Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 3.20 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
3.20 million
Change on year
up 2.2%
World rank
16th
of 200 countries
All-time high
3.20 million
in 2023
All-time low
601,300
in 1971
Years of data
53
1971–2023
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom, 1971–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 3.20 million for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2023. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.2% on the previous year and up 34.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom peaked at 3.20 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 601,300, in 1971.
That places United Kingdom 16th out of 200 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 601,300 | — |
| 1972 | 615,800 | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 622,100 | +1.0% |
| 1974 | 637,086 | +2.4% |
| 1975 | 703,645 | +10.4% |
| 1976 | 732,947 | +4.2% |
| 1977 | 750,180 | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 760,085 | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 783,342 | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 795,985 | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 827,146 | +3.9% |
| 1982 | 858,416 | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 980,538 | +14.2% |
| 1984 | 1.00 million | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 1.01 million | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 1.03 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 1.07 million | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 1.09 million | +1.7% |
| 1989 | 1.11 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 1.18 million | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 1.26 million | +6.8% |
| 1992 | 1.39 million | +10.1% |
| 1993 | 1.53 million | +10.3% |
| 1994 | 1.66 million | +8.9% |
| 1995 | 1.81 million | +9.0% |
| 1996 | 1.82 million | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 1.89 million | +3.9% |
| 1998 | 1.94 million | +2.5% |
| 1999 | 2.08 million | +7.4% |
| 2000 | 2.02 million | -2.7% |
| 2001 | 2.07 million | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 2.24 million | +8.4% |
| 2003 | 2.29 million | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 2.25 million | -1.8% |
| 2005 | 2.29 million | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 2.34 million | +2.1% |
| 2007 | 2.36 million | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 2.33 million | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 2.42 million | +3.7% |
| 2010 | 2.48 million | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 2.49 million | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 2.50 million | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 2.39 million | -4.4% |
| 2014 | 2.35 million | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 2.33 million | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 2.39 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 2.43 million | +1.9% |
| 2018 | 2.47 million | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 2.62 million | +6.1% |
| 2020 | 2.73 million | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 2.99 million | +9.5% |
| 2022 | 3.13 million | +4.5% |
| 2023 | 3.20 million | +2.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 689,609 | 601,300 | 783,342 | 9 |
| 1980s | 976,954 | 795,985 | 1.11 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.66 million | 1.18 million | 2.08 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.26 million | 2.02 million | 2.42 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.44 million | 2.33 million | 2.62 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.01 million | 2.73 million | 3.20 million | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More education data for United Kingdom
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 2.2 % change on previous year (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, female (number), gaps filled 242,999 (2023)
- Teachers in primary education, male (number), gaps filled 38,128 (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.81 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, female (number) 1.98 % change on previous year (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number), gaps 1.38 million (2023)
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, male (number) 2.5 % change on previous year (2023)
- Theoretical duration of primary education (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in United Kingdom was 3.20 million in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 3.20 million in 2023.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 601,300 in 1971.
- How does United Kingdom rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release