Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union

European Union: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes was 771,559 number in 2019. ▲ Rising

Latest (2019)
771,559 number
Change on year
down 0.0%
Rank
2nd
of 2 groups
All-time high
771,559 number
in 2018
All-time low
522,094 number
in 1997
Years of data
23
1997–2019

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union, 1997–2019

0200.0k400.0k600.0k800.0k1997200820191997: 522.1k number1998: 530.5k number1999: 563.7k number2000: 568.4k number2001: 601.7k number2002: 636.3k number2003: 700.3k number2004: 726.6k number2005: 730.6k number2006: 728.2k number2007: 741.1k number2008: 721.3k number2009: 741.4k number2010: 752.2k number2011: 748.5k number2012: 741.1k number2013: 736.0k number2014: 738.4k number2015: 730.1k number2016: 754.9k number2017: 760.2k number2018: 771.6k number2019: 771.6k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

In 2019, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union stood at 771,559 number. That is the highest value across all 23 years on record.

That represents a change of up 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union peaked at 771,559 number in 2018 and was at its lowest, 522,094 number, in 1997.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes (number) in European Union, 1997 to 2019.
Year number Change
1997 522,094 number
1998 530,550 number +1.6%
1999 563,720 number +6.3%
2000 568,409 number +0.8%
2001 601,687 number +5.9%
2002 636,277 number +5.7%
2003 700,318 number +10.1%
2004 726,625 number +3.8%
2005 730,633 number +0.6%
2006 728,151 number -0.3%
2007 741,096 number +1.8%
2008 721,337 number -2.7%
2009 741,426 number +2.8%
2010 752,210 number +1.5%
2011 748,528 number -0.5%
2012 741,121 number -1.0%
2013 735,995 number -0.7%
2014 738,422 number +0.3%
2015 730,132 number -1.1%
2016 754,899 number +3.4%
2017 760,196 number +0.7%
2018 771,559 number +1.5%
2019 771,559 number +0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 538,788 number 522,094 number 563,720 number 3
2000s 689,596 number 568,409 number 741,426 number 10
2010s 750,462 number 730,132 number 771,559 number 10

Countries ranked near European Union

  1. 1 China 410,153 number compare
  2. 2 United States 354,198 number compare
  3. 3 Germany 200,400 number compare
  4. 4 India 173,050 number compare
  5. 5 Iran 141,078 number compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More education data for European Union

All data for European Union →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union was 771,559 number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes recorded in European Union?
The highest recorded value was 771,559 number in 2018.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes recorded in European Union?
The lowest recorded value was 522,094 number in 1997.
How does European Union rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes?
European Union ranks 2nd out of 2 groups with data for 2019.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 8 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in European Union?
Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. 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, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes in European Union. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-8-programmes-both-sexes-number/european-union/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 8 programmes, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
178 places, 2,921 data points, 1997–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of students enrolled in public and private tertiary education institutions in programmes on the doctoral or equivalent (ISCED 8) level.