Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal
Portugal: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 428,206 in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
Portugal recorded 428,206 for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2023. That is the highest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 26.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal peaked at 428,206 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 50,095, in 1971.
Portugal ranks 59th of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 50,095 | — |
| 1972 | 53,389 | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 55,184 | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 59,845 | +8.4% |
| 1975 | 64,666 | +8.1% |
| 1976 | 79,702 | +23.3% |
| 1977 | 95,841 | +20.2% |
| 1978 | 85,360 | -10.9% |
| 1979 | 92,149 | +8.0% |
| 1980 | 91,373 | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 92,152 | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 94,958 | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 99,165 | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 101,308 | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 112,851 | +11.4% |
| 1986 | 103,585 | -8.2% |
| 1987 | 129,277 | +24.8% |
| 1990 | 156,701 | +21.2% |
| 1991 | 185,762 | +18.5% |
| 1992 | 190,856 | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 247,523 | +29.7% |
| 1994 | 276,534 | +11.7% |
| 1995 | 300,573 | +8.7% |
| 1996 | 319,525 | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 351,784 | +10.1% |
| 1999 | 356,790 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 337,507 | -5.4% |
| 2016 | 343,117 | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 346,963 | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 356,390 | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 368,181 | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 380,235 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | 403,746 | +6.2% |
| 2022 | 417,215 | +3.3% |
| 2023 | 428,206 | +2.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 70,692 | 50,095 | 95,841 | 9 |
| 1980s | 103,084 | 91,373 | 129,277 | 8 |
| 1990s | 265,116 | 156,701 | 356,790 | 9 |
| 2010s | 350,432 | 337,507 | 368,181 | 5 |
| 2020s | 407,350 | 380,235 | 428,206 | 4 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More education data for Portugal
- Theoretical duration of pre-primary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (pre-primary to post-secondary non) 0.0494 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of lower secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of upper secondary education (years), annual 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Theoretical duration of secondary education (years), annual growth 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), gaps filled 2,022 tertiary education (2023)
- Start of the academic school year (tertiary education), annual growth 0.0495 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 52,131 (2023)
- Duration of pre primary education, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Duration of pre primary education 3 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal was 428,206 in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 428,206 in 2023.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 50,095 in 1971.
- How does Portugal rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Portugal ranks 59th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release