higher education

Word family

• higher
  adjectiveA2
• education
  nounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Higher education is the most common general term for study after secondary school, typically at a university or college and leading to a degree. Tertiary education is more formal and appears often in policy documents and international reports — it covers both academic and vocational routes. University education is narrower, limited to study at a university rather than a college or institute. Post-secondary education is the broadest term, including everything after high school: trade schools, certificate programmes, and community colleges alongside universities. Further education (mainly British English) sits below higher education — it refers to non-degree study such as diplomas and apprenticeships, often at a further education college. For example, you might say 'She chose further education over higher education and became a qualified electrician.'

Common collocations

Etymology

Higher education combines higher (more advanced) with education (from Latin educare, 'to bring up or train'). The phrase became common in the 19th century as formal university systems expanded across Europe and North America, creating a clear distinction between basic schooling and advanced academic study.