noun
tertiary education
TUR-shuh-ree ed-yoo-KAY-shuhn
Tertiary education (noun) means All formal education taken after leaving secondary school, including universities, colleges, polytechnics and vocational or technical training. Example: “Around half of school leavers go on to tertiary education of some kind.”
noun
1
All formal education taken after leaving secondary school, including universities, colleges, polytechnics and vocational or technical training.
"Around half of school leavers go on to tertiary education of some kind."
"The scholarship covers the first two years of tertiary education."
How to use tertiary education
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStudy you do after finishing school.
When to use it
Formal; common in policy documents and international statistics.
Easily confused with
further education
higher education
Common pairings
access to tertiary education
tertiary education sector
tertiary qualification
enrol in tertiary education
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Around half of school leavers go on to _____ of some kind.
Etymology
From Latin tertiarius, 'of the third part', from tertius 'third'; it is the third stage after primary and secondary.
Synonyms
View more →
higher education
post-secondary education
further education
Antonyms
primary education
secondary education
Rhymes for tertiary education
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for tertiary education →
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between tertiary education and higher education?
Tertiary education is the wider term and covers everything after school, including trade and technical qualifications. Higher education is the degree-awarding part of it, so every degree course is higher education, but an apprenticeship or a diploma at a technical institute is tertiary without being higher education.
Which countries use the term?
It is standard in Australia, New Zealand, parts of Asia and in international bodies such as UNESCO and the World Bank. British English usually says 'higher' or 'further' education, and American English says 'college' or 'post-secondary'.
What is the meaning of tertiary education?
"tertiary education" (noun) means all formal education taken after leaving secondary school, including universities, colleges, polytechnics and vocational or technical training.
What is another word for tertiary education?
Other words for "tertiary education" include higher education, post-secondary education, further education.
