graduierter

Graduierter is a German noun used to denote a person who has completed a degree at a university or other higher education institution. The term is formed from the verb graduieren (to graduate) and the typical agent-noun suffix -er. It refers to someone who has earned a degree such as a Bachelor, Master, or Doctorate, regardless of the field of study. The word is most common in formal writing, academic biographical notes, and statistical contexts.

In everyday language, the more common term is Absolvent (masculine) or Absolventin (feminine). Graduierter is understood and used, but it is less frequent and can sound somewhat formal or institutional. The concept also aligns with related terms such as Gradverleihung (the conferment of a degree) and Grad student terminology, though these terms describe different aspects of the academic process.

Gender and plural forms follow standard German patterns: der Graduierte (masc.), die Graduierte (fem.). In plural usage, die Graduirten or die Graduierten are typical in most contexts when referring to groups of graduates from mixed genders; language can vary by style guide, and more neutral phrasing is common in modern administrative writing.

Related terms include Absolvent, Doktorand (a student still pursuing a doctoral degree), and Doktor (one who has earned a doctoral degree). While Graduierter communicates the status of having completed higher education, it does not specify the degree level; a person might be a Graduierter of a bachelor’s program or of a doctoral program.