[susan53]

Re your questions about university expressions (always better to put different questions in their own threads with separate titles - it makes it easier for people to find them)...

regarding the "U" question - in English you'd just say "uni". And as for the hostel etc words, they differ mainly in what they are used to describe.

Hostel - any form of cheap, fairly basic accommodation for large numbers of people: youth hostels, student hostels etc. maybe accommodation for the homeless...
Hall - in B. Eng, short for "hall of residence" Used only for university/college accommodation.
Dormitory - in B.Eng at least, a large room where a lot of people sleep. Usually associated with boarding schools, possibly also accommodation for the homeless. I suspect in Am. Eng it's also used in a uni context.