Phrasal Verbs for University Life

Phrasal Verbs for University Life (B2–C1 Vocabulary Guide)

University life is a whirlwind of deadlines, lectures, friendships, and new experiences. To describe all of this naturally in English — especially in Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced exams — phrasal verbs are indispensable. They bring colour, precision, and fluency to your speaking and writing.

In today’s extensive guide, we explore the most useful phrasal verbs connected to studying, living on campus, doing research, managing stress, and building social connections. Each verb comes with clear explanations and plenty of natural example sentences to help you use them confidently.

Phrasal verbs for starting university

Settle in

To become comfortable in a new place or situation.

• It took me a week to settle in at university.
• Freshers usually settle in quickly once they meet their flatmates.

Sign up for

To register for a course, activity, or club.

• I signed up for a photography course this semester.
• Students are encouraged to sign up for at least one extracurricular activity.

Drop out

To leave a course or university before finishing it.

• She almost dropped out during her second year because of financial problems.
• Many students think about dropping out when the workload becomes overwhelming.

 

Phrasal verbs for studying & attending classes

Look over

To quickly review something.

• Before the test, I looked over my notes one more time.
• You should look over last year’s exam papers.

Go over

To examine something carefully; to revise.

• The lecturer went over the main theories in detail.
• Let’s go over the assignment requirements together.

Catch up on / Catch up with

To do something you haven’t had time for / reach the same level as others.

• I need to catch up on my reading this weekend.
• After missing two lectures, he struggled to catch up with the rest of the class.

Hand in / Submit

To give your completed work to your teacher.

• All essays must be handed in by Friday.
• She forgot to hand in her lab report.

Fall behind

To not make as much progress as expected. Phrasal Verbs for University Life

• I fell behind with my coursework during exam week.
• If you don’t start revising now, you’ll fall behind.

Brush up on

To improve your knowledge or skills in something you haven’t practised for a while.

• She brushed up on her academic writing before starting her Master’s.
• I need to brush up on statistics for my research project.

Phrasal verbs for assignments & academic work

Work on

To spend time improving or developing something.

• I’m working on my dissertation proposal.
• She worked on her presentation all night.

Come up with

To think of an idea, solution, or plan.

• I came up with a great topic for my thesis.
• The group hasn’t come up with a research question yet.

Carry out

To perform or complete a task, experiment, or study.

• They carried out research on student well-being.
• The experiment was carried out successfully.

Figure out

To understand or solve something.

• It took me quite a while to figure out the referencing system.
• Can you figure out what the lecturer meant by that?

Write up

To produce a final written version of notes, research, or experiments.

• I’ve collected the data but haven’t written up the results yet.
• Students must write up their findings by the end of the term.

Phrasal verbs for research & projects

Look into

To investigate or research something.

• The professor asked us to look into climate change solutions.
• They are looking into new teaching methods.

Build on

To use something as a base for further development. Phrasal Verbs for University Life

• This essay builds on several previous studies.
• You should build on your teacher’s feedback to improve your final version.

Draw on

To use information, experience, or resources.

• She drew on her personal experience for her research.
• The writer draws on a wide range of sources.

Phrasal verbs for social life at university

Get together

To meet socially.

• Our class gets together every Friday after lectures.
• We should get together to revise for the exam.

Get along / Get on (with someone)

To have a good relationship.

• I get along really well with my flatmates.
• Do you get on with your course mates?

Hang out

To spend time relaxing with someone.

• Students often hang out in the common room.
• We hung out at the café before the lecture.

Open up

To talk about your feelings or thoughts more freely.

• It took him a while to open up to his new friends.
• Many students find it hard to open up about stress.

Phrasal verbs for stress, challenges & motivation

Break down

To lose control emotionally; to stop functioning.

• She broke down after failing her exam.
• My laptop broke down the night before the deadline.

Calm down

To relax after being upset or stressed.

• Take a deep breath and try to calm down.
• He finally calmed down after talking to his tutor.

Keep up (with)

To continue at the same pace as others; to maintain progress.

• Sometimes, it’s really hard to keep up with all the reading.
• She works late every night just to keep up.

Take on

To accept a responsibility or challenge. Phrasal Verbs for University Life

• Don’t take on too many projects at once.
• He took on the role of group leader.

Phrasal verbs for completing your degree

Finish off

To complete the last part of something.

• I just need to finish off my bibliography.
• Let’s finish off this chapter today.

Get through

To succeed in something difficult; to complete it.

• I barely got through my exams last year.
• Once you get through the coursework, the dissertation feels easier.

Move on

To progress to the next stage.

• After graduation, most students move on to internships or jobs.
• It’s time to move on and start your career.

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