Access to higher education

Published: 12 September 2023
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Data on the percentage of 19 year olds enrolled in higher education in the UK and internationally, over time.

  1. Summary main findings
  2. By year
  3. About the data
  4. Download the data

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

Percentage of 19 year olds enrolled in secondary or post-secondary education, over time (UK and international averages, 2010 to 2020)

Click or tap on legend items to toggle visibility

Data

Percentage of 19 year olds enrolled in secondary or post-secondary education, over time (UK and international averages, 2010 to 2020)
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 the data (CSV, 252B)

    • Download

    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

    Page history

    Publication release date:

    12 September 2023

    Editions of this page:

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