Netherlands vs South Africa: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes
Netherlands
985,327
in 2023
South Africa
1.19 million
in 2023
Netherlands rank
40th
South Africa rank
37th
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes over time
- Netherlands
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 1.19 million against 985,327 in Netherlands, a difference of 207,833.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Netherlands's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 15 shared years of data; in 1988 it was Netherlands ahead.
Netherlands ranks 40th and South Africa ranks 37th of 200 countries.
Across the 4 decades both report, Netherlands averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Netherlands | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 414,668 | 399,942 | 14,726 | Netherlands |
| 1990s | 489,781 | 513,419 | 23,638 | South Africa |
| 2010s | 847,637 | 1.08 million | 233,141 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 970,104 | 1.18 million | 209,826 | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes, Netherlands or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 1.19 million against 985,327 in Netherlands as of 2023.
- What is the difference in enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes between Netherlands and South Africa?
- 207,833, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Netherlands and South Africa?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 1988 to 2023.
- How do Netherlands and South Africa rank globally for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Netherlands ranks 40th and South Africa ranks 37th of 200 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
February 2026 Data Release