At or In University 

"At" or "In" University

Which One Should Be Used?

"At university" is the common phrase to use when referring to someone who is studying or working at a university, while "in university" can be used in certain contexts to refer to the general experience of being a student at a university.

At university

The preposition "at" is used to indicate location or position, and it is commonly used with institutions, such as universities, colleges, and schools. When used with the noun "university", the phrase "at university" indicates that someone is a student or employee of a specific university. Take a look at the following examples:

Example

I am currently studying at the University of Oxford.

He is a nerd, he spends most of his time at university.

In University

"In university" is not a common usage in English. However, "in university" can be used in certain contexts to refer to the general experience of being a student at a university, rather than a specific location. Have a look:

Example

I studied English Literature in university.

I learned a lot during my time in university.

British vs. American

In British English, the phrase "at university" is more commonly used than "in university" to refer to the experience of studying or working at a university. This is because "in university" can imply a physical location within the university, such as a building or department.
However, in American English, the phrases "at college" and "in college" are both commonly used to refer to the experience of being a student at a college or university.

Quiz:


1.

Which phrase is more common in American English to describe being a student?

A

At university

B

In university

C

At college

D

In college

2.

Which of the following uses "at university" correctly?

A

I am studying computer science at university.

B

I studied computer science in university.

C

I am currently working at university as a professor.

D

Both 1 and 3

3.

Which preposition is incorrect in British English usage?

A

She is at university now.

B

He spent his weekends in university.

C

They are currently teaching at university.

D

None of the above

4.

In which situation would you most likely use "in university"?

A

Referring to your experience as a student.

B

Talking about being inside a university building.

C

Mentioning someone who teach a university course.

D

Both 1 and 2

5.

Which of the following sentences use "at university" incorrectly?

A

I am currently studying at the University of Cambridge.

B

He works at university as a lab assistant.

C

She learned how to code at university.

D

I spent most of my evenings in university.

6.

Which phrases describe someone currently studying at a university incorrectly?

A

At university

B

In university

C

At college

D

In college

7.

Sort the following sentences into the appropriate categories.

Refers to studying or working at a specific university
Can imply physical location within the university
In University
At University
8.

Fill in the blanks using "in" or "at".

The phrase "

university" implies someone is physically present in university buildings or departments.

He spends most of his time studying

university because he is preparing for final exams.

I had a wonderful experience

university, learning both academics and life lessons.

9.

Fill in the appropriate preposition ("at" or "in") based on the context provided.

Refers to studying or working at a specific university

Describes the general experience of being a university student

Can imply physical location within the university

at
in

Comments

(3)
Loading Recaptcha...
Adam
Mar 2025
Really interesting!
Reply
Loading Recaptcha...
Samuel Djonwe
Dec 2023
Great thanks for making the difference between these phrases.
Reply
Loading Recaptcha...
Javad
Oct 2023
Thank you
Reply
Loading Recaptcha...
Share on :
Share on :
books
Learn English VocabularyStart learning categorized English vocabulary on Langeek.
Click to start

Recommended

In or At The Office

bookmark
Have you ever wondered if you should use 'in the office' or 'at the office' to refer to your presence? We will learn more about them in this lesson.

In or At The End

bookmark
Everything comes to an end but how do you say it? Is it 'in the end' or 'at the end'? We will learn more about them in this lesson.

At or On Date

bookmark
Have you ever wanted to talk about an appointment but were not sure hw to address it? In this lesson, we will learn if it is at or on a date.

At or On The Level

bookmark
When we want to compare two objects we can use 'level' but how do we say it? In this lesson, we will learn if it is 'on the level' or 'at the level.'

To vs. Too vs. Two

bookmark
'To,' 'too', and 'two' are three commonly used words in English which have the same pronunciation. They are widely confused. We will learn their differences.

To vs. Into

bookmark
'**To**' and '**into**' are close in pronunciation but they are completely different in usage and meaning. In this lesson, we will learn their difference.
LanGeek
Download LanGeek app