A student or pupil is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In Britain until about 2012, underage schoolchildren were always referred to as "pupils", while those attending university are termed "students". In the USA, and more recently also in Britain, the term "student" is applied to both categories, no doubt due to US influence. In its widest use, student is used for anyone who is learning, including mid-career adults who are taking vocational education or returning to university, or younger 'researchers or artists learning from a more experienced (and usually older) colleague and mentor.