Enrol vs Enroll: Which One Is Correct and Usage?

Choosing between enrol vs enroll can feel surprisingly tricky. Both spellings are correct, and both have the same basic meaning: to officially register or sign up for something.

The difference is mainly regional. Enrol is the standard British English spelling, while enroll is the standard American English spelling. The same distinction appears in related forms such as enrolment and enrollment.

So, if you’re writing for a US audience, choose enroll. If you’re writing for a UK audience, choose enrol. The key is to stay consistent.

Quick Answer

Enrol and enroll are both correct spellings.

Form	British English	American English
Base verb	enrol	enroll
Third person	enrols	enrolls
Past tense	enrolled	enrolled
Present participle	enrolling	enrolling
Noun	enrolment	enrollment
Meaning	Officially register or join	Officially register or join

For example:

British English: She plans to enrol in the course.

American English: She plans to enroll in the course.

The meaning does not change. Only the regional spelling changes. Cambridge and Oxford both identify enroll as the US form of enrol.

Enrol vs Enroll Meaning

Enrol and enroll mean to officially register yourself or another person for a course, school, program, group, or other organized activity.

You can use the verb when someone joins something themselves:

She decided to enroll in a computer course.

You can also use it when someone registers another person:

The school enrolled 200 new students.

The word can apply beyond education, too. People can enroll in training programs, benefits plans, research studies, memberships, and other organized activities.

The core idea is simple: your name is officially added to a list or register. Cambridge defines the verb as putting yourself or someone else onto an official list for a course, college, or group.

Enrol Meaning

Enrol means to officially register or arrange for someone to become a member, student, or participant.

It is the standard British English spelling.

Examples:

• Students must enrol before the deadline.
• She decided to enrol in a business course.
• The university will enrol new students this fall.
• Parents can enrol their children at the local school.

Oxford lists enrol as the British form and notes that it can be used both transitively and intransitively.

Enroll Meaning

Enroll has exactly the same basic meaning as enrol. It is the standard American English spelling.

Examples:

• Students must enroll before the deadline.
• She decided to enroll in a business course.
• The university will enroll new students this fall.
• Parents can enroll their children in the local school.

Cambridge specifically identifies enroll as the US spelling of enrol.

Enrol vs Enroll Which Spelling Is Correct?

Both spellings are correct. Your choice depends on the variety of English you’re using.

Use:

• enrol for British English
• enroll for American English

Neither word is a spelling mistake when used in the appropriate regional context.

Think of it like colour and color. Different English varieties can use different spellings without changing the meaning of the word.

Enrol or Enroll UK

For a UK audience, use enrol.

Examples:

• Students must enrol before September.
• You can enrol in the course online.
• The college enrols hundreds of students each year.
• Student enrolment opens next week.

British English also commonly uses enrol on a course. Oxford specifically gives enrol on a course as a British English usage pattern.

Enrol or Enroll US

For a US audience, use enroll.

Examples:

• Students must enroll before September.
• You can enroll in the course online.
• The college enrolls hundreds of students each year.
• Student enrollment opens next week.

American English normally favors enroll in a course.

Enrol vs Enroll Spelling Difference

The most visible difference is the extra l.

Enrol has one l.

Enroll has two l’s.

However, the spelling difference doesn’t continue through every verb form.

Verb form	British English	American English
Base	enrol	enroll
Third person	enrols	enrolls
Past	enrolled	enrolled
Present participle	enrolling	enrolling

This is an important detail because many learners assume the British one l must remain in every form. It doesn’t.

Enrol With One L

Enrol is the standard British spelling.

Examples:

• I want to enrol in the course.
• She will enrol at the university.
• The school enrols new students every year.

The noun form is enrolment.

Enroll With Two L’s

Enroll is the standard American spelling.

Examples:

• I want to enroll in the course.
• She will enroll at the university.
• The school enrolls new students every year.

The noun form is enrollment.

Enrol vs Enroll Grammar

The grammar is essentially the same in both varieties. The main difference is spelling.

Both verbs can work without a direct object:

She enrolled in college.

They can also take a direct object:

The university enrolled 500 students.

You can therefore use either form when talking about registering yourself or registering someone else.

Present Tense

British English:

I enrol in a course every year.

American English:

I enroll in a course every year.

For the third-person singular, the spelling also changes:

She enrols in the program.

She enrolls in the program.

Past Tense

The past tense is enrolled in both British and American English.

Examples:

She enrolled in the course last week.

They enrolled their child in school.

Notice that both forms use two l’s in the past tense.

Present Participle

The present participle is enrolling in both varieties.

Examples:

The university is enrolling new students.

The school is enrolling students for the next semester.

The spelling enroling is not the standard form.

Enrols vs Enrolls

The third-person singular forms retain the regional difference.

British English:

The college enrols students throughout the year.

