Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education was 1.06 GPIA in 2021. ▲ Rising

Latest (2021)
1.06 GPIA
Change on year
down 1.5%
World rank
47th
of 99 countries
All-time high
1.07 GPIA
in 2020
All-time low
0.9217 GPIA
in 2011
Years of data
9
2009–2021

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2009–2021

00.250.50.7512009201520212009: 0.971 GPIA2010: 1 GPIA2011: 0.922 GPIA2012: 1 GPIA2013: 1 GPIA2014: 1.1 GPIA2017: 1 GPIA2020: 1.1 GPIA2021: 1.1 GPIA

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in GPIA.

Analysis

In 2021, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 1.06 GPIA.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.5% on the previous year and up 14.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 1.07 GPIA in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.9217 GPIA, in 2011.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 47th out of 99 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, adjusted gender parity index (GPIA) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 2009 to 2021.
Year GPIA Change
2009 0.971 GPIA
2010 1 GPIA +3.5%
2011 0.9217 GPIA -8.3%
2012 1.01 GPIA +9.6%
2013 1.02 GPIA +1.4%
2014 1.05 GPIA +2.8%
2017 1.04 GPIA -1.5%
2020 1.07 GPIA +3.5%
2021 1.06 GPIA -1.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 0.971 GPIA 0.971 GPIA 0.971 GPIA 1
2010s 1.01 GPIA 0.9217 GPIA 1.05 GPIA 6
2020s 1.07 GPIA 1.06 GPIA 1.07 GPIA 2

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 44 Colombia 1.07 GPIA compare
  2. 45 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.07 GPIA compare
  3. 46 Armenia 1.07 GPIA compare
  4. 48 Costa Rica 1.06 GPIA compare
  5. 49 Bosnia and Herzegovina 1.05 GPIA compare
  6. 50 Russian Federation 1.05 GPIA compare

See the full ranking of 99 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 1.06 GPIA in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 1.07 GPIA in 2020.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 0.9217 GPIA in 2011.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 47th out of 99 countries with data for 2021.
Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, adjusted gender parity index (GPIA). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-11/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, urban, adjusted gender parity index (GPIA)
Unit
GPIA
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
99 places, 1,502 data points, 1970–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release