HE Students & Qualifiers 2023-24

Overview

Introduction

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	First Degree	HNC/HND	Other Sub-degree
2014-15	845	24,805	11,135
2015-16	795	24,930	12,230
2016-17	670	26,280	11,540
2017-18	665	25,515	11,115
2018-19	715	24,965	11,465
2019-20	775	24,385	10,155
2020-21	815	26,510	10,480
2021-22	745	22,090	11,025
2022-23	610	19,805	12,460
2023-24	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

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%).
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.
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

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.
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	First Degree	HNC/HND	Other Sub-degree
2014-15	1,095	35,810	11,810
2015-16	1,055	36,130	12,705
2016-17	1,005	37,525	12,155
2017-18	980	36,535	12,070
2018-19	1,065	35,835	12,285
2019-20	1,110	34,660	10,955
2020-21	1,240	37,110	11,590
2021-22	1,140	31,770	12,115
2022-23	890	27,395	13,590
2023-24	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

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.
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).
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	First Degree	HNC/HND	Other Sub-degree
2014-15	660	17,640	7,475
2015-16	645	17,960	7,965
2016-17	575	19,110	7,305
2017-18	560	19,425	7,585
2018-19	610	18,790	8,510
2019-20	690	18,955	6,015
2020-21	705	18,210	6,950
2021-22	625	15,410	7,385
2022-23	610	13,815	8,520
2023-24	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

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.
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.