American English:

The college enrolls students throughout the year.

The meaning and pronunciation remain essentially the same.

Enrollment vs Enrolment

The noun forms follow the same British and American pattern:

• enrolment = British English
• enrollment = American English

Both nouns refer to the process or act of registering. In some contexts, they can also refer to the number of people registered. Cambridge lists enrolment as the UK noun and enrollment as the US noun.

Why Is It Enrolment in British English?

British English uses enrolment because the base verb is enrol.

For example:

Student enrolment begins in September.

The enrolment deadline is Friday.

Why Is It Enrollment in American English?

American English uses enrollment because the base verb is enroll.

For example:

Student enrollment begins in September.

The enrollment deadline is Friday.

A simple memory trick is to keep the noun with its matching verb:

enrol → enrolment

enroll → enrollment

Enrol vs Enroll in British and American English

The difference becomes easy once you compare the two systems side by side.

British English	American English
enrol	enroll
enrols	enrolls
enrolled	enrolled
enrolling	enrolling
enrolment	enrollment
enrol on a course	enroll in a course

Oxford and Cambridge both support this regional distinction.

Why Do Enrol and Enroll Have Different Spellings?

The difference comes from the development of regional English spelling conventions.

The word has historical roots in French and Middle English. Its origin is connected with enrolling a name on a roll or official list. Oxford traces it to Old French enroller, from words associated with putting names on a roll.

Over time, British and American English developed different spelling preferences. As a result, enrol became the common British form while enroll became the standard American form.

The spelling difference doesn’t indicate a difference in meaning.

Enrol vs Enroll in Australian and New Zealand English

English spelling can vary beyond the UK and US. Australian and New Zealand usage generally follows the British spelling for this word.

Australian English

Australian English generally uses enrol and enrolment.

Example:

Students can enrol in the program online.

The word can also appear when talking about registering to vote. Oxford specifically notes this Australian and New Zealand usage.

New Zealand English

New Zealand English also commonly uses enrol.

Example:

Voters must enrol before an election.

The related noun is enrolment.

Canadian English

Canadian English is more mixed because Canadian spelling has both British and American influences.

You may encounter both enrol and enroll in Canadian contexts. For formal writing, the safest approach is to follow the style used by the organization, institution, or publication you’re writing for.

Consistency matters more than forcing one form into every Canadian context.

Enrol vs Enroll Pronunciation

The pronunciation difference is much smaller than the spelling difference.

Both words have two syllables with stress on the second syllable. The extra written l in enroll does not create an extra spoken sound.

Oxford lists the British pronunciation as /ɪnˈrəʊl/ and the US pronunciation as /ɪnˈroʊl/.

The main vowel difference comes from the normal pronunciation patterns of British and American English.

So, don’t try to choose the spelling based on pronunciation. Choose it based on your target variety of English.

Enrol vs Enroll Examples

Real examples make the distinction easier to remember.

Education

British English:

Students must enrol before the semester begins.

American English:

Students must enroll before the semester begins.

University

British English:

She decided to enrol at a university in London.

American English:

She decided to enroll at a university in Chicago.

Professional Training

British English:

Employees can enrol on the new training course.

American English:

Employees can enroll in the new training course.

Registering Someone Else

British English:

The school will enrol 300 new students.

American English:

The school will enroll 300 new students.

The grammar stays the same. The regional spelling changes.

Enrol Now or Enroll Now?

Both enrol now and enroll now are correct.

Use enrol now for British English:

Enrol now for the autumn training program.

Use enroll now for American English:

Enroll now for the fall training program.

This distinction matters on websites, advertisements, course pages, university portals, and registration forms. Your call to action should match the spelling used throughout the rest of the page.

Common Mistakes With Enrol and Enroll

Treating Enrol as a Misspelling

If you’re used to American English, enrol may look incomplete.

It isn’t.

Enrol is the standard British spelling.

Treating Enroll as Incorrect

The opposite mistake is just as common.

Enroll isn’t a misspelling of enrol. It is the standard American form.

Using Enrolment in American English

American English normally uses enrollment.

Incorrect for a consistently American style:

Student enrolment begins Monday.

Better:

Student enrollment begins Monday.

Writing Enroling

Enroling is not the standard spelling.

The correct form is enrolling in both British and American English.

Examples:

The university is enrolling new students.

The school is enrolling children for the next academic year.

Mixing Regional Spellings

Avoid mixing the two systems unnecessarily.

For example:

Students can enrol online, and the enrollment deadline is Friday.

The meaning is clear, but the spelling style is inconsistent.

A British version would use:

Students can enrol online, and the enrolment deadline is Friday.

An American version would use:

Students can enroll online, and the enrollment deadline is Friday.

Enrol vs Enroll in Formal Writing

In formal writing, consistency matters more than choosing one variety as universally superior.

