SQL UPDATE with sub-query that references the same

Question

I'm trying to update a column's value in a bunch of rows in a table using UPDATE. The problem is that I need to use a sub-query to derive the value for this column, and it depends on the same table. Here's the query:

UPDATE user_account student
SET student.student_education_facility_id = (
   SELECT teacher.education_facility_id
   FROM user_account teacher
   WHERE teacher.user_account_id = student.teacher_id AND teacher.user_type = 'ROLE_TEACHER'
)
WHERE student.user_type = 'ROLE_STUDENT';

Ordinarily if teacher and student were in 2 different tables, mysql wouldn't complain. But since they are both using the same table, mysql spews out this error instead:

ERROR 1093 (HY000): You can't specify target table 'student' for update in FROM clause

Is there any way I can force mysql to do the update? I am 100% positive the from clause will not be affected as the rows are updated.

If not, is there another way I can write this update sql to achieve the same affect?

Thanks!

EDIT: I think I got it to work:

UPDATE user_account student
LEFT JOIN user_account teacher ON teacher.user_account_id = student.teacher_id
SET student.student_education_facility_id = teacher.education_facility_id
WHERE student.user_type = 'ROLE_STUDENT';

Answer 1

UPDATE user_account 
SET (student_education_facility_id) = ( 
    SELECT teacher.education_facility_id
    FROM user_account teacher
    WHERE teacher.user_account_id = teacher_id
    AND teacher.user_type = 'ROLE_TEACHER'
)
WHERE user_type = 'ROLE_STUDENT'

Above are the sample update query...

You can write sub query with update SQL statement, you don't need to give alias name for that table. give alias name to sub query table. I tried and it's working fine for me....