lepasan

Lepasan is a Malay term used to describe individuals who have completed a course of study or training and are no longer enrolled in the program. In common usage it refers to graduates or school leavers, such as lepasan sekolah (school leavers) or lepasan ijazah (graduates with a degree).

The word comes from the verb lepas, meaning to release or to let go, with the suffix -an forming a noun that denotes the state or result of being released or completed. In this sense, lepasan marks a transition from student to the next phase, typically employment or higher studies.

It is used across Malaysia and Brunei, and understood in Singapore Malay, to describe those who have completed secondary education, diploma programs, bachelor's degrees, or vocational training. It is frequently used in educational and governmental contexts, such as lepasan sekolah, lepasan politeknik, or lepasan universiti, and in media reporting about youth employment or education transitions.

Lepasan often participate in career services, internships, or apprenticeship programs designed to improve employability. The term thus functions as a demographic label for a stage in the education-to-work transition.

See also: graduates; school leaving; alumni.