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

Analysis by BBC Scotland News has revealed that more than 4,000 spaces on the secondary postgraduate teacher training course, the PGDE, have not been filled in the past nine years.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

When I completed my postgraduate studies in the late 1990s, I shelved my doctoral finance thesis in a dusty library.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

As part of her postgraduate work in SU's Department of Chemistry and Polymer Science, Muller developed advanced analytical methods that combine comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2026

Phil, he co-founded and served as the artistic director of the New World Symphony, a postgraduate orchestral academy in Miami that prepares diverse young musicians for leadership roles in classical music.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

“Phantasms specters ghouls visitants post-terrestrials apparitions, Lidewij. How can someone pursuing a postgraduate degree in American literature display such abominable English-language skills?”

From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green

Related Words

• alum
• graduate