A graduate student who has just completed the first year of study at a North American university.

In the preface of a book there is the following sentence:Quote:

The reader is expected to have at least the knowledge and maturity of a graduate student who has completed the first year of study at a North American university or of a first year research student in the United Kingdom.

I cannot understand. If he has just completed the first year how can he be a graduate? In my country after high school comes the university.