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Overview

An infographic that highlights key statistics from the publication. It shows the total number of entrants, students and the initial participation rate for Higher Education in Scotland.

Introduction

  1. This report contains information relating to higher education (HE) provision and attainment in higher education institutions (HEIs) and colleges in Scotland. Student data from Scottish HEIs and colleges have been combined to allow reporting on all HE provision delivered in Scotland. HE consists of courses delivered at SCQF level 7 and above. See the SCQF Interactive Framework for a breakdown of qualifications at each level.

Entrants

Figure 1: Entrants to Higher Education Courses at Scottish Institutions by Level of Study, 2014-15 to 2023-24

Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 4,175 27,935 48,075 28,215 25,255
2015-16 4,175 28,630 49,095 28,215 24,975
2016-17 4,165 31,200 50,245 29,700 24,480
2017-18 4,365 33,610 51,690 28,855 23,310
2018-19 4,510 35,345 52,565 27,860 23,630
2019-20 4,240 40,195 53,035 27,140 22,555
2020-21 4,535 49,250 57,030 29,550 23,345
2021-22 4,350 56,370 54,875 24,455 24,970
2022-23 4,055 57,830 52,935 22,050 27,565
2023-24 4,105 50,665 51,285 22,405 26,570
Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 0 0 845 24,805 11,135
2015-16 0 0 795 24,930 12,230
2016-17 0 0 670 26,280 11,540
2017-18 0 0 665 25,515 11,115
2018-19 0 0 715 24,965 11,465
2019-20 0 0 775 24,385 10,155
2020-21 0 0 815 26,510 10,480
2021-22 0 0 745 22,090 11,025
2022-23 0 0 610 19,805 12,460
2023-24 0 0 635 19,885 10,330
Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 4,175 27,935 47,230 3,410 14,125
2015-16 4,175 28,630 48,300 3,285 12,745
2016-17 4,165 31,200 49,575 3,420 12,940
2017-18 4,365 33,610 51,020 3,340 12,190
2018-19 4,510 35,345 51,850 2,895 12,170
2019-20 4,240 40,195 52,260 2,755 12,395
2020-21 4,535 49,250 56,210 3,040 12,865
2021-22 4,350 56,370 54,130 2,370 13,945
2022-23 4,055 57,830 52,330 2,245 15,105
2023-24 4,105 50,665 50,650 2,520 16,240

  1. There were 155,030 total entrants to higher education at Scottish institutions in 2023-24. This is lower than the 164,435 entrants in 2022-23 (-9,405, -5.7%).

  2. There were fewer entrants to higher education at college year on year (-2,025, -6.2%), dropping from 32,875 to 30,850 entrants. In 2023-24 the SFC announced a downward adjustment of 10% to college credit allocations to more closely align allocations with anticipated student demand. This reduction in allocations may have driven the reduced entrants to HE at College.

  3. There was a decrease in entrants to higher education at universities of -7,380 (-5.6%), from 131,560 in 2022-23 to 124,180 in 2023-24. The decrease in university entrants has been driven by a decrease in non-EU international entrants to postgraduate courses, from 38,110 in 2022-23 to 28,770 in 2023-24 (-9,340, -24.5%).

Figure 2: Higher Education Initial Participation Rate at Scottish Institutions, 2014-15 to 2023-24


  1. The Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) is an estimate of the probability that a 16 year old will participate in higher education at college or university from HNC to Degree level by the age of 30.
  2. The Higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) increased by 1 percentage point (pp) in 2023-24, from 57.2% to 58.2%. This increase was driven mainly by increased participation in the 16 to 20 age group, while participation rates fell for ages 21 to 30.

Students

Figure 3: Students on Higher Education Courses at Scottish Institutions by Level of Study, 2014-15 to 2023-24

Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 12,525 43,675 154,420 40,765 29,905
2015-16 12,910 43,800 158,495 41,060 29,185
2016-17 13,045 45,780 162,130 42,660 29,005
2017-18 13,145 48,495 166,040 41,560 27,455
2018-19 13,420 50,900 169,635 40,320 28,390
2019-20 13,110 55,850 172,680 39,080 26,500
2020-21 13,535 68,375 181,495 41,670 27,735
2021-22 13,705 83,065 184,380 35,475 29,645
2022-23 14,105 79,395 177,945 30,795 31,875
2023-24 13,610 72,075 174,185 30,920 30,405
Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 0 0 1,095 35,810 11,810
2015-16 0 0 1,055 36,130 12,705
2016-17 0 0 1,005 37,525 12,155
2017-18 0 0 980 36,535 12,070
2018-19 0 0 1,065 35,835 12,285
2019-20 0 0 1,110 34,660 10,955
2020-21 0 0 1,240 37,110 11,590
2021-22 0 0 1,140 31,770 12,115
2022-23 0 0 890 27,395 13,590
2023-24 0 0 940 27,300 11,500
Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 12,525 43,675 153,325 4,955 18,090
2015-16 12,910 43,800 157,440 4,930 16,480
2016-17 13,045 45,780 161,125 5,135 16,850
2017-18 13,145 48,495 165,060 5,030 15,385
2018-19 13,420 50,900 168,570 4,485 16,105
2019-20 13,110 55,850 171,565 4,420 15,540
2020-21 13,535 68,375 180,255 4,560 16,145
2021-22 13,705 83,065 183,245 3,690 17,530
2022-23 14,105 79,395 177,055 3,400 18,285
2023-24 13,610 72,075 173,245 3,620 18,905

  1. In academic year 2023-24 there were a total of 321,190 students on higher education courses at Scottish institutions. This represents a reduction of -12,925 students (-3.9%) from the previous academic year.

  2. Proportionally there was a greater fall in HE students at Scotland’s colleges, -5.1% (-2,140). By comparison, the number of students at Scotland’s universities fell by -3.7% (-10,785).

  3. In 2023-24 there were 44,185 students studying on distance learning HE courses at Scottish institutions. While figures have decreased marginally from their peak at 45,450 in 2021-22 (-1,265, -2.8%), they remain much higher than for 2018-19 (+13,155, +42.4%), the last academic year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Qualifiers

Figure 4: Qualifiers from Higher Education Courses at Scottish Institutions by Level of Study, 2014-15 to 2023-24

Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 2,930 24,135 36,870 19,970 13,050
2015-16 2,790 23,050 37,785 20,525 13,250
2016-17 3,050 26,340 38,225 21,895 12,245
2017-18 3,265 27,240 38,855 21,995 12,810
2018-19 3,180 32,225 39,340 21,395 14,005
2019-20 3,320 28,575 37,990 21,015 10,460
2020-21 2,765 33,040 39,895 20,445 12,570
2021-22 3,170 42,695 40,345 17,230 13,760
2022-23 3,280 35,570 37,360 15,005 14,790
2023-24 3,435 48,475 41,655 15,635 12,735
Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 0 0 660 17,640 7,475
2015-16 0 0 645 17,960 7,965
2016-17 0 0 575 19,110 7,305
2017-18 0 0 560 19,425 7,585
2018-19 0 0 610 18,790 8,510
2019-20 0 0 690 18,955 6,015
2020-21 0 0 705 18,210 6,950
2021-22 0 0 625 15,410 7,385
2022-23 0 0 610 13,815 8,520
2023-24 0 0 675 13,465 6,595
Academic year Research Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate First Degree HNC/HND Other Sub-degree
2014-15 2,930 24,135 36,210 2,330 5,575
2015-16 2,790 23,050 37,140 2,565 5,285
2016-17 3,050 26,340 37,650 2,785 4,940
2017-18 3,265 27,240 38,295 2,570 5,225
2018-19 3,180 32,225 38,730 2,610 5,495
2019-20 3,320 28,575 37,300 2,060 4,450
2020-21 2,765 33,040 39,190 2,235 5,620
2021-22 3,170 42,695 39,720 1,820 6,370
2022-23 3,280 35,570 36,745 1,190 6,270
2023-24 3,435 48,475 40,980 2,170 6,135
  1. The University of Glasgow, in consultation with the SFC, updated its reporting practices for postgraduate students in 2022-23. As part of this process, reporting for many postgraduate taught qualifications was deferred into 2023-24. In total of 122,125 students qualified from HE courses in Scotland in 2023-24, this is an increase year on year of 16,125 (15.2%). Of this increase, 47.8% (8,765) can be attributed to the increase in reported qualifiers from postgraduate taught courses at the University of Glasgow. In addition the 2022-23 marking and assessment boycott lead to the deferral of reporting for some qualifiers from the 2022-23 academic session into 2023-24. As such, sector level qualifier figures should be treated with caution.
  2. There was a decrease in qualifiers from HE courses at College in 2023-24 (-5.1%, -2,210). The majority of this decline is due to a decrease in the number of qualifiers from other sub-degree courses (-1,925, -22.6%). This fall in qualifiers at college may in part be due to industrial action at colleges, which in lead to delays examinations for some students.