Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Netherlands

Netherlands: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 28.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
28.9%
Change on year
down 2.0%
World rank
4th
of 105 countries
All-time high
29.6%
in 2021
All-time low
14.1%
in 1996
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Netherlands, 1990–2023

01020301990200620231990: 15.2 %1991: 14.8 %1992: 17.2 %1993: 16.3 %1994: 15.4 %1995: 14.9 %1996: 14.1 %1997: 14.2 %1998: 14.5 %1999: 15.5 %2000: 17.6 %2001: 18.4 %2002: 18.7 %2003: 19.9 %2004: 20 %2005: 17.8 %2006: 16.8 %2007: 18.8 %2008: 18.4 %2009: 18.5 %2010: 19.5 %2011: 20.4 %2012: 19.3 %2013: 20.2 %2014: 20.7 %2015: 21.4 %2016: 21.1 %2017: 22.4 %2018: 22.1 %2019: 23 %2020: 22.1 %2021: 29.6 %2022: 29.5 %2023: 28.9 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

Netherlands recorded 28.9% for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in 2023.

That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and up 43.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Netherlands peaked at 29.6% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 14.1%, in 1996.

Netherlands ranks 4th of 105 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Netherlands, year by year

Annual values for 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 (%) in Netherlands, 1990 to 2023.
Year % Change
1990 15.2%
1991 14.8% -2.7%
1992 17.2% +16.4%
1993 16.3% -5.5%
1994 15.4% -5.1%
1995 14.9% -3.5%
1996 14.1% -5.6%
1997 14.2% +0.8%
1998 14.5% +2.5%
1999 15.5% +6.8%
2000 17.6% +13.3%
2001 18.4% +4.9%
2002 18.7% +1.2%
2003 19.9% +6.4%
2004 20.0% +0.6%
2005 17.8% -10.8%
2006 16.8% -5.8%
2007 18.8% +11.8%
2008 18.4% -2.0%
2009 18.5% +0.5%
2010 19.5% +5.5%
2011 20.4% +4.8%
2012 19.3% -5.4%
2013 20.2% +4.4%
2014 20.7% +2.3%
2015 21.4% +3.7%
2016 21.1% -1.5%
2017 22.4% +6.3%
2018 22.1% -1.5%
2019 23.0% +4.0%
2020 22.1% -3.6%
2021 29.6% +34.0%
2022 29.5% -0.4%
2023 28.9% -2.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 15.2% 14.1% 17.2% 10
2000s 18.5% 16.8% 20.0% 10
2010s 21.0% 19.3% 23.0% 10
2020s 27.5% 22.1% 29.6% 4

Countries ranked near Netherlands

  1. 1 Sweden 41.3% compare
  2. 2 Denmark 32.6% compare
  3. 3 Finland 29.1% compare
  4. 5 Iceland 28.0% compare
  5. 6 Estonia 25.7% compare
  6. 7 Norway 25.5% compare

See the full ranking of 150 places →

More education data for Netherlands

All data for Netherlands →

Frequently asked questions

What is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Netherlands?
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Netherlands was 28.9% 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 Netherlands?
The highest recorded value was 29.6% in 2021.
What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Netherlands?
The lowest recorded value was 14.1% in 1996.
How does Netherlands rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
Netherlands ranks 4th out of 105 countries with data for 2023.
Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in Netherlands?
Over the last ten years it is up 43.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Netherlands 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.

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Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Netherlands. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/participation-rate-of-youth-and-adults-in-formal-and-non-formal-education-and-training-in-11/netherlands/

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About this data

Indicator
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 (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
150 places, 3,020 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release