self-study

American  

[self-stuhd-ee] / ˈsɛlfˈstʌd i /

noun

plural

self-studies

1. the study of something by oneself, as through books, records, etc., without direct supervision or attendance in a class.

   She learned to read German by self-study.

2. the study of oneself; self-examination.

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adjective

1. designed for or accomplished by self-study.

   a self-study course for learning German.

Etymology

Origin of self-study

First recorded in 1675–85

Example Sentences

She ended up graduating with a 2:1, but believes the first-year disruption impacted her overall grade, saying she had to do a lot of self-study to get her good marks.

From BBC • Feb. 20, 2026

There are also weekly self-study sessions using videos and worksheets.

From Science Daily • Oct. 4, 2023

A diligent student who learned calculus through online self-study, she couldn’t concentrate in class.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 8, 2020

It was a book by the psychologist Helen Schucman, a self-study spiritual curriculum called A Course in Miracles, the greatest “miracle” of all being full “awareness of love’s presence”.

From The Guardian • Jul. 30, 2019

Suddenly a voice asked, “Teacher Zhang, since it’s self-study, can we go home to do it?”

From "Red Scarf Girl: A Memoir of the Cultural Revolution" by Ji-li Jiang