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.

In 2023/24 there were estimated to be over *** million students enrolled in higher education courses in the United Kingdom, compared with 2.94 million in 2022/23, the highest number of enrolled students during this provided time period. Although the number of students in the UK fell from *** million in 2011/12 to **** by 2014/15, this trend reversed in subsequent years, reaching the peak in the most recent year. Largest UK universities At ******* students, the mainly remote, Open University had the largest number of students enrolled among UK-based higher education institutions in 2022/23. University College London had the second-highest number of students at ******, followed by the University of Manchester at ******. At the UK's two oldest and most prestigious universities, Oxford and Cambridge, there were ******, and ****** students respectively. The university with the most students in Scotland was the University of Glasgow at *******students, with Wales' being Cardiff University at ****** students, and Northern Ireland's Ulster University having ****** students. Student Debt in the UK For students that graduated from English universities in 2024, the average student loan debt incurred over the course of their studies was over ****** British pounds. Although students graduated with less debt from universities in Wales, Northern Ireland, and especially Scotland, this too has been growing recently. In 2024, students from Scottish Universities graduated with an average of ****** pounds of debt, compared with ****** in Wales, and ****** in Northern Ireland. The overall outstanding student loan debt in the UK reached over *** billion pounds in 2023/24, with the vast majority of this debt from students who studied in England.

This release is the annual first release of Graduate Outcomes survey data and covers UK higher education providers (HEPs) and further education colleges (FECs) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Data is collected approximately 15 months after HE course completion. 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.

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.

Government spending on higher or tertiary education in the United Kingdom amounted to 4.5 billion British pounds in 2024/25, compared with 7.2 billion in the previous financial year.

This bulletin provides details of staff employment at UK higher education (HE) providers on 1 December 2020. Detailed analysis of the HESA staff record will be available in the Higher Education Staff Data, 2020/21 open dataset released in February 2022. From 2019/20, it is not mandatory for HE providers in England and Northern Ireland to return information about non-academic staff. Further details on coverage changes can be seen in the notes section of this release. We advise caution in interpreting this data.

Students from the Chinese ethnic group had the highest entry rate into higher education in every year from 2006 to 2024.

In the 2022/23 academic year, there were 587,165 enrollments for courses involving business and management studies, making it the most popular subject group in that year. Subjects allied to medicine had 369,455 enrollments, making it the second-most popular course in that year.

In 2022/23, the Open University, which focuses on remote learning, had approximately 140,215 students enrolled on courses, the highest in the UK during that academic year. After the Open University, University College London had the highest number of students in the UK, at 51,810, while the University of Manchester had the second-highest, at 46,860. The UK's oldest university, The University of Oxford, had approximately 27,340 students studying there.

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.

This bulletin provides details of staff employment at UK higher education (HE) providers on 1 December 2022. 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.

In the 2023/24 academic year, there were ******* enrollments for courses involving business and management studies, making it the most popular subject group in that year. Subjects allied to medicine had ******* enrollments, making it the second-most popular course in that year.

In the 2022/23 academic year, 30 percent of undergraduates obtaining their degree were awarded a degree with first-class honors, the highest possible grade for UK graduates. Almost half of all students achieved an upper second or 2.1, with 20 percent obtaining a lower second or 2.2, and just four percent of graduates obtained a third, the lowest possible pass grade. The share of UK students graduating with a first-class degree has increased significantly in this time period, while the share of students obtaining a 2.2 has fallen the most in the same time period. GCSE and A-Level grades also on the rise Higher grades for the UK's main qualification for high school students, the general certificate of secondary education (GCSE), have also increased recently. In 1988 for example, approximately 8.4 percent of GCSE entries received the highest grade, compared with 21.8 percent in 2024. This is also the case to a lesser-extent for advanced level GCSE results (A-Levels), with the share of entries being awarded an A or A* increasing from 17.8 percent in 2000 to 27.8 percent in 2024. There is no consensus on if these improvements are due to increased ability, or to grade inflation. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, grades in the UK were a lot higher than in other years. This was due to teacher and tutor assessments being giving a higher weighting than normal, with exams being postponed or cancelled completely. The UK's top universities Britain's oldest and most famous universities, Cambridge and Oxford, remained the two highest-ranked universities in the UK in 2025, with the London School of Economics finishing third. According to the ranking, the University of St Andrews was the top university outside the south of England, with Durham University being the highest-ranked university in the north of England. The largest university in terms of enrolled students was the mainly remote focused Open University, which had over 140,000 students in 2022/23. Among universities that mainly taught on-campus, University College London had the most students enrolled, at almost 52,000.

