kõrgkoolile

Kõrgkoolile is the dative/allative singular form of the Estonian noun kõrgkool, meaning “to the higher education institution” or “to the college.” The base noun kõrgkool denotes a higher education institution, such as a college or polytechnic; in modern Estonian, ülikool is the standard term for a university, while kõrgkool can refer to other higher education institutions, including private or specialized schools.

In Estonian, the suffix -le marks direction toward something or a recipient in the dative/allative case. Therefore, kõrgkoolile is used when the action is directed at a higher education institution, for example in phrases describing a relationship or transfer to the college. A typical usage is the construction taotluse esitamine kõrggkoolile, meaning “the submission of an application to the college.”

Usage notes: The form is the singular dative/allative of kõrgkool. Estonian nouns decline by case and number, and -le specifically signals movement toward or giving to a location or entity in this sense.

Etymology: The word is a compound of kõrge (“high”) and kool (“school”). The -le ending is a productive Estonian marker for allative/dative direction. See also ülikool for the university and kõrgkool as a broader term for higher education institutions.