Higher education in the UK - Statistics & Facts
Key insights
- Number of students in the UK
- 2.86m

Detailed statistics
Number of students enrolled in the United Kingdom 2009-2022
- Share of people aged between 30 and 34 with a degree in the UK
- 50%

Detailed statistics
Share of population aged 30-34 that are university graduates in the EU and UK 2021
- Share of people aged between 15 and 64 with a degree in the UK
- 40.6%

Detailed statistics
Share of population aged 15-64 that are university graduates in Europe 2022
Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic
Current statistics on this topic
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Students
7
- Premium Statistic Number of students enrolled in the United Kingdom 2009-2022
- Premium Statistic University applicants in the United Kingdom 1994-2022
- Basic Statistic Percentage of undergraduate degrees awarded each grade in the UK 2011-2022
- Premium Statistic Number of university enrolments in the UK 2021/22, by subject
- Premium Statistic Leading EU countries studying in the UK 2021/22
- Premium Statistic Leading non-EU countries studying in the UK 2021/22
- Basic Statistic Average annual salary of graduates and non-graduates in England 2007-2022
Students
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Premium Statistic
Number of students enrolled in the United Kingdom 2009-2022
Number of students enrolled in the United Kingdom 2009-2022
Number of students enrolled in higher education in the United Kingdom from 2009/10 to 2021/22 (in millions)
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Premium Statistic
University applicants in the United Kingdom 1994-2022
University applicants in the United Kingdom 1994-2022
Number of university applicants in the United Kingdom from 1994 to 2022 (in 1,000s)
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Basic Statistic
Percentage of undergraduate degrees awarded each grade in the UK 2011-2022
Percentage of undergraduate degrees awarded each grade in the UK 2011-2022
Percentage of first degree qualifiers obtaining each classification in the United Kingdom from 2011/12 to 2021/22
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Premium Statistic
Number of university enrolments in the UK 2021/22, by subject
Number of university enrolments in the UK 2021/22, by subject
Number of university enrolments in the United Kingdom in 2021/22, by subject group
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Premium Statistic
Leading EU countries studying in the UK 2021/22
Leading EU countries studying in the UK 2021/22
Leading European Union countries of origin for higher education students studying in the United Kingdom in 2021/22
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Premium Statistic
Leading non-EU countries studying in the UK 2021/22
Leading non-EU countries studying in the UK 2021/22
Leading non-European Union countries of origin for higher education students studying in the United Kingdom in 2021/22
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Basic Statistic
Average annual salary of graduates and non-graduates in England 2007-2022
Average annual salary of graduates and non-graduates in England 2007-2022
Average annual salary of graduates and non-graduates in England from 2007 to 2022 (in 1,000 GBP)
Universities
4
- Basic Statistic Leading U.K. universities ranked by the Complete University Guide 2023
- Basic Statistic Number of higher education institutions in the UK 2016-2021
- Premium Statistic Universities with the highest number of students in the UK 2021/22
- Premium Statistic Annual expenditure of universities in the UK 1993-2022
Universities
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Basic Statistic
Leading U.K. universities ranked by the Complete University Guide 2023
Leading U.K. universities ranked by the Complete University Guide 2023
The Complete University Guide's top twenty universities in the United Kingdom in 2023, by overall score (max = 1000)
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Basic Statistic
Number of higher education institutions in the UK 2016-2021
Number of higher education institutions in the UK 2016-2021
Number of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom from 2016/17 to 2020/21
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Premium Statistic
Universities with the highest number of students in the UK 2021/22
Universities with the highest number of students in the UK 2021/22
Universities with the highest number of students in the United Kingdom in 2021/22
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Premium Statistic
Annual expenditure of universities in the UK 1993-2022
Annual expenditure of universities in the UK 1993-2022
Annual expenditure of higher education institutions in the United Kingdom from 1993/94 to 2021/22 (in billion GBP)
Student Finance
4
Student Finance
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Basic Statistic
Government spending on higher education in the UK 2009-2023
Government spending on higher education in the UK 2009-2023
Public sector expenditure on tertiary education in the United Kingdom from 2009/10 to 2022/23 (in billion GBP)
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Basic Statistic
Average student loan debt in the UK 2000-2023
Average student loan debt in the UK 2000-2023
Average student loan debt on entry to repayment in the United Kingdom from 1999/00 to 2022/23, by country (in 1,000 GBP)
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Basic Statistic
Outstanding debt of student loans in the UK 2013-2023
Outstanding debt of student loans in the UK 2013-2023
Outstanding debt of student loans in the United Kingdom from 2013/14 to 2022/23, by country (in billion GBP)
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Premium Statistic
Tuition fees as a share of higher education income in the UK 2008-2022
Tuition fees as a share of higher education income in the UK 2008-2022
Income from tuition fees as a share of all Higher Education Institution income in the United Kingdom from 2008/09 to 2021/22
International Comparisons
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- Premium Statistic International student share of higher-ed population worldwide in 2020, by country
- Basic Statistic Higher education spending per student worldwide by country 2019
- Basic Statistic Degrees earned in higher education U.S. 1950-2031
- Basic Statistic Share of population aged 15-64 that are university graduates in Europe 2022
- Basic Statistic Share of population aged 30-34 that are university graduates in the EU and UK 2021
- Basic Statistic Share of population that are university graduates in the EU 2010-2021, by age
- Premium Statistic Number of degree graduates in the EU 2020, by field of study
International Comparisons
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Premium Statistic
International student share of higher-ed population worldwide in 2020, by country
International student share of higher-ed population worldwide in 2020, by country
Countries with the largest amount of international students as a share of the total higher education population in 2020
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Basic Statistic
Higher education spending per student worldwide by country 2019
Higher education spending per student worldwide by country 2019
Expenditure on higher education per student in OECD countries worldwide in 2019 (in U.S. dollars)
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Basic Statistic
Degrees earned in higher education U.S. 1950-2031
Degrees earned in higher education U.S. 1950-2031
Number of higher education degrees earned in the United States from 1950 to 2031 (in 1,000s)
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Basic Statistic
Share of population aged 15-64 that are university graduates in Europe 2022
Share of population aged 15-64 that are university graduates in Europe 2022
Share of those aged between 15 to 64 with tertiary educational attainment in Europe, by country
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Basic Statistic
Share of population aged 30-34 that are university graduates in the EU and UK 2021
Share of population aged 30-34 that are university graduates in the EU and UK 2021
Share of those aged between 30 to 34 with tertiary educational attainment in the European Union and United Kingdom in 2021, by country
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Basic Statistic
Share of population that are university graduates in the EU 2010-2021, by age
Share of population that are university graduates in the EU 2010-2021, by age
Share of those with tertiary educational attainment in the European Union (EU27) from 2010 to 2021, by age group
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Premium Statistic
Number of degree graduates in the EU 2020, by field of study
Number of degree graduates in the EU 2020, by field of study
Number of tertiary education graduates in the European Union (EU27) in 2020, by broad field of study
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