An undergrad, short for undergraduate, is a student pursuing their first college degree. This includes anyone working toward either an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree at a college or university. Once you earn that first degree and move on to a master’s or doctoral program, you become a graduate student. Until that point, you’re an undergrad.
The Two Types of Undergraduate Degrees
Undergraduate education covers two main degree levels, each with a different time commitment and scope.
An associate degree is a two-year program typically offered at community colleges, technical colleges, and career colleges. The two most common versions are the Associate of Arts (AA) and the Associate of Science (AS). These programs prepare students for entry-level careers or serve as a stepping stone toward a bachelor’s degree. Many students complete an associate degree first, then transfer their credits to a four-year school.
A bachelor’s degree is a four- or five-year program at a college or university. The most common types are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science (BS). A bachelor’s degree is what most people picture when they think of a “college degree,” and it’s the credential most professional careers use as a baseline requirement.
What Undergrads Actually Study
Undergraduate programs typically require around 120 semester credits to graduate. Those credits split into two broad categories: general education courses and major-specific courses.
General education, sometimes called “gen ed” or a core curriculum, covers a range of subjects outside your chosen field. Think introductory courses in English, math, science, social science, and the humanities. These make up a significant portion of your first two years and are designed to give you a well-rounded academic foundation regardless of your major.
Your major is the subject area you specialize in, such as biology, economics, or English literature. A major typically requires a minimum of 27 or more semester credits of focused coursework, with at least some of those at the upper-division level (meaning 300- and 400-level courses that go deeper than introductory classes). Many students also choose a minor, which is a secondary area of focus with fewer required credits.
How to Get In
To enroll as an undergraduate, you generally need a high school diploma or its equivalent. Beyond that, admission requirements vary widely from one school to the next, but most applications include a few common pieces.
- Transcripts: Certified copies of your high school academic record showing the courses you took and the grades you earned.
- Standardized test scores: Some schools require SAT or ACT scores to assess academic readiness, though a growing number have made these optional.
- Recommendation letters: Written by teachers, school counselors, coaches, or other adults who can speak to your academic potential and character.
- A personal essay: Your chance to write about your interests, goals, and strengths. Many admissions offices consider this one of the most important parts of the application.
Application deadlines for fall enrollment typically fall between November and January of the preceding academic year, though rolling-admission schools accept applications on an ongoing basis. Community colleges tend to have simpler, more open admissions processes compared to four-year universities.
How Undergrad Differs From Graduate School
The key distinction is sequence. Undergraduate education comes first and does not require any prior college degree. Graduate school, which includes master’s and doctoral programs, requires you to have already completed an undergraduate degree before you can enroll. A graduate student is sometimes called a postgraduate student, and the terms mean the same thing.
The academic experience also shifts. Undergraduate classes tend to be broader, with larger lecture halls, especially in the first two years. Graduate programs are more specialized, with smaller classes, independent research, and a tighter focus on a specific discipline. Undergraduate programs build foundational knowledge; graduate programs build expertise.
Why the Term Comes Up So Often
You’ll see “undergrad” used casually in conversation (“I studied engineering in undergrad”) and formally on applications, financial aid forms, and job listings. When a job posting says “bachelor’s degree required,” it’s asking for an undergraduate degree. When a scholarship says it’s open to “undergraduate students,” it means anyone who hasn’t yet earned their first bachelor’s degree.
The term also shows up in phrases like “undergrad research” or “undergrad internship,” which simply refer to research opportunities and internships available to students who are still completing their first degree. These experiences can be valuable for building a resume and figuring out whether graduate school makes sense for your career goals.