The correct spelling is high school as two words. Highschool as one word is a common spelling mistake, not the standard form in American English.
This matters in essays, resumes, college applications, school forms, and professional writing. The space between high and school is not optional. Write high school student, high school diploma, and high school graduation, not highschool student, highschool diploma, or highschool graduation.
Quick Answer
Use high school. It is the standard spelling in US English and in general English writing. Highschool is not an accepted spelling variant. It usually appears when writers incorrectly close the open compound into one word.
Correct: I graduated from high school in 2025.
Incorrect: I graduated from highschool in 2025.
Why People Confuse Them
People confuse high school and highschool because English compounds are not always consistent.
Some compounds are one word, such as classroom and homework. Others stay as two words, such as middle school, elementary school, and high school. Because many school-related words become closed compounds, writers may assume highschool works the same way.
It does not. High school is an open compound. That means the two words stay separate.
Another reason is speed. In texting or casual notes, people sometimes type common phrases as one word. That does not make the spelling standard.
Key Differences At A Glance
| Context | Best Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Formal writing | high school | Standard spelling |
| College application | high school | Correct for education history |
| Resume | high school | Professional and accepted |
| School essay | high school | Standard academic spelling |
| Casual text | high school | Still the correct form |
| One-word form | highschool | Common misspelling |
| School name | High School | Capitalized only in a proper name |
The key point is simple: high school is correct in every normal context. Highschool should be corrected.
Are They the Same Word?
They point to the same intended idea, but they are not equally correct spellings.
High school means a school level for older students, usually after middle school and before college in the US system. It can also describe things connected with that school level.
Highschool is usually just an incorrect one-word spelling of high school. It does not create a new meaning. It is not a separate school type, a special grammar form, or a regional spelling.
So the honest answer is this: they refer to the same intended phrase, but only high school is standard.
US vs UK Preference
This is not a US-vs-UK spelling difference.
In American English, write high school. In British English, the phrase can appear too, especially in names or when discussing US-style education, but the standard spelling is still two words.
The difference is not like color and colour. There is no major variety of English where highschool is the preferred standard spelling.
A US reader will expect high school. A UK reader will also recognize high school as the normal written form when that phrase is used.
Which Spelling Should You Use?
Use high school in all normal writing.
Use it when talking about the building:
The high school is across from the library.
Use it when talking about the school level:
She started high school last fall.
Use it before another noun:
He joined the high school basketball team.
Use it on resumes and applications:
High school diploma, Lincoln High School, 2026
Do not use highschool unless you are quoting someone’s exact spelling or referring to a specific title or brand that uses that form.
When One Spelling Looks Wrong
Highschool looks wrong in standard writing because it removes the space from an open compound.
These examples look unpolished:
She is a highschool senior.
My highschool transcript is ready.
He teaches highschool math.
The corrected versions are cleaner:
She is a high school senior.
My high school transcript is ready.
He teaches high school math.
One more point: do not automatically add a hyphen. In modern everyday US writing, high school student, high school teacher, and high school diploma are normally written without a hyphen.
Common Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)
Mistake 1: Writing it as one word
Incorrect: My brother is in highschool.
Correct: My brother is in high school.
Mistake 2: Capitalizing it when it is not a name
Incorrect: She starts High School next year.
Correct: She starts high school next year.
Capitalize it only when it is part of a proper name:
She attends Central High School.
Mistake 3: Using the one-word form before another noun
Incorrect: highschool friends
Correct: high school friends
Mistake 4: Thinking the spelling changes in formal writing
Incorrect: Highschool diploma
Correct: High school diploma
Formal writing does not close the compound. The two-word form is still correct.
Everyday Examples
Correct examples:
I met my best friend in high school.
My daughter is starting high school in August.
He put his high school diploma on his resume.
The high school football game starts at 7 p.m.
She teaches high school biology.
They are planning a high school reunion.
I still remember my high school graduation.
The scholarship is open to high school seniors.
Incorrect examples:
I met my best friend in highschool.
She teaches highschool biology.
The scholarship is open to highschool seniors.
Small comparison block:
- high school: standard two-word spelling
- highschool: common misspelling
- High School: correct only when part of a proper name or title
- high-school: usually unnecessary in everyday US writing
Dictionary-Style Word Details
Verb
high school: Not commonly used as a verb in standard US English. It is mainly a noun phrase that can also describe another noun, as in high school class.
highschool: Not used as a standard verb. Treat it as a misspelling when the intended meaning is high school.
Noun
high school: A standard noun phrase. It means a school for older students, usually grades 9–12 in the US.
highschool: Not a standard noun spelling. Use high school instead.
Synonyms
high school: Closest plain alternatives include secondary school, senior high school, and sometimes upper school, depending on the education system.
highschool: No separate synonyms, because it is not a separate standard word. Use the same alternatives only after correcting the spelling to high school.
Clear antonyms do not fit neatly because high school names a school level, not a quality with a direct opposite. In context, lower school levels may include elementary school or middle school, but those are not exact antonyms.
Example Sentences
high school:
She graduated from high school in May.
His high school transcript includes four years of science.
The high school band performed at the parade.
highschool:
Highschool should be corrected to high school in standard writing.
Incorrect: He is a highschool student.
Correct: He is a high school student.
Word History
high school: The phrase is an older English compound made from high and school. In modern standard use, it remains open, so the words are written separately.
highschool: This one-word form is best treated as a spelling error, not a separate historical spelling tradition for standard English.
Phrases Containing
high school:
high school student
high school senior
high school diploma
high school graduation
high school teacher
high school football
high school reunion
high school transcript
highschool:
No standard phrases should use highschool as one word. Correct these to the two-word form.
FAQs
Is high school one word or two words?
High school is two words. The correct spelling is high school, not highschool. Use the two-word form in essays, resumes, school forms, applications, and everyday writing.
Is highschool ever correct?
Highschool is not the standard spelling in American English. It is usually a mistake. The correct form is high school with a space between the two words.
Why is high school not one word?
High school is an open compound. That means the words stay separate even though they work together as one phrase. Similar school phrases include middle school, elementary school, and graduate school.
Should high school be capitalized?
Capitalize high school only when it is part of a proper name, such as Lincoln High School or Central High School. In a normal sentence, keep it lowercase: She starts high school next year.
Is high-school with a hyphen correct?
In most everyday US writing, high school does not need a hyphen. Write high school student, high school teacher, and high school diploma without a hyphen.
Is high school a noun or adjective?
High school is mainly a noun phrase, as in She goes to high school. It can also describe another noun, as in high school student, high school class, or high school diploma.
Is highschool a British spelling?
No. Highschool is not the standard British spelling. When the phrase is used, standard English writes it as high school in both US and UK contexts.
What is the correct spelling: high school diploma or highschool diploma?
The correct spelling is high school diploma. Do not write highschool diploma as one word.
Conclusion
Use high school, not highschool.
The two-word spelling is standard in American English and general English writing. Highschool is a common mistake, but it is not an accepted US or UK variant. Keep the space in schoolwork, resumes, applications, captions, and everyday sentences.
When in doubt, remember this pattern: middle school, high school, graduate school. The school level stays open.
