Graduand vs. Graduate — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 5, 2023
A graduand is someone who has completed their studies and awaits graduation. A graduate is someone who has already received their degree or diploma.
Difference Between Graduand and Graduate
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Key Differences
Graduand and Graduate are terms closely linked with academic achievements and ceremonies. A graduand refers to a student who has fulfilled the requirements of their degree program but has not yet formally received their degree or diploma. On the other hand, a graduate is an individual who has successfully completed their academic course and has been formally awarded their degree or diploma.
The status of a graduand is transient. It's that interim period where the student has done their part, such as completing exams or submitting a thesis, but the institution hasn't yet recognized this achievement in a formal ceremony. In contrast, a graduate has crossed this ceremonial boundary, having been officially recognized by the institution and is no longer a student.
Graduands often experience a sense of anticipation as they approach their graduation ceremony. They're on the cusp of a significant achievement, and the graduation ceremony represents the final step in their academic journey. For a graduate, that journey has reached its end, leading to feelings of accomplishment and the beginning of a new phase in life, be it further education or entering the workforce.
The differentiation between graduand and graduate can sometimes cause confusion, especially in cultures or regions where the term "graduand" is less commonly used. However, it's crucial to understand that a graduand hasn't yet received the physical proof of their achievement, such as a diploma or certificate. In contrast, a graduate can proudly display such proof of their academic success.
Despite their differences, both graduand and graduate share a connection to academia. Both terms represent milestones in a person's educational journey, with a graduand standing at the threshold of becoming a graduate.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A student eligible for graduation but not yet graduated.
An individual who has received their degree.
Status
Awaiting formal graduation ceremony.
Has already undergone the graduation ceremony.
Degree/Diploma
Has not received yet.
Has already received.
Common Usage
Less commonly used globally.
Universally recognized term.
Stage in Academic Life
Transitional phase between completing studies and graduation.
Post-academic achievement phase.
Compare with Definitions
Graduand
A term used to describe a student's interim status before formal graduation.
Being a graduand feels like standing at the doorway to a new beginning.
Graduate
An individual who has successfully completed a course of study.
As a graduate, he felt ready to tackle the challenges of the real world.
Graduand
A student who has completed academic requirements and awaits the graduation ceremony.
As a graduand, Jane is excitedly preparing for her graduation day.
Graduate
Someone who has received a degree from an educational institution.
She is a graduate of Harvard University.
Graduand
A person who has met all educational qualifications but hasn't been conferred the degree.
The list of graduands was posted outside the dean's office.
Graduate
One who has attended and completed the requirements of a particular school or course.
The conference was attended by graduates from all over the country.
Graduand
An individual eligible for a degree or diploma but has not received it yet.
John, being a graduand, was counting days to officially become a graduate.
Graduate
A person who has successfully completed a course of study or training, especially a person who has been awarded an undergraduate or first academic degree.
Graduand
Someone on the verge of transitioning from student to graduate.
The college held a special dinner for all its graduands.
Graduate
A graduated cup, tube, flask, or measuring glass, used especially by chemists and pharmacists.
Graduand
A student who has completed the requirements for, but has not yet been awarded, a particular degree.
Graduate
Successfully complete an academic degree, course of training, or (in North America) high school
He graduated from Glasgow University in 1990
He graduated in the summer with a 2:2 degree
Graduate
Arrange in a series or according to a scale
The stones were graduated in height from the lowest near the entrance to the tallest opposite
Graduate
Change (something, typically colour or shade) gradually or step by step
The colour is graduated from the middle of the frame to the top
Graduate
To be granted an academic degree or diploma
Most of the entering freshmen stayed to graduate.
Graduate
To change gradually or by degrees
"The most weighty of all the arguments against treating the races of man as distinct species, is that they graduate into each other" (Charles Darwin).
Graduate
To advance to a new level of skill, achievement, or activity
After a month of diving instruction, they all graduated to back flips.
Graduate
To grant an academic degree or diploma to
The school has graduated many gifted chemists.
Graduate
Usage Problem To receive an academic degree from
How many chemists graduated the Institute last year?.
Graduate
To arrange or divide into categories, steps, or grades
Graduate an income tax.
Graduate
To divide into marked intervals, especially for use in measurement
Graduate a thermometer.
Graduate
One who has received an academic degree or diploma.
Graduate
A graduated container, such as a cylinder or beaker.
Graduate
Possessing an academic degree or diploma.
Graduate
Of, intended for, or relating to studies beyond a bachelor's degree
Graduate courses.
Graduate
A person who is recognized by a university as having completed the requirements of a degree studied at the institution.
If the government wants graduates to stay in the country they should offer more incentives.
Graduate
A person who is recognized by a high school as having completed the requirements of a course of study at the school.
Graduate
(Philippines) A person who is recognized as having completed any level of education.
Graduate
A graduated (marked) cup or other container, thus fit for measuring.
