Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in European Union
European Union: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 19.97 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Latest (2019)
19.97 million number
Change on year
down 0.0%
Rank
2nd
of 2 groups
All-time high
20.37 million number
in 2011
All-time low
5.87 million number
in 1970
Years of data
50
1970–2019
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in European Union, 1970–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in European Union is 19.97 million number, measured in 2019.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in European Union peaked at 20.37 million number in 2011 and was at its lowest, 5.87 million number, in 1970.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in European Union, year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 5.87 million number | — |
| 1971 | 5.90 million number | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 6.17 million number | +4.6% |
| 1973 | 6.51 million number | +5.5% |
| 1974 | 6.79 million number | +4.4% |
| 1975 | 7.20 million number | +6.0% |
| 1976 | 7.69 million number | +6.8% |
| 1977 | 7.98 million number | +3.7% |
| 1978 | 8.26 million number | +3.6% |
| 1979 | 8.29 million number | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 8.46 million number | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 8.57 million number | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 8.73 million number | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 8.94 million number | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 9.13 million number | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 9.35 million number | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 9.53 million number | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 9.66 million number | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 9.90 million number | +2.5% |
| 1989 | 10.27 million number | +3.8% |
| 1990 | 10.63 million number | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 11.19 million number | +5.2% |
| 1992 | 11.70 million number | +4.5% |
| 1993 | 12.47 million number | +6.6% |
| 1994 | 13.37 million number | +7.2% |
| 1995 | 13.85 million number | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 14.34 million number | +3.5% |
| 1997 | 14.91 million number | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 15.16 million number | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 15.76 million number | +4.0% |
| 2000 | 16.18 million number | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 16.81 million number | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 17.49 million number | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 18.13 million number | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 18.60 million number | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 19.05 million number | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 19.35 million number | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 19.53 million number | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 19.73 million number | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 20.00 million number | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 20.30 million number | +1.5% |
| 2011 | 20.37 million number | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 20.14 million number | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 19.77 million number | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 19.70 million number | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 19.54 million number | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 19.59 million number | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 19.77 million number | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 19.97 million number | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 19.97 million number | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7.07 million number | 5.87 million number | 8.29 million number | 10 |
| 1980s | 9.25 million number | 8.46 million number | 10.27 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.34 million number | 10.63 million number | 15.76 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.49 million number | 16.18 million number | 20.00 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.91 million number | 19.54 million number | 20.37 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More education data for European Union
- Primary education, teachers, gaps filled 1.89 million (2024)
- Population ages 15-64 63.3% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 14.2% (2025)
- School enrollment, primary 102.4% (2024)
- Primary education, teachers 1.89 million (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per capita 0.0042 units per person (2024)
- Primary education, teachers, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, female 102.5% (2024)
- School enrollment, primary, male 102.4% (2024)
- Labor force, total, per capita 0.4914 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in European Union?
- Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in European Union was 19.97 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 20.37 million number in 2011.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.87 million number in 1970.
- How does European Union rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- European Union ranks 2nd out of 2 groups with data for 2019.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 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
The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.