Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium

Belgium: Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education was 39.0% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
39.0%
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
9th
of 40 countries
All-time high
39.1%
in 2021
All-time low
26.9%
in 2006
Years of data
18
2006–2023

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium, 2006–2023

0102030402006201420232006: 26.9 %2007: 27.1 %2008: 27.4 %2009: 28.5 %2010: 30.1 %2011: 30 %2012: 30.8 %2013: 31 %2014: 32.6 %2015: 32.9 %2016: 33.4 %2017: 34.5 %2018: 35 %2019: 35.6 %2020: 37 %2021: 39.1 %2022: 38.1 %2023: 39 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium is 39.0%, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.3% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium peaked at 39.1% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 26.9%, in 2006.

Belgium ranks 9th of 40 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.

Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium, year by year

Annual values for Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, both sexes (%) in Belgium, 2006 to 2023.
Year % Change
2006 26.9%
2007 27.1% +0.6%
2008 27.4% +1.0%
2009 28.5% +4.2%
2010 30.1% +5.7%
2011 30.0% -0.4%
2012 30.8% +2.6%
2013 31.0% +0.7%
2014 32.6% +5.2%
2015 32.9% +0.8%
2016 33.4% +1.6%
2017 34.5% +3.3%
2018 35.0% +1.5%
2019 35.6% +1.8%
2020 37.0% +3.7%
2021 39.1% +5.9%
2022 38.1% -2.6%
2023 39.0% +2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 27.5% 26.9% 28.5% 4
2010s 32.6% 30.0% 35.6% 10
2020s 38.3% 37.0% 39.1% 4

Countries ranked near Belgium

  1. 6 Norway 42.6% compare
  2. 7 Iceland 39.7% compare
  3. 8 Finland 39.2% compare
  4. 10 Netherlands 39.0% compare
  5. 11 Denmark 37.8% compare
  6. 12 Spain 37.7% compare

See the full ranking of 40 places →

More education data for Belgium

All data for Belgium →

Frequently asked questions

What is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium?
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium was 39.0% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Belgium?
The highest recorded value was 39.1% in 2021.
What is the lowest educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education recorded in Belgium?
The lowest recorded value was 26.9% in 2006.
How does Belgium rank for educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education?
Belgium ranks 9th out of 40 countries with data for 2023.
Is educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education rising or falling in Belgium?
Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Belgium 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, non-immigrant background, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education in Belgium. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 22 August 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/educational-attainment-rate-completed-short-cycle-tertiary-education-or-higher-population-17/belgium/

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About this data

Indicator
Educational attainment rate, completed short-cycle tertiary education or higher, population 25+ years, non-immigrant background, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
40 places, 487 data points, 1994–2024
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release