per semester

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "per semester" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to a certain period of time such as the duration of a school semester. For example, "Students must complete 10 hours of volunteer service per semester."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

Most students take two courses per semester.

The New York Times

Room and Board is $4,849 per semester at Iona.

The New York Times

Next year, students will be limited to $50 per semester.

The New York Times

Students who live outside the state are charged $1,538 per semester at the community colleges and $3,400 per semester at the four-year colleges.

The New York Times

Tuition for state residents is $1,250 per semester at CUNY's two-year community colleges and $1,600 per semester at its four-year colleges.

The New York Times

The students pay $106 per semester to the recreation department, for 10 sessions of band practice.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

(Both programs also charge small per-semester fees).

The New York Times

The system replaces the once-per-semester "progress note" with a real-time feedback loop between parents, teachers and students.

TechCrunch

This tuition varies by faculty, but it seems to be about 10 million rials per semester--about $300).

Huffington Post

Here in my state of California, tuition costs are $26 per semester-unit.

WikiHow

These funds are derived from the Student Activity Fee that all Georgia Tech students must pay, currently $123 per semester.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing costs or fees, clearly specify if the amount is "per semester" to avoid confusion with annual or total program costs.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "per semester" is universally understood. In international contexts or institutions with different academic calendars, clarify the specific duration of the semester (e.g., fall semester, spring semester) to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "per semester" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or noun to indicate frequency, rate, or distribution in relation to a semester. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is grammatically correct. Examples from Ludwig show its application in contexts involving tuition costs, course loads, and fees.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Science

29%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "per semester" is a grammatically sound and very common phrase used to express frequency or cost related to an academic semester. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is correct. It is most prevalent in News & Media and Science, and understood across neutral to formal registers. Alternatives such as "each semester" or "every semester" can be used for slight variations. When using "per semester", ensure the timeframe is clear, especially in diverse contexts. Consider avoiding it on informal conversations or writing to be more inclusive with your audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

each semester

Replaces the preposition "per" with "each" to express the same idea of distribution across semesters.

every semester

Similar to "each semester", this option emphasizes the regularity of occurrence across all semesters.

in each semester

Restructures the phrase slightly, placing "in" before "each semester".

for each term

Substitutes "semester" with its synonym "term", maintaining the meaning.

during each semester

Replaces "in" with "during" to emphasize the timeframe.

on a semesterly basis

Uses a more formal adverbial phrase to indicate frequency related to semesters.

every academic term

Specifies "academic term" instead of "semester" adding a degree of formality.

semester by semester

Highlights a sequential consideration or progression through individual semesters.

on a semi-annual basis

Replaces "semester" with its semi-annual equivalence, focusing on the bi-annual distribution.

twice a year

More direct and less academic compared to "per semester" indicating a frequency of two times a year.

FAQs

How to use "per semester" in a sentence?

You can use "per semester" to indicate the frequency or cost associated with each semester of an academic year. For example, "Tuition is $3,000 "per semester"" or "Students must complete 15 credit hours "per semester"".

What can I say instead of "per semester"?

Alternatives to "per semester" include "each semester", "every semester", or "on a semesterly basis". The best choice depends on the context and desired level of formality.

Which is correct, "per semester" or "a semester"?

"Per semester" is generally used to express a rate, frequency, or cost that applies to each semester. "A semester" refers to one specific semester. For example: "The fee is $50 "per semester"" (a recurring fee) versus "I took a class last "a semester"" (referring to a single semester).

What's the difference between "per semester" and "per year"?

"Per semester" refers to something that occurs or is calculated for each academic semester, while "per year" refers to something that occurs or is calculated annually. For example, if tuition is $3,000 "per semester", it would be $6,000 "per year" if there are two semesters.