pre-university program?

For me this period was known as a long holiday

Excuse me! I don't need silly answers as yours! Find somewhere better for your holidays!

I have heard of something called a gap year, but I thought the purpose was to relax and recharge, not prepare for examinations.

In the US, it's not very common to have a "gap year" and the entrance exams are taken in the last two years of high school, so I don't have a good point of reference for you.

I seem to recall it being known as a deferment, in Australia. It's a popular opportunity to chill-out and calm down after the fraying pressures of High School.
"After the exams I didn't really want to go straight back into the fray at Uni., so I deferred for a year."

"Gap year" is common in BrE, to refer to a "year off" (i.e. from education) between school and university.

Usually, the university place has already been secured; thus the purpose of the gap year is not study, but e.g. to travel the world and alarm one's parents with deliberately nonchalant emails about one's experiences at the point of a gun in Uzbekistan.

MrP

Okay, this was an actual converation I had with my former sister-in-law when she was in Colombia, not exactly for a gap year, but for the summer:

C: Listen, you need to tell Mom that that bombing this morning was nothing to worry about.

B: Bombing? What bombing?

C: You mean the bombing here didn't make the news?

B: No! Are you okay?

C: FIne, thanks. Fo

0 01blockquote

01cite10alborzkaraj12cite10In some countries there is a period (usually one year) between high school and higher education when students are prepared to attend entrance examinations of universities. What is this period called?12br
12blockquote

10I taught in Turkey for two years, and I seem to remember a period

0Youare apporaching the answer. In our country, Iran, intermediate study lasted four years but authorities broke it into two sections. A three-year intermediate study program, which is finished by getting a high school diploma, and a one-year study for those who like to enter university. We call this period "pre-university" but somebody told me it is better to translate it to "prep-university" a

0 The concept doesn't really exist in AmEng, but I think that if you used the term "college-prep year" you would be understood, once your listener understands your school system. ["College" is used in AmEng to refer to college and university alike = the four-year institution after "high school".] 0-