Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of was 38.7% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1998–2021
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
Analysis
In 2021, initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland stood at 38.7%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 24.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 40.7% in 2014 and was at its lowest, 18.6%, in 2009.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 35th of 120 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.
Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 27.8% | — |
| 1999 | 22.5% | -18.8% |
| 2000 | 20.4% | -9.4% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 25.1% | +24.7% |
| 2003 | 24.6% | -2.0% |
| 2004 | 24.2% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 28.8% | +18.8% |
| 2006 | 25.9% | -10.3% |
| 2007 | 22.0% | -14.8% |
| 2008 | 20.3% | -7.9% |
| 2009 | 18.6% | -8.3% |
| 2010 | 23.5% | +26.1% |
| 2011 | 31.0% | +32.1% |
| 2013 | 39.8% | +28.2% |
| 2014 | 40.7% | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 35.0% | -14.1% |
| 2016 | 37.6% | +7.3% |
| 2017 | 38.7% | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 38.1% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 37.3% | -2.1% |
| 2020 | 36.9% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 38.7% | +4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25.2% | 22.5% | 27.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 23.0% | 18.6% | 28.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.8% | 23.5% | 40.7% | 9 |
| 2020s | 37.8% | 36.9% | 38.7% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More education data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 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)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 38.7% in 2021, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 40.7% in 2014.
- What is the lowest initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.6% in 2009.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 35th out of 120 countries with data for 2021.
- Is initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.8%. 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 Initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
February 2026 Data Release