Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal
Portugal: Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes was 356,390 number in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
356,390 number
Change on year
up 2.7%
World rank
62nd
of 193 countries
All-time high
400,831 number
in 2003
All-time low
50,095 number
in 1971
Years of data
45
1971–2018
Enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal, 1971–2018
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
Portugal recorded 356,390 number for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in 2018.
That represents a change of up 2.7% on the previous year and down 5.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes in Portugal peaked at 400,831 number in 2003 and was at its lowest, 50,095 number, in 1971.
That places Portugal 62nd out of 193 countries with data for 2018, putting it 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 | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 50,095 number | — |
| 1972 | 53,389 number | +6.6% |
| 1973 | 55,184 number | +3.4% |
| 1974 | 59,845 number | +8.4% |
| 1975 | 64,666 number | +8.1% |
| 1976 | 79,702 number | +23.3% |
| 1977 | 95,841 number | +20.2% |
| 1978 | 85,360 number | -10.9% |
| 1979 | 92,149 number | +8.0% |
| 1980 | 91,373 number | -0.8% |
| 1981 | 92,152 number | +0.9% |
| 1982 | 94,958 number | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 99,165 number | +4.4% |
| 1984 | 101,308 number | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 112,851 number | +11.4% |
| 1986 | 103,585 number | -8.2% |
| 1987 | 129,277 number | +24.8% |
| 1990 | 156,701 number | +21.2% |
| 1991 | 185,762 number | +18.5% |
| 1992 | 190,856 number | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 247,523 number | +29.7% |
| 1994 | 276,534 number | +11.7% |
| 1995 | 300,573 number | +8.7% |
| 1996 | 319,525 number | +6.3% |
| 1998 | 351,784 number | +10.1% |
| 1999 | 356,790 number | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 373,745 number | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 387,703 number | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 396,601 number | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 400,831 number | +1.1% |
| 2004 | 395,063 number | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 380,937 number | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 367,312 number | -3.6% |
| 2007 | 366,729 number | -0.2% |
| 2008 | 376,917 number | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 373,002 number | -1.0% |
| 2010 | 383,627 number | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 396,268 number | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 390,273 number | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 371,000 number | -4.9% |
| 2014 | 362,200 number | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 337,507 number | -6.8% |
| 2016 | 343,117 number | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 346,963 number | +1.1% |
| 2018 | 356,390 number | +2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 70,692 number | 50,095 number | 95,841 number | 9 |
| 1980s | 103,084 number | 91,373 number | 129,277 number | 8 |
| 1990s | 265,116 number | 156,701 number | 356,790 number | 9 |
| 2000s | 381,884 number | 366,729 number | 400,831 number | 10 |
| 2010s | 365,261 number | 337,507 number | 396,268 number | 9 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More education data for Portugal
- 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)
- Official entrance age to pre primary education 3 (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 62.3% (2025)
- Population ages 0-14 12.7% (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 356,390 number in 2018, 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 400,831 number in 2003.
- What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 50,095 number in 1971.
- How does Portugal rank for enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes?
- Portugal ranks 62nd out of 193 countries with data for 2018.
- Is enrolment in tertiary education, all programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.4%. 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 — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The total number of students enrolled at public and private tertiary education institutions.