Swotvac, or sometimes stuvac refers to a period preceding examinations in high school

High school

High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

s, higher education institutions

University

A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...

, and military colleges, chiefly in Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 countries.

Etymology

The term swotvac derives from the Scottish word swot (or less commonly swat) originally meaning to sweat, which found use as a slang word describing a student paying careful attention to his work. Swot as a verb suggests acting like a swot, studying for one's exams. Vac is generally considered to be a shortened form of vacation

School holiday

School holidays are the periods during which schools are closed for study. The dates and periods of school holidays vary considerably throughout the world, and there is usually some variation even within the same jurisdiction.- Christmas holiday :In countries with a predominantly Judeo-Christian...

, indicating the period free of classes. The use of the uncommon and outmoded word 'swot' has led to the backronym

Backronym

A backronym or bacronym is a phrase constructed purposely, such that an acronym can be formed to a specific desired word. Backronyms may be invented with serious or humorous intent, or may be a type of false or folk etymology....

  Study Week Or Take VACation. There are many other different backronyms that can be derived.

Usage

Generally, this period is one week long and free of classes or assessment, permitting students to spend the period revising material, generally in preparation for final exams. It is not often allocated for mid-semester or ongoing assessment. Though once popular and used by universities as the official name for the week, it seems to have fallen from favour and substituted for revision week. Regardless, the term swotvac remains popular amongst students and academic staff.

A similar week may also be known as reading week or dead week

Dead week

Dead week is a slang term for the week before schools' final examinations in the United States of America. The week is known thus because of its notorious stress; the propensity for college and university students to save exam study until the last possible week; and because term papers are often due...

in US

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

institutions of higher learning.