ENGLISH
REFERENCE

enroll in

phrasal verb.
B1 Intermediate American English General-service
Definition

phrasal verb. to officially join a school, university, or course. You use this when you sign up for a program of study.

phrasal verb. to officially register as a member of an institution or a participant in a course. The verb is typically followed by the preposition 'in' in American English, whereas 'on' or 'at' may be preferred in other varieties.


SIMPLE

I want to enroll in a photography class.

CONTEXTUAL

Students must enroll in their chosen modules by the end of the first week of the semester.

COMPLEX

Despite the rising tuition costs, a record number of international students chose to enroll in the university's prestigious engineering program this autumn.

  • sign up for
  • register for
  • join
  • matriculate
Particles
in
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
enroll + in + object
Usage

Takes a direct object representing the institution or course; 'enroll' is the American spelling, while 'enrol' is British.

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'sign up for' (more informal) and 'register for' (often used for shorter events or specific lists); note the spelling difference between US and UK English.

Pitfall

He enrolled to the biology course.He enrolled in the biology course.The verb 'enroll' collocates with 'in' or 'on', not 'to'.

Last updated July 26, 2026