Matriculate means to be be enrolled in a course of study at a college or university. Matriculate may also mean to admit a student into a course of study at a college or university. Matriculate is usually used as a verb, though it may be used as a noun in Indian English to describe a person who has matriculated. Related words are matriculates, matriculated, matriculating, matriculator, matriculant, matriculation.
Graduate means to complete a course of study at a college, university, secondary school or other institution. Graduate may also describe a person who has completed a course of study at a college, university, secondary school or other institution. Related words are graduates, graduated, graduating, graduation. Remember, matriculate refers to someone enrolled in a course of study, graduate refers to someone who has completed a course of study.
Examples
Spoiler alert: no such policies exist and women and people of color who matriculate to the Academy are as qualified as their white male counterparts (and in many cases, more qualified than them). (The Huffington Post)
Citadel administrators announced in April that they were considering granting their first exception for an unnamed female Muslim who planned to matriculate at the school next fall. (The Daily Caller)
No fewer than 8,259 freshers took the oath of matriculation at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) on Tuesday. (The Nation Nigeria)
Fundraiser launches to raise money for reward in Tulane graduate Thomas Rolfes’ death; funeral plans set (The Advocate)
But at 84, Pollard will graduate with a special distinction: He’s the oldest student to earn his first bachelor’s degree at Northeastern Illinois University in the last 55 years. (The Chicago Tribune)
“I hope to play basketball for however many of years after college, but I know when my career is going to be over, I have to look down the road and I know whatever graduate program I do end up pursuing it will set me up to successful off the court,” he said. (The Baltimore Sun)