TOEFL campus life vocabulary
152 words in this theme, levelled so you can tell what is worth your time at your band.
Campus life vocabulary is the practical language of being a student: enrolment, deadlines, deposits, housing, office hours, eligibility. Almost every TOEFL conversation and announcement is set on campus, which makes this the highest-yield theme for the Listening section.
Why this theme earns your time
Listen to a Conversation and Listen to an Announcement are set here by design. A missed word in a housing or registration exchange costs the whole item, because the question usually turns on the one practical detail that changed.
What the words look like
Every entry carries its part of speech, pronunciation, CEFR level, the collocations it actually appears in, and a sentence using it. A sample from the bank:
| Word | CEFR | Meaning | In use |
|---|---|---|---|
| absentadj. /ˈæbsənt/ | B1 | not presentabsent from · absent-minded | He was absent for the whole of that week. |
| apologizev. /əˈpɒlədʒaɪz/ | B1 | to say you are sorry for something you have doneapologize for · apologize to sb | I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. |
| blankadj./n. /blæŋk/ | A2 | with nothing written or recorded; an empty spacea blank page · go blank | Leave the last box blank if it does not apply. |
| complainv. /kəmˈpleɪn/ | B1 | to say that you are unhappy about somethingcomplain about · file a complaint | Several students complained about the noise from the construction site. |
| degreen. /dɪˈɡriː/ | B1 | a qualification given by a university; a unit of measurementa bachelor's degree · earn a degree | She earned a degree in biology before switching to medicine. |
| evaluatev. /ɪˈvæljueɪt/ | B2 | to judge the quality, value, or importance of somethingevaluate performance · carefully evaluate | Students will evaluate each other's presentations using a rubric. |
| gymnasiumn. /dʒɪmˈneɪziəm/ | B2 | a building for indoor sporta school gymnasium | The gymnasium closes for repairs in July. |
| lecturen./v. /ˈlektʃər/ | B1 | a formal talk given to a group of studentsattend a lecture · give a lecture | Today's lecture on climate patterns has been moved to the main hall. |
| paneln. /ˈpænl/ | B2 | a group of people chosen to discuss or decide something; a flat boarda panel of experts · solar panel | A panel of three examiners reviewed each application. |
| referencen./v. /ˈrefrəns/ | B1 | a source of information mentioned in writing; a recommendation lettera reference list · a letter of reference | List all your references at the end of the research paper. |
| skipv. /skɪp/ | B2 | to leave out; to miss deliberatelyskip a class · skip over | Do not skip the method section. |
| trainv./n. /treɪn/ | B1 | to teach a skill; a line of railway carriagestrain for · a train of thought | New volunteers train for two weekends. |
What to learn at your level
Most of this theme sits at CEFR B1 (39% of its words). At band 4 the B1 and B2 entries are the ones that move your score; grinding C1 vocabulary before the B2 layer is solid is the most common way to spend weeks and gain nothing.
| Level | Words | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | 12 | 8% |
| B1 | 60 | 39% |
| B2 | 45 | 30% |
| C1 | 24 | 16% |
| C2 | 11 | 7% |
Recognising a word is not knowing it
Complete the Words asks you to *produce* a word from context with only its opening letters shown, and the writing tasks ask you to produce it from nothing. That is why the PrepScore drill makes you write the word rather than flip a card, and counts it mastered only after two correct productions in a row. See how the vocabulary drill works.
Drill this theme free
Twenty words a day at no cost, tested by production rather than recognition.
Frequently asked questions
Why is campus vocabulary so important on the TOEFL?
Because the Listening section is set on campus. Conversations and announcements are about services, deadlines and requirements, so this vocabulary is the medium the whole section works in.
Do I need to know US university terms specifically?
Some, yes — terms like office hours, syllabus, teaching assistant and registrar appear without explanation.
Keep reading
By PrepScore · Last reviewed · Editorial standards