SFC news published since 2018. See SFC archived content for earlier news articles.
Photos: Dundee and Angus College, University of Aberdeen, West Lothian College and BE-ST.
A new report from the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) shows a growth in the number of enrolments on college courses of students aged between 14 and 21. The increase was largely driven by more enrolments of 16 year olds.
The College Statistics Report draws on newly collected data trends from the past decade and presents a broad picture of college education since 2015-16.
The latest study covers the academic year 2024-2025 and shows more than 2,500 additional enrolments of 16 year olds compared with the previous year. This follows a strategic move for colleges to focus on senior phase students (S4 – S6) and offer more opportunities for their vocational learning. Elsewhere there has been a reduction in enrolments, with most of the change being in part time courses.
Today’s report confirms that the college sector in Scotland once again met the Scottish Funding Council’s target for learning and teaching activity, with 100% of the required places being filled across the country’s 24 colleges. The sector’s target itself has been fine-tuned since 2023 to better reflect anticipated needs. At the same time SFC has maintained its level of funding, resulting in an increase in the price paid for each college place.
For the first time since 2016-17 the number of enrolments by male students on a further education course outnumbers enrolments for female students. For college course enrolments overall the male to female ratio balanced out at 51% male to 49% female.
The College Statistics Report also looks at the subject areas selected by students in a given year. The areas of study that have become more popular over the last decade include those related to construction where there is an increasing demand for more skilled workers.
Martin Boyle, Chief Operating Officer at the Scottish Funding Council, said:
“Reports like today’s are important because they support the responsive and agile decision-making needed in the challenging environment in which colleges and businesses now operate. They also support our ambition to equip people for the changing world of work through funding clear pathways to learning and development.
“I’m really pleased to again see confirmation of the sector’s 100% delivery against the activity target and to see evidence of effective forward planning in the sector.”
College Statistics 2024-25 is now available on the SFC website.
