Relation between 大学, 学校 and 大学校


These are the specifications, that I **do** already **know** :

  * [学校]{がっこう} = school, including [小学校]{しょうがっこう}, [中学校]{ちゅうがっこう}, etc.
  * [大学]{だいがく} = university (used frequently)
  * [大学校]{だいがっこう} = university (not a very common word)

But what I don't know is:

  * Is a 大学 _technically_ a 学校, just like 小学校 etc., or do I have to say 学校と大学 every time when I talk about the whole [学校制度]{がっこうせいど} (education system)?
  * Though I know that 大学校 is not used very frequently, I know that the word technically exists. So is it any different from 大学 ? And will a Japanese understand if I use it or will I be corrected?




"What is 学校" is not an easy question; there are many definitions of it. but
here's the summary:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HGQV0.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HGQV0.png)

  * Legally speaking, "the narrow definition" of 学校 (aka [一条校](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80%E6%9D%A1%E6%A0%A1)), as defined in the first clause of the law called **学校教育法** , includes public and private 小学校, 中学校, 高校, 大学, and so on. And it also does include kindergartens (!) but does not include so-called 大学校.
  * Broader definitions of 学校 include so-called 大学校, [予備校](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yobik%C5%8D) (prep schools) and even schools like driving schools, cooking schools and [代々木アニメーション学院](https://www.yoani.co.jp/). Many are categorized in Japanese laws either as 各種学校 or 専修学校, but there are unauthorized schools, too.
  * In everyday conversations, people don't consider kindergartens as 学校, of course.

In any case, you don't have to say 「学校 and 大学」 because, whatever definition
you adopt, 学校 always includes 大学.

大学 and 大学校 are, at least legally speaking, **very different**. 大学校 is even not
defined by 学校教育法, and any organizations can call themselves 大学校. But roughly
speaking, 大学校 refers to various kinds of "university-level" academies/schools
which are not 大学 as defined in 学校教育法. That means, when you have to say
something strictly, you have to treat 大学 and 大学校 separately. For example, here
is the Microsoft's explanation about who can receive their academic discount:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GxH0C.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GxH0C.png)

It is true that, practically, 大学 and some 大学校 look very similar. This is
mainly because people typically enter 大学/大学校 right after graduating from 高校,
after passing the entrance exams, at the age of 18-19. Native Japanese
speakers who are not particularly good at the Japanese education system cannot
explain the difference well.

大学校 are not similar to 大学 in that:

  * As already stated, the term 大学校 itself is not defined in the Japanese laws. Many famous ○○大学校 are not regulated by 学校教育法 at all (thanks to @broccoliforest for pointing this out), but are managed by various government bodies, and are individually defined in various laws (cf. [省庁大学校](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%9C%81%E5%BA%81%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6%E6%A0%A1)). Some of them are actually very famous and popular. On the other hand, there are many minor organizations which call themselves 大学校. So 大学校 is rather a "conventional naming method" used by those who want to consider their institutions as "university-level".
  * Most students of 大学校 cannot gain academic degrees. A few government-run 大学校 do provide academic degrees, but this is done via a [special government organization](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6%E6%94%B9%E9%9D%A9%E6%94%AF%E6%8F%B4%E3%83%BB%E5%AD%A6%E4%BD%8D%E6%8E%88%E4%B8%8E%E6%A9%9F%E6%A7%8B#.E7.9C.81.E5.BA.81.E5.A4.A7.E5.AD.A6.E6.A0.A1.E5.8D.92.E6.A5.AD.E8.80.85.E3.80.81.E4.BF.AE.E4.BA.86.E8.80.85.E3.82.92.E5.AF.BE.E8.B1.A1.E3.81.A8.E3.81.99.E3.82.8B.E5.AD.A6.E4.BD.8D.E6.8E.88.E4.B8.8E.EF.BC.88.E5.AD.A6.E5.A3.AB.E3.80.81.E4.BF.AE.E5.A3.AB.E3.80.81.E5.8D.9A.E5.A3.AB.EF.BC.89), because 大学校 cannot provide academic degrees alone.
  * Students of some 大学校 are actually employees, and even paid salary from their schools.




"What is 学校" is not an easy question; there are many definitions of it. but
here's the summary:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HGQV0.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/HGQV0.png)

  * Legally speaking, "the narrow definition" of 学校 (aka [一条校](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%80%E6%9D%A1%E6%A0%A1)), as defined in the first clause of the law called **学校教育法** , includes public and private 小学校, 中学校, 高校, 大学, and so on. And it also does include kindergartens (!) but does not include so-called 大学校.
  * Broader definitions of 学校 include so-called 大学校, [予備校](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yobik%C5%8D) (prep schools) and even schools like driving schools, cooking schools and [代々木アニメーション学院](https://www.yoani.co.jp/). Many are categorized in Japanese laws either as 各種学校 or 専修学校, but there are unauthorized schools, too.
  * In everyday conversations, people don't consider kindergartens as 学校, of course.

In any case, you don't have to say 「学校 and 大学」 because, whatever definition
you adopt, 学校 always includes 大学.

大学 and 大学校 are, at least legally speaking, **very different**. 大学校 is even not
defined by 学校教育法, and any organizations can call themselves 大学校. But roughly
speaking, 大学校 refers to various kinds of "university-level" academies/schools
which are not 大学 as defined in 学校教育法. That means, when you have to say
something strictly, you have to treat 大学 and 大学校 separately. For example, here
is the Microsoft's explanation about who can receive their academic discount:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GxH0C.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GxH0C.png)

It is true that, practically, 大学 and some 大学校 look very similar. This is
mainly because people typically enter 大学/大学校 right after graduating from 高校,
after passing the entrance exams, at the age of 18-19. Native Japanese
speakers who are not particularly good at the Japanese education system cannot
explain the difference well.

大学校 are not similar to 大学 in that:

  * As already stated, the term 大学校 itself is not defined in the Japanese laws. Many famous ○○大学校 are not regulated by 学校教育法 at all (thanks to @broccoliforest for pointing this out), but are managed by various government bodies, and are individually defined in various laws (cf. [省庁大学校](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%9C%81%E5%BA%81%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6%E6%A0%A1)). Some of them are actually very famous and popular. On the other hand, there are many minor organizations which call themselves 大学校. So 大学校 is rather a "conventional naming method" used by those who want to consider their institutions as "university-level".
  * Most students of 大学校 cannot gain academic degrees. A few government-run 大学校 do provide academic degrees, but this is done via a [special government organization](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%A6%E6%94%B9%E9%9D%A9%E6%94%AF%E6%8F%B4%E3%83%BB%E5%AD%A6%E4%BD%8D%E6%8E%88%E4%B8%8E%E6%A9%9F%E6%A7%8B#.E7.9C.81.E5.BA.81.E5.A4.A7.E5.AD.A6.E6.A0.A1.E5.8D.92.E6.A5.AD.E8.80.85.E3.80.81.E4.BF.AE.E4.BA.86.E8.80.85.E3.82.92.E5.AF.BE.E8.B1.A1.E3.81.A8.E3.81.99.E3.82.8B.E5.AD.A6.E4.BD.8D.E6.8E.88.E4.B8.8E.EF.BC.88.E5.AD.A6.E5.A3.AB.E3.80.81.E4.BF.AE.E5.A3.AB.E3.80.81.E5.8D.9A.E5.A3.AB.EF.BC.89), because 大学校 cannot provide academic degrees alone.
  * Students of some 大学校 are actually employees, and even paid salary from their schools.

