Access to higher education
Data on the percentage of 19 year olds enrolled in higher education in the UK and internationally, over time.
Summary main findings
63% of 19 year olds in the UK entered higher education in 2020, compared with 48% in 2010.
UK enrolment in higher education among 19 year olds has been higher than the international average for OECD countries in 3 of the last 4 years – it was lower than the international average every year from 2010 to 2016.
The percentage of 19 year olds from OECD countries entering higher education has stayed roughly the same since 2010, at 61% or 62%.
By year
Visualisation for by year
Percentage of 19 year olds enrolled in secondary or post-secondary education, over time (UK and international averages, 2010 to 2020)
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Data for by year
| Year | UK (%) | International Average (OECD) (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 63.2 | 60.8 |
| 2019 | 62.4 | 61.0 |
| 2018 | 61.7 | 62.0 |
| 2017 | 62.7 | 62.5 |
| 2016 | 60.9 | 62.4 |
| 2015 | 57.6 | 62.3 |
| 2014 | 56.5 | 62.0 |
| 2013 | 58.6 | 61.6 |
| 2012 | 53.0 | 61.7 |
| 2011 | 50.2 | 62.3 |
| 2010 | 48.2 | 61.5 |
Download for by year
For the full download file, see Download the data.
About the data
Data source
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Online Education Database
Time period
2010 to 2020
Geographic area
UK
What the data measures
The data shows the percentage of 19 year olds entered in higher education in the UK, over time. It also shows the international average, measured in OECD countries.
The data is based on headcounts and includes both full-time and part-time students. In some OECD countries, part-time education is only partially covered in the data.
Things you need to know
Entrance rates in higher education are calculated by dividing the number of students aged 19 years by the size of the population of 19 year olds.
Type of data
Administrative data
Full report
Read more in State of the Nation 2023 on GOV.UK.
Download the data
Download full dataset (CSV, 4KB)
This file contains the following variables:
- Indicator code
- Indicator name
- Area name
- Time period
- Age
- Sex
- Value
- Unit