graduate school: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighFormal/Neutral
Quick answer
What does “graduate school” mean?
An academic institution where students pursue advanced degrees, such as a master's or doctorate, after completing a bachelor's degree.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An academic institution where students pursue advanced degrees, such as a master's or doctorate, after completing a bachelor's degree.
The experience, level of education, or period of time spent pursuing an advanced degree. Can also refer to the administrative division of a university overseeing advanced degrees.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the US, 'graduate school' (or 'grad school') is the universal term for any post-bachelor's study (Master's, PhD, professional). In the UK, 'postgraduate study' is more common as a superordinate term, with 'graduate school' often referring specifically to a faculty or administrative unit for doctoral and research master's students.
Connotations
US: Strongly associated with career advancement, specialisation, and significant debt. UK: More strongly associated with academic research and a narrower path towards academia.
Frequency
The term is significantly more frequent in American English. In British English, 'postgraduate course/programme' is often used where an American would say 'graduate school program'.
Grammar
How to Use “graduate school” in a Sentence
She is in graduate school.He went to graduate school for engineering.They are considering graduate school.The requirements for graduate school are strict.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “graduate school” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- She plans to postgraduate in neuroscience.
- He is graduating from his master's programme.
American English
- She is going to graduate school next fall.
- He grad schooled at MIT.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used adverbially.
American English
- Not commonly used adverbially.
adjective
British English
- The graduate school experience can be isolating.
- She submitted her graduate school application.
American English
- He's dealing with grad school stress.
- They met in a graduate school seminar.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in HR and professional development contexts, e.g., 'The company offers tuition reimbursement for employees attending graduate school.'
Academic
The primary context. Discussing research, programmes, funding, e.g., 'The graduate school oversees all doctoral dissertations.'
Everyday
Used in life planning conversations, e.g., 'My daughter is thinking about graduate school after she travels for a year.'
Technical
In university administration, refers to the specific office or set of regulations governing advanced degrees.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “graduate school”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “graduate school”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “graduate school”
- Using 'university' interchangeably (graduate school is part of a university). Saying 'I study in graduate school' instead of 'I study at graduate school' or 'I am in graduate school'. Confusing it with 'graduate' as a verb or ceremony.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In the US, it includes Master's, PhD, and professional degrees (like JD, MD). In the UK, the term is often used more narrowly for research degrees, but 'postgraduate study' covers all.
It's grammatical but not the most natural phrasing. More common are: 'I am a graduate student', 'I am in graduate school', or 'I am a postgraduate student' (UK).
They are largely synonymous. 'Graduate school' is the institutional term (common in US). 'Postgraduate study' is the activity term (common in UK). A UK student does postgraduate study, possibly within a graduate school.
Not standardly. 'To graduate' means to complete a degree. You 'go to', 'attend', or 'are in' graduate school. However, informal US usage sometimes creates verbs like 'to grad school'.
An academic institution where students pursue advanced degrees, such as a master's or doctorate, after completing a bachelor's degree.
Graduate school is usually formal/neutral in register.
Graduate school: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡrædʒ.u.ət ˌskuːl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡrædʒ.u.ət ˌskuːl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Publish or perish (pressure in graduate school, especially for PhDs)”
- “ABD (All But Dissertation - a state in graduate school)”
- “Ivy-covered walls (sometimes used to conjure the image of traditional graduate schools)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: GRADUATE + SCHOOL. You GRADUATE from college/university, then go to this SCHOOL for more. It's the school after the graduation.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE AS A LADDER/JOURNEY: Graduate school is the next step up the ladder or a deeper stage of the journey of education.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is the abbreviated form 'grad school' most common and acceptable in semi-formal contexts?