study, learning, science
学 centers on the process of gaining knowledge: studying, learning, and the organized fields of science that result from that pursuit.
school
university; college
student (esp. a university student)
science
learning; scholarship; study; erudition; knowledge; education
to learn; to study; to take lessons in
educational institution; school; academy; campus
primary school; elementary school; grade school
elementary school student; primary school student; grade school student
learning; study
scholar; academic; scientist
junior high school; middle school; lower secondary school
junior high school student; middle school pupil
chemistry
admission (to a school or university); entrance; enrolment; enrollment; matriculation
mathematics
university student; college student
medicine; medical science
philosophy
learned society; scientific society; academy; academic meeting; academic conference
studying abroad
junior high school; middle school; lower secondary school
literature
faculty (of a university); school; college; department
学 is the modern simplified form of 學. The older form depicts two hands (臼) passing down knowledge (爻) under a roof (宀) to a child (子), representing teaching and learning.
The top ⺌ and 冖 look like a simplified school building, and 子 is a child. Picture a child under a school roof, studying and learning.
For ガク, imagine a student at a desk saying 'Gak!' as they finally understand a tough science concept: Gak -> ガク, and the lightbulb moment happens in the schoolhouse.