Degrees that were in the field of business, administration or law were the most popular in Europe, with over one million Europeans graduating with a degree of this type in 2021. The next most popular field of study was engineering, manufacturing and construction, which had roughly 640,000 graduates, followed by health and welfare degrees which accounted for a further 599,000.

Government spending on higher or tertiary education in the United Kingdom was 7.16 billion British pounds in 2023/24, compared with 4.56 billion in the previous financial year.

In 2022/23 there were estimated to be over 2.94 million students enrolled in higher education courses in the United Kingdom, which was the highest number of enrolled students during this provided time period. Although the number of students in the UK fell from 2.5 million in 2011/12 to 2.27 by 2014/15, this trend reversed in subsequent years, reaching the peak in the most recent year. Largest UK universities At 151,840 students, the mainly remote, Open University had the largest number of students enrolled among UK-based higher education institutions in 2021/22. University College London had the second-highest number of students at 46,830, followed by the University of Manchester at 46,140. At the UK's two oldest and most prestigious universities, Oxford and Cambridge, there were 27,290, and 22,610 students respectively. The university with the most students in Scotland was the University of Glasgow at 42,980 students, with Wales' being Cardiff University at 33,985 students, and Northern Ireland's Ulster University having 34,550 students. Student Debt in the UK For students that graduated from English universities in 2023, the average student loan debt incurred over the course of their studies was over 44,900 pounds. Although the students graduated with less debt from universities in Wales, Northern Ireland, and especially Scotland, this too has been growing in recent years. The overall outstanding student loan debt in the UK reached over 225.95 billion pounds in 2022/23, with the vast majority from students who studied in England.

Last update: April 2013 Was added to StatsWales: April 2013 Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Contact: post16ed.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk The information in this table is taken from Performance Indicators in Higher Education in the UK available on the HESA web-site at www.hesa.ac.uk/pi. A Guide to Performance Indicators in Higher Education is also available at this web-site. The indicators are designed to provide reliable information on the nature and performance of the higher education sector in the UK. The performance indicators broadly cover access to higher education, non-continuation rates and outcomes. Indicators relate to higher education institutions in the individual countries of the UK. The Performance Indicators Steering Group (PISG) has led the development of these indicators. Members are drawn from the four higher education funding bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (HEFCE, SHEFC, HEFCW, DEL); the Department for Education and Skills and other government departments, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, and universities and colleges through their representative bodies (Universities UK and SCOP) Since 2002/03 HESA has published the Performance Indicators on behalf of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) who published them previously. A number of changes were introduced for the 2002/03 publication; further details can be found at www.hesa.ac.uk/pi . The access indicators relate to students starting in 2004/05; the indicators of non-continuation (students who do not continue after their first year) and of non-completion (students who drop out and do not resume later or transfer elsewhere) relate to the cohort starting in 2003/04. The disability indicator covers all students, not just entrants, on undergraduate programmes in 2004/05. WIDENING ACCESS: PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG FIRST DEGREE ENTRANTS FROM STATE SCHOOLS OR COLLEGES. School type is taken from previous institution attended. All schools or colleges that are not denoted ‘independent’ are assumed to be state schools. This means that students from sixth-form or further education colleges, for example, are included as being from state schools.

This bulletin is the annual first release of HESA student data. For the first time it draws upon data from the revised student data collection (delivered by the Data Futures programme). A comprehensive quality assessment has been undertaken on the dataset and this is detailed in our accompanying 2022/23 student data quality report. A detailed list of findings is available in the data quality and insights resource, which is also accompanied by provider specific data notes. The coverage of data is detailed in the notes section of this release. In summary, we cover data about higher education students and qualifiers from the following types of providers within the UK: Higher education (HE) providers in England registered with the Office for Students (OfS) in the Approved (fee cap) or Approved categories; Publicly funded HE providers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; and Further education (FE) colleges in Wales. This bulletin also includes information from the HESA Aggregate Offshore record which can be seen in Figure 12. This separate record counts students studying wholly outside the UK who are either registered with the reporting HE provider or who are studying for an award of the reporting HE provider.

This bulletin is the annual first release of HESA student data. It covers data about higher education students and qualifiers from the following types of providers within the UK: Higher education (HE) providers in England registered with the Office for Students (OfS) in the Approved (fee cap) or Approved categories; Publicly funded HE providers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; and Further education (FE) colleges in Wales. These providers submit data to HESA via either the Student record or the Student alternative record. This is the second year that data from both records have been combined together in the figures within this release to provide a more complete picture of higher education within the UK. Further details on coverage can be seen in the notes section of this release. For users wishing to undertake time-series analysis that make use of data drawn exclusively from the HESA Student record (and therefore comparable with the coverage of tables and charts published in previous issues of this bulletin) an option is provided to 'Download source data 051 record only (csv)' underneath each table and chart. Please note that this is the final year this option will be available. HESA do not intend to continue with the production of 051 record only source data. This bulletin also includes information from the HESA Aggregate offshore record and can be seen in figure 12. This separate record counts students studying wholly outside the UK who are either registered with the reporting HE provider or who are studying for an award of the reporting HE provider.