If you’re writing in American English, use:

• enroll
• enrolls
• enrolled
• enrolling
• enrollment

If you’re writing in British English, use:

• enrol
• enrols
• enrolled
• enrolling
• enrolment

This approach works well for academic papers, business documents, university websites, application instructions, course pages, and professional communication.

When writing for a specific institution, check its established spelling style. Following the organization’s own terminology can prevent unnecessary inconsistencies.

Enrol vs Enroll Which One Should You Use?

The answer is simple:

Use enrol for British English.

Use enroll for American English.

For Australian and New Zealand English, enrol is generally the appropriate form.

For Canadian English, both forms can appear, so follow the style used by the institution or publication.

If you’re writing for an international audience, pick one English variety and stick with it. Don’t switch between enrolment and enrollment simply because both spellings are familiar.

Quick Memory Trick

Remember:

British English: enrol → enrolment

American English: enroll → enrollment

The American forms keep the extra l in the base verb and noun.

Fill in the Blanks Enrol vs Enroll

Choose the correct form based on the English variety and grammatical context.

1. Students must _____ before the semester begins.
2. She plans to _____ in a computer science course.
3. The university will _____ hundreds of students this year.
4. In British English, the correct spelling is _____.
5. In American English, the correct spelling is _____.
6. The school _____ new students every September.
7. The college _____ students throughout the year.
8. She _____ in the program last week.
9. They are currently _____ in an online course.
10. The British noun is _____.
11. The American noun is _____.
12. Students can _____ online before the deadline.
13. The university’s student _____ increased this year.
14. British English uses _____ with one l.
15. American English uses _____ with two l’s.

Answers

1. enrol / enroll
2. enrol / enroll
3. enrol / enroll
4. enrol
5. enroll
6. enrols
7. enrolls
8. enrolled
9. enrolling
10. enrolment
11. enrollment
12. enrol / enroll
13. enrolment / enrollment
14. enrol
15. enroll

FAQs

Is enrol or enroll correct?

Both are correct. Enrol is standard British English, while enroll is standard American English.

What is the difference between enrol and enroll?

There is no major difference in meaning. Both mean to officially register or join something.

Is enrol a valid English word?

Yes. Enrol is a standard English verb and the usual British spelling of enroll.

How do you spell enrol in British English?

British English spells it enrol, with one l.

How do Americans spell enrol?

American English spells it enroll, with two l’s.

Why does American English spell enroll with two l’s?

Enroll is the standard American spelling established through American English usage and spelling conventions.

What does enrol mean?

Enrol means to officially register yourself or someone else for a course, school, program, group, or activity.

What is the noun form of enrol?

The British noun is enrolment. The American noun is enrollment.

What is the past tense of enrol?

The past tense is enrolled in both British and American English.

How do you spell the present participle of enrol?

The correct form is enrolling in both British and American English.

Is it enrolment or enrollment?

Both are correct. Enrolment is British English, while enrollment is American English.

Should you use enrol or enroll in formal writing?

Use the form that matches your target English variety. For US English, choose enroll.

Do you enrol in or at a school?

Both can be correct. Enrol in emphasizes the registration process, while enrol at identifies the institution.

What does “enrol now” mean?

It means to register or sign up immediately. American English uses enroll now.

What is another word for enrol?

Depending on context, alternatives include register, sign up, join, enlist, and enter.

Is enrol spelled with one L or two?

Enrol has one l. Enroll has two l’s.

Can you spell enroll with one L?

In standard American English, use enroll with two l’s. The one l form enrol is associated with British English.

Which is correct: “I am enrolled” or “I have enrolled”?

Both are correct. “I am enrolled” describes your current status, while “I have enrolled” emphasizes the action of registering.

Is unenroll the opposite of enroll?

Yes. Unenroll generally means to remove yourself or someone else from a course, program, or registration. British English can also use unenrol.

What is the difference between enroll and enrollment?

Enroll is the verb. Enrollment is the American English noun referring to the registration process or, in some contexts, the number registered.

Which spelling should you use for a UK audience?

Use enrol, along with enrolment and enrols.

Which spelling should you use for a US audience?

Use enroll, along with enrollment and enrolls.

Is “enrol on a course” correct?

Yes. Enrol on a course is a standard British English expression. American English more commonly uses enroll in a course.

Conclusion

So, enrol vs enroll isn’t really a question of right versus wrong. Both spellings are standard. The difference comes from regional English.

Use enrol for British English and generally for Australian and New Zealand English. Use enroll for American English. The related nouns follow the same pattern: enrolment in British English and enrollment in American English.

One detail is worth remembering: the spelling difference doesn’t appear in every form. Enrolled and enrolling are spelled the same in both varieties, while enrols and enrolls follow the regional base spelling.

When in doubt, match your audience and stay consistent. Once you know which English variety you’re using, choosing between enrol and enroll becomes straightforward.