Graduate
Graduated, arranged by degrees
Graduate
Holding an academic degree
Graduate
Relating to an academic degree
Graduate
To be recognized by a school or university as having completed the requirements of a degree studied at the institution.
The man graduated in 1967.
Trisha graduated from college.
Graduate
To be certified as having earned a degree from; to graduate from (an institution).
Trisha graduated college.
Graduate
(transitive) To certify (a student) as having earned a degree
Indiana University graduated the student.
The college graduated him as soon as he was no longer eligible to play under NCAA rules.
Graduate
(transitive) To mark (something) with degrees; to divide into regular steps or intervals, as the scale of a thermometer, a scheme of punishment or rewards, etc.
Graduate
(intransitive) To change gradually.
Sandstone which graduates into gneiss; carnelian sometimes graduates into quartz
Graduate
To prepare gradually; to arrange, temper, or modify by degrees or to a certain degree; to determine the degrees of.
To graduate the heat of an oven
Graduate
(chemistry) To bring to a certain degree of consistency, by evaporation, as a fluid.
Graduate
To taper, as the tail of certain birds.
Graduate
(Japanese entertainment) Of an idol: to exit a group; or of a virtual YouTuber, to leave a management agency; usually accompanied with "graduation ceremony" send-offs, increased focus on the leaving member, and the like.
Graduate
To mark with degrees; to divide into regular steps, grades, or intervals, as the scale of a thermometer, a scheme of punishment or rewards, etc.
Graduate
To admit or elevate to a certain grade or degree; esp., in a college or university, to admit, at the close of the course, to an honorable standing defined by a diploma; as, he was graduated at Yale College.
Graduate
To prepare gradually; to arrange, temper, or modify by degrees or to a certain degree; to determine the degrees of; as, to graduate the heat of an oven.
Dyers advance and graduate their colors with salts.
Graduate
To bring to a certain degree of consistency, by evaporation, as a fluid.
Graduate
To pass by degrees; to change gradually; to shade off; as, sandstone which graduates into gneiss; carnelian sometimes graduates into quartz.
Graduate
To taper, as the tail of certain birds.
Graduate
To take a degree in a college or university; to become a graduate; to receive a diploma.
He graduated at Oxford.
He was brought to their bar and asked where he had graduated.
Graduate
One who has received an academical or professional degree; one who has completed the prescribed course of study in any school or institution of learning.
Graduate
A graduated cup, tube, flask, or cylinder; a glass measuring container used by apothecaries and chemists. See under Graduated.
Graduate
Arranged by successive steps or degrees; graduated.
Beginning with the genus, passing through all the graduateand subordinate stages.
Graduate
A person who has received a degree from a school (high school or college or university)
Graduate
A measuring instrument for measuring fluid volume; a glass container (cup or cylinder or flask) whose sides are marked with or divided into amounts
Graduate
Receive an academic degree upon completion of one's studies;
She graduated in 1990
Graduate
Confer an academic degree upon;
This school graduates 2,000 students each year
Graduate
Make fine adjustments or divide into marked intervals for optimal measuring;
Calibrate an instrument
Graduate a cylinder
Graduate
Of or relating to studies beyond a bachelor's degree;
Graduate courses
Graduate
A person who has transitioned from being a student to holding a degree.
The job requires at least a graduate-level education.
Graduate
A term indicating the completion and achievement of an academic program.
He is a recent graduate, having finished his studies last spring.
Common Curiosities
Can a graduand apply for jobs?
Yes, many graduands apply for jobs before their official graduation.
What's the main distinction between a graduand and a graduate?
A graduand is awaiting their degree; a graduate already has it.
How long is someone considered a graduand?
Only until their formal graduation ceremony.
What's a graduand?
A graduand is someone who has completed their studies and awaits the formal graduation ceremony.
Is a graduand the same as a graduate?
No, a graduand hasn't yet received their degree, while a graduate has.
Is the term "graduand" commonly used everywhere?
It's more commonly used in some regions and less in others.
Can a graduand get an official transcript?
Yes, but it might indicate that the degree hasn't been conferred yet.
Do graduates have more privileges than graduands in academic settings?
Typically, the main difference is the official recognition and the possession of the degree.
Can a graduand attend graduate school?
Admission usually requires official graduate status, but applications can often be started earlier.
Why use the term "graduand" at all?
It precisely defines the interim status between course completion and formal graduation.
Are graduate programs only for graduates?
Yes, to pursue graduate-level studies, one typically needs to have an undergraduate degree.
Is every graduate a former graduand?
Yes, every graduate was once a graduand before their graduation ceremony.
Can the terms be used interchangeably?
No, they represent different stages in the academic journey.
Do all universities use the term "graduand"?
Usage varies. Some universities may use it formally, while others may not.
How does one transition from a graduand to a graduate?
By attending the official graduation ceremony and receiving their degree.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
