Prepositions after verbs

Graduate from or graduate with?

Use graduate from for the institution or course completed. Use graduate with for the qualification, result, or honours received.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with graduate?

Graduate from usually names the school, university, or programme completed. Graduate with usually names a degree, honours classification, or skill someone has at graduation.

She graduated from medical school last year.
He graduated with honours.
They graduated from the university in June.
Maria graduated with a degree in chemistry.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
graduate from + institution

Completing studies at a school or university

Use from to name the institution, course, or programme completed.

I graduated from Stanford University in 2022.
She graduated from the nursing programme last spring.
2
graduate with + degree

Naming the qualification received

Use with to mention a degree, diploma, or subject qualification.

He graduated with a law degree.
They graduated with diplomas in design.
3
graduate with + honours/result

Describing academic results

Use with for honours, distinctions, or academic standing.

Aisha graduated with distinction.
My brother graduated with first-class honours.
4
graduate as + profession

Describing a professional role after study

Use as to describe the profession or role someone qualifies for.

She graduated as an engineer.
He graduated as a pharmacist after five years of study.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
graduate from
She graduated from Oxford University.
Correct for the institution or programme completed.
graduate with
He graduated with a degree in economics.
Correct for a degree, qualification, or honours received.
graduate by
She graduated by working hard.
By here expresses method, not the usual complement after graduate.
graduate in
They graduated in computer science.
Sometimes used for the field of study, especially in American English.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using with for the institution

Use from when naming the school or university.

✕ She graduated with Harvard University. ✓ She graduated from Harvard University.

Using from for a degree

Use with when naming the qualification received.

✕ He graduated from a degree in biology. ✓ He graduated with a degree in biology.

Confusing field and institution

The subject area and the institution use different patterns.

✕ She graduated with Cambridge. ✓ She graduated from Cambridge.

Leaving out the article with degree

Degree phrases usually need an article.

✕ He graduated with degree in history. ✓ He graduated with a degree in history.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She graduated ___ the University of Toronto.
2. He graduated ___ honours in mathematics.
3. They graduated ___ a degree in architecture.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say graduate from college?

Yes. Graduate from is the standard pattern for schools, colleges, universities, and programmes.

Can graduate with refer to people?

Yes. You can say someone graduated with classmates, but here with expresses company, not a fixed verb pattern.

Is graduate as correct?

Yes. Graduate as is used for a professional role, such as graduate as a doctor or as an engineer.

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