Few spelling questions divide British and American English writers quite like programme versus program. In the United States, program is used for everything. In the United Kingdom, however, the two spellings are not interchangeable — they serve different purposes depending on context.
If you are writing in British English, knowing which spelling to use and when is an important detail that marks out careful, professional writing. This guide covers everything you need to know.
In British English:
In American English:
The key takeaway for British English writers: the spelling depends entirely on whether you are talking about computing or not. Get it right and your writing reflects precision and professionalism. Get it wrong and it can suggest either careless proofreading or undue American influence on your writing style.
The distinction in British English between programme and program is one of the clearest examples of how British and American spelling conventions diverge — not just in form but in function. In the UK, the two spellings are used in genuinely different contexts, which means choosing the wrong one is not simply a stylistic preference but an actual error.
The spelling programme arrived in British English from French in the early nineteenth century and became the standard form for all non-computing uses. It covers a wide range of meanings:
The spelling program, meanwhile, entered British English much later — in the twentieth century — specifically in the context of computing. It was adopted directly from American usage as the computing industry grew, and it remains the correct British English spelling for all software and computing contexts.
In American English, there is no distinction. Program is the standard spelling for all contexts — whether you are talking about a TV show, a government initiative, a theatre performance or a piece of software. The spelling programme is considered archaic in American English and would appear out of place in any American publication.
This is an important point for British writers to keep in mind when reading American sources. If you encounter program in an American text referring to a television show or a plan of action, it is not a spelling error — it is simply the correct American English convention. However, if you are writing in British English, adopting the American convention is itself an error.
In British English, use program when — and only when — you are referring to computer software, computing processes or related technology. Examples include:
This applies to all computing and technology contexts — including apps, scripts, code, automated systems and any other software-related usage. In these contexts, program is correct in both British and American English.
Note that the verb forms also follow this rule in British English. When used as a verb meaning to write computer code or to set up a device, the correct British English spelling is program, programmed, programming and programmer.
In British English, use programme for everything that is not related to computing. This is the broader and more commonly used of the two spellings. Examples include:
When used as a verb in non-computing contexts — meaning to condition or train someone to behave in a certain way — the British English spelling is also programme: “Years of habit had programmed her to check her phone first thing in the morning” is American; “Years of habit had conditioned her…” is more natural in British English, though the verb to programme is occasionally seen.
Here are some example sentences showing the correct use of each spelling in British English:
It is worth noting how other major varieties of English handle this distinction:
If you are writing for an international audience, it is important to establish which variety of English you are writing in and apply it consistently throughout your document. Mixing conventions — for example, using programme in one paragraph and program in another for the same non-computing context — is a consistency error that undermines the professional quality of your writing.
Spelling conventions like programme versus program might seem like minor details, but in professional and academic writing they carry real significance. Here is why:
Professional readers — including academic tutors, journal editors, business clients and employers — notice spelling inconsistencies. Using the American spelling program in a British English document may suggest that the writer has not proofread carefully, has been careless about consistency, or has relied too heavily on American sources without adapting the language. In academic writing in particular, consistent, correct British English spelling is expected as a basic standard.
In academic submissions, consistent use of the correct British English conventions — including programme in non-computing contexts — is part of demonstrating that the writing is genuinely your own, written in your natural register. Inconsistencies in spelling conventions can be a minor red flag in a similarity report.
In longer documents — dissertations, reports, business proposals — spelling consistency throughout is essential. If you use programme in one section and program in another for the same non-computing meaning, your document will fail basic consistency checks during editing.
If you want to be certain your document uses correct and consistent British English spelling throughout, our professional proofreading service checks every aspect of your writing — including spelling conventions, consistency and accuracy — before you submit or publish. Our professional copy editing service goes further still, addressing not only spelling and grammar but also clarity, structure and academic tone.
Both are correct in the UK, but in different contexts. Programme is the correct British English spelling for television shows, courses of study, plans of action and events. Program is the correct British English spelling for computer software and computing contexts. Using program in a non-computing context in British English is an Americanism and would be considered an error in formal writing.
The spelling programme was adopted into British English from French in the early nineteenth century and became the established standard for non-computing uses. When computing emerged as a field in the twentieth century, the industry adopted the American spelling program as its standard — and British English followed suit specifically for that context. The result is the current distinction.
TV programme is correct in British English. Programme is the standard spelling for television broadcasts in the UK. You would write “a television programme,” “a BBC programme” or “a documentary programme.” The spelling “TV program” follows American English conventions and would be considered incorrect in formal British English writing.
Australian English follows British conventions on this point. Programme is the standard spelling for non-computing contexts in Australia, and program is used for computing contexts. This is consistent with British and New Zealand English usage.
Yes. In British English, an academic degree programme is spelled with the -me ending: degree programme, postgraduate programme, undergraduate programme, MBA programme and so on. This is a common context where the British spelling is frequently confused with the American one, particularly in university documents that may have been drafted using American spell-checkers.
Yes, absolutely. In any piece of professional or academic writing, you should apply spelling conventions consistently throughout. If you are writing in British English, use programme for all non-computing references and program for all computing references — and maintain this distinction throughout. Inconsistency in spelling conventions is one of the errors our professional proofreading service checks for as a matter of course.
The programme or program question has a clear answer in British English — they are not simply two spellings of the same word but two distinct spellings used in different contexts:
The same double-L rule that affects travelling/traveling also applies to cancelling, labelling and modelling — see our full guide: Travelling or Traveling? Which Is Correct in British English? In addition the same noun/verb spelling distinction applies to practise and practice — see our guide on practise or practice for a full explanation.
If you are working on a document that needs to be polished, consistent and correctly spelled throughout, our professional proofreading service is here to help — checking every detail so you can submit or publish with confidence.
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