matrícula

Matrícula is a term used in Spanish, Portuguese and other Romance languages with several related meanings centered on enrollment or registration. It denotes a formal registration or enrollment in an organization, program or system, and the documents or numbers associated with that registration.

In the educational context, matrícula refers to the act of enrolling in a course or program, the process of matriculation, and the enrollment fees that may be charged. The administrative record created for a student is commonly described as the matrícula, and the unique identifier assigned to the student is the matrícula number or student ID.

In vehicular and property contexts, matrícula can mean the license plate or registration number assigned to a vehicle or asset. In Portugal, the term is regularly used to denote a vehicle’s license plate. In Spanish-speaking countries, matrícula del coche is understood similarly, although other terms like placa may also be used.

Other uses include the registration of companies or products, official registries, or consular registration. In some jurisdictions, matrícula also designates tuition or enrollment fees charged by educational institutions.

Etymology: the term derives from Latin matricula, a diminutive of matrix, meaning a list or register. The concept across languages preserves the core idea of an official list, record or registration tied to an identifier.

See also: matriculation, license plate, consular registration.