higher education

American  

noun

1. education beyond high school, specifically that provided by colleges and graduate schools, and professional schools.

---

higher education British  

noun

1. education and training at colleges, universities, polytechnics, etc

---

Etymology

Origin of higher education

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

“My goal is to build the capacity of our TK-12 public schools to prepare students for higher education and to participate in the local and global workforce.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Albadri said his father, a police officer, paid for his education until he was 18 and that he later became a human rights activist, having faced a "wall" when it came to higher education.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2026

“Trust in institutions is waning, and that’s not a problem we can brush aside. For higher education to serve the public good, we need the public’s trust.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

In this week’s Don’t Short Yourself newsletter, Beth Pinsker shared her experience negotiating lower university tuition costs for her children, along with additional tips on how to pay for higher education.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

In the late 1960s nonwhite Americans clamored for access to higher education, and I became a principal beneficiary of the academy’s response, its programs of affirmative action.

From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez

Related Words

• university