postgraduate

American  

[pohst-graj-oo-it, -eyt] / poʊstˈgrædʒ u ɪt, -ˌeɪt /

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or consisting of post-graduates.

   a postgraduate seminar.

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noun

1. a student who is taking advanced work after graduation, as from a high school or college.

postgraduate British  

/ pəʊstˈɡrædjʊɪt /

noun

1. a student who has obtained a degree from a university, etc, and is pursuing studies for a more advanced qualification

2. (modifier) of or relating to such a student or to his studies

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Etymology

Origin of postgraduate

First recorded in 1855–60; post- + graduate

Compare meaning

How does postgraduate compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• undergraduate vs. postgraduate

Example Sentences

Private school associations, including New England independent schools, have different rules, and their athletes are more likely to repeat a grade of high school, including a postgraduate year.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

I was accepted at the Oxford School of Drama for its one-year postgraduate program and graduated in 2007.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

Since January 2024, international postgraduate students have not been able to bring dependents unless their course is a research programme.

From BBC • Aug. 21, 2025

However, year-on-year recruitment of overseas postgraduate students then fell from 1,230 to 393.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2025

Please forward us your resume, including previous research experience, graduate and postgraduate transcripts, and two letters of recommendation.

From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer

Related Words

• alum
• graduate