.

N

  • 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

  • Geographic Region

    Denmark (DK), Norway (NO), and Sweden (SE).

  • 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:

    1. Austria

    2. Belgium

    3. Bulgaria

    4. Croatia

    5. Czechia

    6. Denmark

    7. Estonia

    8. Finland

    9. France

    10. Germany

    11. Greece

    12. Hungary

    13. Iceland

    14. Italy

    15. Latvia

    16. Liechtenstein

    17. Lithuania

    18. Luxembourg

    19. Malta

    20. Netherlands

    21. Norway

    22. Poland

    23. Portugal

    24. Romania

    25. Slovakia

    26. Slovenia

    27. Spain

    28. Sweden

    29. Switzerland

  • 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

  • Any country that is not a member of the European Union.

    Ie. The United States and Canada are third countries.

U

  • 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.

Immigration Terminology

C

  • 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.

  • 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.

E

  • A person undertaking an emigration.

  • 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.

  • A person who lives outside their native country.

L

  • 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.

  • 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

  • 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

  • Citizens of the country in which they currently reside.

  • People who are not citizens of the country in which they currently reside.

I

  • A person undertaking an immigration.

  • 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.

R

  • 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

  • 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

  • Any person who is not a citizen of the European Union (EU).