What is the difference between “Class of 2004” and “Batch of 2004”?

Question

What is the difference between "Class of 2004" and "Batch of 2004"? I have a feeling that one means the students who joined the university in 2004 and the other means those who graduated in 2004. Is that correct? And if so — then which is which?

Answer 1

I've never actually heard of "batch of" — the "year of" is aways a reference to the year the group graduates.

I work at the U of Manitoba, and I know there are times when the administration wants to deal with groups in other contexts. Especially when dealing with class loads in early years the counts are on the number of students who entered, and may graduate in three, four or more years depending on their programs. A three year major, a four year hons or various other students may all need to take the same first year courses, so considering the 'batch' count aot the numbers at graduation gives you a better handle on the number of seats you'll need in some course like first year English which is a lead in for multiple course paths — all with different lengths.

I shall have to talk to my pals in the registrar's office and see if there is any use of the phrase in this university.

Answer 2

In the Philippines, where my wife went to school, batch is synonymous with graduating class, and is used in preference to class. They say "Batch of 2004" the way Americans say "Class of 2004."

Answer 3

My source in the Registrar's office - and the documentation for our registration system - refers to a groups of students registering at the same time as "cohorts" - In fact, the term is used a lot in the Faculty of Nursing where they group the students for not only classes but training sessions and in-hospital experience.

Answer 4

"Class of 2xxx" is associated with the graduation year:

a body of students or alumni whose year of graduation is the same

But "batch of 2xxx" is not so clear, and can be associated with pretty much anything.
A batch refers to a quantity (as of persons or things) considered as a group.
This page, for instance, mentions a "Batch 2010/2011 Admission List".
Actually, you can also find the entry and graduation years associated with "batch of". See this page: "batch of 2008 - 10".

Answer 5

batch (OALD): a number of people or things that are dealt with as a group.

A quick search on google and bing shows that "batch" (to refer to a group of students) is most commonly used on the Indian subcontinent, and in parts of Africa. I speak from the way I have used and understood these words:

• "Batch" refers to students graduating (or enrolled) in a particular year across all classes (faculties / fields / branches). The university may have a unique set of rules and policies for the 2004 batch, for example.
• "Class" refers to the group of students who attend classes at a particular department, and may happen to be classmates in one or more courses.

Answer 6

Batch means the students joined the university in 2004 and class means the students graduated in 2004.

So you can use "welcome, batch 2004!" or "congratulations, class of 2004!"