postgraduate: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, primarily academic.
Quick answer
What does “postgraduate” mean?
A student who has already earned a first degree (bachelor's) and is studying for a more advanced degree (e.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A student who has already earned a first degree (bachelor's) and is studying for a more advanced degree (e.g., master's or doctorate).
Referring to the period of study, qualifications, courses, or research undertaken after completing an initial university degree.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Noun usage: UK: 'She is a postgraduate.' US: Typically 'She is a graduate student.' Adjective usage is common in both, but 'graduate' is often used adjectivally in the US (e.g., graduate school).
Connotations
Implies a higher level of academic specialisation and research focus compared to undergraduate study.
Frequency
Very high frequency in UK academic contexts. Common in US academic contexts, but 'graduate' is more frequent for the noun.
Grammar
How to Use “postgraduate” in a Sentence
enrol as a postgraduatesupervise a postgraduateaward a postgraduate degreestudy at postgraduate levelVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “postgraduate” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The university has over 5,000 postgraduates.
- As a postgraduate, your focus shifts to independent research.
American English
- The department supports its postgraduates with generous stipends. (Less common than 'graduate students')
adjective
British English
- She is applying for postgraduate funding.
- He holds a postgraduate diploma in education.
American English
- She is in a postgraduate program at Harvard.
- The conference is for postgraduate researchers.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in HR/talent contexts discussing candidate qualifications.
Academic
Primary context. Used in prospectuses, administration, and among faculty and students.
Everyday
Limited. Used when discussing someone's educational status.
Technical
Used in educational policy, university administration, and research funding bodies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “postgraduate”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “postgraduate”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “postgraduate”
- Using 'postgraduate' as a verb (e.g., 'I will postgraduate').
- Confusing 'postgraduate degree' with a 'graduate degree' (they are synonymous, but regional preference varies).
- Spelling as 'post-graduate' (hyphenated form is less common in modern usage).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In meaning, yes. In usage, 'postgraduate' is the standard UK term for the noun and adjective. In the US, 'graduate student' is the standard noun, while 'postgraduate' is often used as an adjective.
Yes. It is an umbrella term for any study beyond the first bachelor's degree, including Master's degrees, PhDs, and postgraduate diplomas/certificates.
The direct opposite is 'undergraduate', a student studying for their first degree.
For the person: 'graduate student' or 'grad student'. For the adjective, you can use 'postgraduate' (e.g., postgraduate studies) or more commonly 'graduate' (e.g., graduate school, graduate program).
A student who has already earned a first degree (bachelor's) and is studying for a more advanced degree (e.
Postgraduate is usually formal, primarily academic. in register.
Postgraduate: in British English it is pronounced /ˌpəʊstˈɡrædʒ.u.ət/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌpoʊstˈɡrædʒ.u.ət/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the postgraduate grind”
- “living the postgraduate life (often implies frugal, research-focused lifestyle)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: POST (after) + GRADUATE (a person with a degree) = a student who studies AFTER getting their first degree.
Conceptual Metaphor
EDUCATION IS A JOURNEY: Postgraduate study is the next leg of the journey after the undergraduate 'base camp'.
Practice
Quiz
In which variety of English is 'postgraduate' most commonly used as a noun to refer to the person?