Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France
France: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 3.3% in 2023. ▼ Falling
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France, 1990–2023
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France is 3.3%, measured in 2023.
The figure is down 2.9% on the previous year and up 178.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France peaked at 7.7% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 1.0%, in 2010.
France ranks 49th of 105 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 31 years of available data.
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.4% | — |
| 1991 | 3.5% | +3.3% |
| 1992 | 3.6% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 3.6% | +2.0% |
| 1994 | 3.6% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 3.5% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | 3.2% | -8.3% |
| 1997 | 3.5% | +9.1% |
| 1998 | 3.2% | -8.2% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | -4.8% |
| 2000 | 3.4% | +9.5% |
| 2001 | 3.3% | -2.9% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | -0.6% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | +136.5% |
| 2006 | 1.1% | -85.1% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | -5.0% |
| 2008 | 1.1% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 1.0% | -7.3% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | -4.3% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | +13.4% |
| 2012 | 1.2% | +8.6% |
| 2014 | 2.6% | +121.5% |
| 2015 | 2.6% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 2.6% | -2.8% |
| 2017 | 2.6% | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 2.6% | -0.9% |
| 2019 | 2.8% | +8.3% |
| 2020 | 2.7% | -3.5% |
| 2021 | 3.3% | +23.4% |
| 2022 | 3.4% | +2.2% |
| 2023 | 3.3% | -2.9% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 3.3% is below the median for high income countries, which is 9.3%, 35% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- France's 3.3% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.8%, 42% of the median. (41 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +136.5% | 3.2% | 7.7% |
| 2014 | +121.5% | 1.2% | 2.6% |
| 2006 | -85.1% | 7.7% | 1.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.4% | 3.1% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.7% | 1.0% | 7.7% | 8 |
| 2010s | 2.1% | 1.0% | 2.8% | 9 |
| 2020s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.4% | 4 |
Countries ranked near France
More education data for France
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 457,956 (2019)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 43,533 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 1.19 million (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 1.14 million (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 6.27 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 4.13 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -1.27 % change on previous year (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0602 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France?
- Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in France was 3.3% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 7.7% in 2004.
- What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.0% in 2010.
- How does France rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
- France ranks 49th out of 105 countries with data for 2023.
- Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 178.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this France data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 25-54 years old, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release