First year

First year or freshman, is a term often used to describe a student's status during their first year at an educational institution. It can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves (e.g. They are first years).

New Zealand

The term first year is used within New Zealand universities, primarily to describe students in their first year of tertiary education direct from secondary school.

United States

Freshmen is commonly in use as a US English idiomatic term to describe a beginner or novice, a first effort, instance, or a student in the first year of study (generally referring to high school or university study).

New members of Congress in their first term are referred to as freshman senators or freshmen congressmen to suggest their lack of experience at their new position, no matter how experienced they were in previous business or government positions.

In a four-year education setting, students are typically classified as freshmen (first years), sophomores (second years), juniors (third years), and senior (fourth years), corresponding to their year of study. Beyond the fourth year, students are simply classified as fifth years, sixth years, etc. Some institutions use the term freshman for specific reporting purposes.

United Kingdom

At universities in the United Kingdom the term "fresher" is often used to describe new students who are just beginning...
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