Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled both in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes … gaps filled both was 3.20 million in 2023. ▲ Rising
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom, 1971–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 3.20 million for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 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 (number) 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 … gaps filled both 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% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 3.20 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 158,952, 20.1× the median. (76 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 3.20 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 294,128, 10.9× the median. (52 countries reporting)
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
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 388,714 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 0 (2012)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 830,495 (2023)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 790,556 (2023)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.40 million (2023)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.86 million (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.0111 % change on previous year (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.071 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom was 3.20 million in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 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 (number) 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 (number)?
- United Kingdom ranks 16th out of 200 countries with data for 2023.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) 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 Statizoid (derived), published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number), gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) with 690 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes (number) with 690 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.