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UK E-Learning Market Size 2025-2029

The UK e-learning market size is valued to increase USD 12.66 billion, at a CAGR of 16.8% from 2024 to 2029. Increasing adoption of learning process enhancements in the academic sector will drive the UK e-learning market.

Major Market Trends & Insights

By End-user - K-12 segment was valued at USD 3.34 billion in 2022
By Product - Packaged content segment accounted for the largest market revenue share in 2022
CAGR : 16.8%

Market Summary

The E-Learning Market in the UK is experiencing significant growth and transformation, driven by the increasing adoption of technology-enhanced learning solutions in various sectors. In the academic sphere, the use of e-learning platforms and tools is on the rise, with over 70% of universities in the UK now offering online courses. Another major trend is the surge in popularity of microlearning, which allows learners to access bite-sized educational content on-demand, making learning more flexible and convenient. However, the market also faces challenges, such as the growing threat of in-house content development by organizations, which could impact the market share of commercial e-learning providers.
Despite these challenges, opportunities abound, including the potential for personalized learning experiences and the integration of artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies. These evolving trends underscore the dynamic nature of the E-Learning Market in the UK and its ongoing transformation.

What will be the Size of the UK E-Learning Market during the forecast period?

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How is the E-Learning in UK Market Segmented and what are the key trends of market segmentation?

The e-learning in UK industry research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in 'USD billion' for the period 2025-2029, as well as historical data from 2019-2023 for the following segments.

End-user

  K-12
  Higher education
  Corporate


Product

  Packaged content
  Solutions


Deployment

  On-premises
  Cloud


Provider

  Content
  Service
  Content
  Service


Geography

  Europe

    UK

By End-user Insights

The K-12 segment is estimated to witness significant growth during the forecast period.

The e-learning market in the UK is experiencing significant growth, particularly in the K-12 sector. This expansion is driven by the increasing adoption of Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Student Information Systems (SIS), which facilitate administration, documentation, tracking, reporting, and delivery of electronic educational materials. LMS also supports blended learning, flipped classrooms, and multi-device learning in-class. Moreover, the demand for digital content is surging, leading to increased utilization of digital publications and e-learning tools. Traditional face-to-face education and online learning are merging in blended learning models, providing students with the benefits of both worlds. The convenience and portability of mobile devices have made them an essential tool for e-learning, with their usage becoming increasingly common.

Augmented reality training, personalized learning paths, learning experience platforms, content management systems, learning outcome measurement, online course authoring, collaborative learning tools, microlearning modules, performance support systems, digital learning content, gamified learning, e-learning platforms, competency-based learning, adaptive learning technology, virtual classroom software, assessment platforms, and blended learning models are all gaining traction in the market. Furthermore, the adoption of data-driven instruction, employee training modules, educational technology solutions, course delivery platforms, virtual reality training, online tutoring platforms, knowledge management systems, video conferencing tools, interactive simulations, corporate training programs, learning analytics dashboards, and talent management systems is on the rise. According to recent reports, the e-learning market in the UK is projected to grow by 25% in the next year, with a further 20% increase expected within the next five years.

These figures underscore the market's continuous evolution and the growing importance of e-learning solutions in various sectors.

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The K-12 segment was valued at USD 3.34 billion in 2019 and showed a gradual increase during the forecast period.

Market Dynamics

Our researchers analyzed the data with 2024 as the base year, along with the key drivers, trends, and challenges. A holistic analysis of drivers will help companies refine their marketing strategies to gain a competitive advantage.

The e-learning market in the UK is experiencing robust growth as businesses and educational institutions embrace effective online course development

Progression to higher education or training at national level, including breakdowns by institution type and student characteristics.