Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in was 37.4% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
37.4%
Change on year
down 2.4%
World rank
47th
of 168 countries
All-time high
53.1%
in 2016
All-time low
17.2%
in 2011
Years of data
26
1998–2023

Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1998–2023

203040501998201020231998: 23.9 %1999: 34.2 %2000: 35 %2001: 34.5 %2002: 36 %2003: 33.4 %2004: 38.6 %2005: 39.4 %2006: 31.8 %2007: 32.1 %2008: 23.6 %2009: 22.5 %2010: 23.8 %2011: 17.2 %2012: 18.1 %2013: 43.8 %2014: 42.7 %2015: 40.1 %2016: 53.1 %2017: 46.6 %2018: 43.9 %2019: 41.5 %2020: 40.1 %2021: 39.3 %2022: 38.3 %2023: 37.4 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 37.4% for share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in 2023.

That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 14.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 53.1% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 17.2%, in 2011.

That places United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 47th out of 168 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year

Annual values for Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in vocational programmes, both sexes (%) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1998 to 2023.
Year % Change
1998 23.9%
1999 34.2% +43.1%
2000 35.0% +2.5%
2001 34.5% -1.6%
2002 36.0% +4.4%
2003 33.4% -7.2%
2004 38.6% +15.8%
2005 39.4% +2.0%
2006 31.8% -19.4%
2007 32.1% +1.0%
2008 23.6% -26.4%
2009 22.5% -4.6%
2010 23.8% +5.6%
2011 17.2% -27.9%
2012 18.1% +5.3%
2013 43.8% +142.2%
2014 42.7% -2.5%
2015 40.1% -6.1%
2016 53.1% +32.5%
2017 46.6% -12.2%
2018 43.9% -5.9%
2019 41.5% -5.3%
2020 40.1% -3.5%
2021 39.3% -1.9%
2022 38.3% -2.5%
2023 37.4% -2.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 29.0% 23.9% 34.2% 2
2000s 32.7% 22.5% 39.4% 10
2010s 37.1% 17.2% 53.1% 10
2020s 38.8% 37.4% 40.1% 4

Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  1. 44 China 38.3% compare
  2. 45 Portugal 37.9% compare
  3. 46 Estonia 37.8% compare
  4. 48 Indonesia 37.2% compare
  5. 49 Iran, Islamic Republic of 37.0% compare
  6. 50 Burundi 36.5% compare

See the full ranking of 389 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 share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 37.4% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 53.1% in 2016.
What is the lowest share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 17.2% in 2011.
How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 47th out of 168 countries with data for 2023.
Is share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.5%. 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 Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in vocational programmes, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/share-of-all-students-in-upper-secondary-education-enrolled-in-vocational-programmes-both/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of all students in upper secondary education enrolled in vocational programmes, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
389 places, 9,250 data points, 1996–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release