graduate students

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "graduate students" is correct and usable in written English.
For example, you might say, "The professor only gives advice to graduate students."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

graduate students.

The New Yorker

Only graduate students read Dryden.

The New Yorker

But his graduate students might.

The Economist

(We're both graduate students).

The New York Times

Faculty and graduate students.

The New York Times - Magazine

They have graduate students tutoring the undergraduates".

The New York Times

Their graduate students cross-register.

The New York Times

Many are still graduate students.

The New York Times

graduate students seeking to unionize.

The New York Times

It has 6,800 undergraduate and graduate students.

The New York Times

-- graduate students said they needed it.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about "graduate students", consider specifying the field of study or program to provide more context and clarity, such as "graduate students in engineering" or "MBA graduate students".

Common error

Avoid assuming all students in higher education are "graduate students". Ensure the context clearly indicates that you are referring to students pursuing advanced degrees beyond a bachelor's degree.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "graduate students" is as a noun phrase that acts as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig confirms its correct and common usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

35%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "graduate students" refers to individuals pursuing advanced degrees, such as master's or doctoral degrees, beyond the undergraduate level. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage. It is most frequently encountered in scientific and news contexts, often within academia. While generally neutral to formal, its formality increases in academic and scientific publications. To enhance clarity, specifying the field of study is recommended. Alternatives include "postgraduate scholars" and "advanced degree students". The phrase is very common, and the examples indicate that the sources employed are authoritative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

students in graduate programs

Rephrases to specify students currently enrolled in graduate programs.

students pursuing graduate studies

Focuses on the act of studying at the graduate level.

postgraduate scholars

Replaces "students" with "scholars" and uses "postgraduate" as a synonym for "graduate".

advanced degree students

Highlights the advanced level of their academic pursuits.

postgraduate researchers

Focuses on the research aspect of graduate studies.

doctoral candidates

Specifically refers to students pursuing a doctorate degree.

graduate-level learners

Emphasizes the learning aspect at a graduate level.

master's degree candidates

Specifically refers to students pursuing a master's degree.

post-baccalaureate students

Emphasizes that these students have already completed a bachelor's degree.

higher education students

A broader term that includes undergraduate and graduate students but specifies focus on students in higher education.

FAQs

How can I use "graduate students" in a sentence?

You can use "graduate students" to refer to individuals pursuing advanced degrees. For example, "The research project was conducted by a team of dedicated graduate students."

What is a more formal way to say "graduate students"?

More formal alternatives include "postgraduate scholars" or "advanced degree students", depending on the context.

What's the difference between "graduate students" and "undergraduate students"?

"Graduate students" are pursuing advanced degrees (master's or doctoral), while "undergraduate students" are pursuing their bachelor's degrees. They are different stages of higher education.

Are "graduate students" employees of the university?

Some "graduate students" may be employed by the university as teaching assistants, research assistants, or in other roles, but not all "graduate students" are university employees.