diplômés

Diplômés is the plural form of the French noun diplômé, meaning a person who has earned a diploma or degree from an educational institution. The term applies across the education system, from secondary school certificates to university degrees, but is commonly used for higher education credentials such as bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. In French, diplôme refers to the credential itself, while diplômé denotes the holder. The feminine forms are diplômée and diplômées.

In practice, the term describes graduates regardless of field or institution. It encompasses graduates from universities, grandes écoles, technical institutes, and professional schools. Some diplomas are regulated by the state and carry a national title, such as the diplôme d'État in France, or are national diplomas recognized across the country. Others are institutional diplomas awarded by a specific school or faculty.

The status of being a diplômé has implications in education policy and labor markets. Researchers track employment rates, income levels, and further study among diplômés to assess the value of higher education and program-specific outcomes.

The term is also used in demographic and sociological discussions of generations of graduates, sometimes in the phrase génération de diplômés. Outside France, the concept and term are used similarly in other French-speaking countries, with local variations in degrees and titles. Overall, diplôme and diplômé describe the credential and the holder, central concepts in the organization of higher education in the Francophone world.