Novitiate /(?)/

No·vi·ti·ate

Novitiate

n.
  1. The state of being a novice; time of initiation or instruction in rudiments.
  2. The time of probation in a religious house before taking the vows.
  3. One who is going through a novitiate, or period of probation; a novice.
  4. The place where novices live or are trained. [R.]