Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes was 3.55 million number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
3.55 million number
Change on year
down 5.4%
World rank
13th
of 188 countries
All-time high
4.35 million number
in 2016
All-time low
2.60 million number
in 2012
Years of data
26
1993–2018

Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1993–2018

01.0M2.0M3.0M4.0M1993200520181993: 2.7M number1994: 2.8M number1995: 2.8M number1996: 2.9M number1997: 2.8M number1998: 2.8M number1999: 3.0M number2000: 3.0M number2001: 3.1M number2002: 3.2M number2003: 3.2M number2004: 3.4M number2005: 3.4M number2006: 3.1M number2007: 3.1M number2008: 3.0M number2009: 3.0M number2010: 3.1M number2011: 2.6M number2012: 2.6M number2013: 4.1M number2014: 4.2M number2015: 4.0M number2016: 4.4M number2017: 3.8M number2018: 3.6M number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 3.55 million number, measured in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.4% on the previous year and up 17.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 4.35 million number in 2016 and was at its lowest, 2.60 million number, in 2012.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 13th out of 188 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.

Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes (number) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1993 to 2018.
Year number Change
1993 2.71 million number
1994 2.77 million number +2.1%
1995 2.82 million number +1.9%
1996 2.86 million number +1.4%
1997 2.80 million number -2.0%
1998 2.81 million number +0.1%
1999 2.95 million number +5.2%
2000 3.02 million number +2.5%
2001 3.06 million number +1.1%
2002 3.18 million number +4.0%
2003 3.20 million number +0.4%
2004 3.39 million number +6.1%
2005 3.41 million number +0.6%
2006 3.07 million number -10.0%
2007 3.08 million number +0.4%
2008 3.04 million number -1.5%
2009 3.02 million number -0.6%
2010 3.08 million number +2.1%
2011 2.63 million number -14.7%
2012 2.60 million number -1.0%
2013 4.12 million number +58.1%
2014 4.20 million number +1.9%
2015 4.04 million number -3.7%
2016 4.35 million number +7.7%
2017 3.76 million number -13.6%
2018 3.55 million number -5.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 2.82 million number 2.71 million number 2.95 million number 7
2000s 3.15 million number 3.02 million number 3.41 million number 10
2010s 3.59 million number 2.60 million number 4.35 million number 9

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 10 Nigeria 4.48 million number compare
  2. 11 Egypt 4.01 million number compare
  3. 12 Japan 3.61 million number compare
  4. 14 Thailand 2.96 million number compare
  5. 15 South Africa 2.89 million number compare
  6. 16 Russian Federation 2.89 million number compare

See the full ranking of 233 places →

More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 3.55 million number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 4.35 million number in 2016.
What is the lowest enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 2.60 million number in 2012.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 13th out of 188 countries with data for 2018.
Is enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-upper-secondary-education-both-sexes-number/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in upper secondary education, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
233 places, 4,502 data points, 1980–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of students enrolled in public and private upper secondary education institutions regardless of age.