UK: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Post-Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data was reported at 37.299 % in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 31.882 % for 2011. UK: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Post-Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data is updated yearly, averaging 31.882 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2012, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.299 % in 2012 and a record low of 6.599 % in 1971. UK: Educational Attainment: At Least Completed Post-Secondary: Population 25+ Years: Female: % Cumulative data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Education Statistics. The percentage of population ages 25 and over that attained or completed post-secondary non-tertiary education.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; ;

This release includes more detail on higher education students than was published in the student statistics bulletin in January 2021.

UK: School Enrollment: Tertiary: Male: % Gross data was reported at 49.186 % in 2015. This records a decrease from the previous number of 49.439 % for 2014. UK: School Enrollment: Tertiary: Male: % Gross data is updated yearly, averaging 37.733 % from Dec 1971 (Median) to 2015, with 45 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 55.965 % in 1999 and a record low of 19.224 % in 1971. UK: School Enrollment: Tertiary: Male: % Gross data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Education Statistics. Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.; ; UNESCO Institute for Statistics; Weighted average; Each economy is classified based on the classification of World Bank Group's fiscal year 2018 (July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018).

There were 296 higher education institutions in the United Kingdom in the 2022/23 academic year, compared with the previous year when there were 288.

Experimental statistics from the Student Experiences Insights Survey (SEIS) in England. Includes information on the behaviours, plans, opinions and well-being of higher education students in their third year or higher in the context of guidance on the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The period covered in this dataset is 29 November to 20 December 2021.

This Statistical First Release (SFR) has been produced by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in collaboration with statisticians from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Scottish Executive (Scottish Government) and the Department for Employment and Learning Northern Ireland. It provides details of student enrolments and qualifications obtained by higher education (HE) students at HE institutions (HEIs) in the United Kingdom (UK) for the academic year 2006/07.

Table 1 shows all student enrolments on HE courses by level of study, mode of study and domicile, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 1a shows all student enrolments on HE courses by location of institution, mode of study and domicile, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 2 shows first year student enrolments on HE courses by level of study, mode of study and domicile, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 2a shows first year student enrolments on HE courses by location of institution, mode of study and domicile, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 3 shows student enrolments on HE courses by mode of study, level of study and subject area, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 3a shows student enrolments on HE courses by location of institution, mode of study, level of study and subject area 2006/07.

Table 4 shows the qualifications obtained by students on HE courses at HEIs in the UK by mode of study, domicile, gender and level of qualification obtained, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 4a shows qualifications obtained by students on HE courses at HEIs in the UK by location of institution, mode of study, domicile, gender and level of qualification obtained, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 5 shows the class of degree achieved by students obtaining first degree qualifications at HEIs in the UK by gender and mode of study, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 5a shows class of degree achieved by students obtaining first degree qualifications at HEIs in the UK by location of institution, gender and mode of study 2006/07.

Table 6 shows the qualifications obtained by students on HE courses at HEIs in the UK by level of qualification obtained, gender and subject area, 2002/03 to 2006/07.

Table 6a shows qualifications obtained by students on HE courses at HEIs in the UK by location of institution, level of qualification obtained, gender and subject area, 2006/07.

Last update: April 2013 Was added to StatsWales: April 2013 Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Contact: post16ed.stats@wales.gsi.gov.uk The information in this table is taken from Performance Indicators in Higher Education in the UK available on the HESA web-site at www.hesa.ac.uk/pi. A Guide to Performance Indicators in Higher Education is also available at this web-site. The indicators are designed to provide reliable information on the nature and performance of the higher education sector in the UK. The performance indicators broadly cover access to higher education, non-continuation rates and outcomes. Indicators relate to higher education institutions in the individual countries of the UK. The Performance Indicators Steering Group (PISG) has led the development of these indicators. Members are drawn from the four higher education funding bodies for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (HEFCE, SHEFC, HEFCW, DEL); the Department for Education and Skills and other government departments, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, and universities and colleges through their representative bodies (Universities UK and SCOP) Since 2002/03 HESA has published the Performance Indicators on behalf of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) who published them previously. A number of changes were introduced for the 2002/03 publication; further details can be found at www.hesa.ac.uk/pi . The access indicators relate to students starting in 2004/05; the indicators of non-continuation (students who do not continue after their first year) and of non-completion (students who drop out and do not resume later or transfer elsewhere) relate to the cohort starting in 2003/04. The disability indicator covers all students, not just entrants, on undergraduate programmes in 2004/05. WIDENING ACCESS: PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG FIRST DEGREE ENTRANTS FROM STATE SCHOOLS OR COLLEGES. School type is taken from previous institution attended. All schools or colleges that are not denoted ‘independent’ are assumed to be state schools. This means that students from sixth-form or further education colleges, for example, are included as being from state schools.

This bulletin provides details of staff employment at UK higher education (HE) providers on 1 December 2023. Detailed analysis of the HESA staff record is available in the Higher Education Staff Open Data.

This bulletin has been produced by Jisc in collaboration with statisticians from the Department for Education, the Office for Students, the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government and the Department for the Economy Northern Ireland. It has been released according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.

School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) in United Kingdom was reported at 80.15 % in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Data covers information on students, staff, graduates, finances, estates, and other populations from all aspects of the UK higher eduation sector.