attending university

USAGE SUMMARY

"attending university" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you are referring to a person studying a degree at an educational institution. For example: "My brother is attending university in Boston this year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is common for wealthy foreigners to buy apartments for their children attending university in Montreal.

The New York Times

While attending university, I was recruited to play semipro ball in Austria.

The New York Times

Ziad and I were attending university, and Father was passing through town.

The New Yorker

They were worried this would discourage poorer students from attending university.

Independent

Students derive a lot of the benefits from attending university, including higher wages.

The Guardian

Attending university was portrayed as an essential step to long-term economic security.

The Guardian

It was as though, by attending university, I had lost my credibility.

The Guardian - Opinion

Have you been put off from attending university due to high tuition fees?

The Guardian

The report also underlined the stark differences between the numbers of men and women applying to, and attending, university.

The New York Times

"When I was attending university here," she said, "I don't think I could have said what I say now.

The New York Times

His mother was Latvian and his father was Mongolian, and they met while attending university in Moscow.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about someone's current activity, use the present continuous tense (e.g., "He is attending university"). This accurately reflects ongoing enrollment.

Common error

Avoid using the simple present tense (e.g., "He attends university") when describing a current, ongoing activity. This tense is more appropriate for habitual actions or general truths.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "attending university" functions as a gerund phrase, often used as a noun or part of a noun phrase. It describes the activity of being enrolled and participating in education at a university level. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Science

8%

Huffington Post

7%

Vice

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "attending university" is a grammatically sound and very common phrase used to describe someone's current involvement in university-level education. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread usage. It functions as a gerund phrase and serves the communicative purpose of informing about educational status. While appropriate in neutral and professional contexts, it appears most frequently in News & Media and Wiki sources. When aiming for more formal expressions, consider alternatives such as "pursuing higher education" or "enrolled in university". Remember to use the present continuous tense to accurately reflect ongoing enrollment.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

studying at university

Focuses on the academic activity rather than the physical act of being there.

enrolled in university

Emphasizes the act of registration and being officially part of the university.

going to university

A more general and informal way of expressing attendance.

pursuing higher education

Highlights the overall goal of seeking advanced learning.

undertaking university studies

Focuses on the act of engaging in academic work at the university level.

being a university student

Shifts the focus to the identity and role of the person.

participating in university programs

Highlights involvement in specific offerings of the university.

receiving university education

Emphasizes the receipt of knowledge and skills from the institution.

engaged in university learning

Highlights the active participation in the learning process at the university.

registered at university

Focuses specifically on the formal act of registering for studies.

FAQs

How can I use "attending university" in a sentence?

You can use "attending university" to describe someone who is currently studying at a university, such as in the sentence, "She is "attending university" in London."

What's a more formal alternative to "attending university"?

A more formal alternative could be "pursuing higher education" or "enrolled in university", which emphasize the academic aspect. For example, "He is "pursuing higher education" at Harvard."

What can I say instead of "attending university" to emphasize the act of studying?

If you want to emphasize studying, you can use phrases like "studying at university" or "undertaking university studies". For instance, "She is "studying at university" for a degree in engineering."

Is there a difference between "attending university" and "attending college"?

While similar, "university" generally refers to a larger institution offering both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, while "college" might refer to an institution primarily focused on undergraduate education. Therefore, "attending college" might be a more appropriate term for a two- or four-year undergraduate institution.