The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word SOPHOMORE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
S
O
P
H
O
M
O
R
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Student" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case student = sophomore.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does SOPHOMORE mean?
SOPHOMORE noun- A second-year undergraduate student in a college or university, or a second-year student in a four-year secondary school or high school.
- A three-year-old horse.
- The second in a series, especially, the second of an artist’s albums or the second of four years in a high school (tenth grade) or university.
- Sophomoric.