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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 colleges and universities in Scotland. Student data from Scottish colleges and universities 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, 2015-16 to 2024-25

Level of study 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate 4,175 4,165 4,365 4,510 4,240 4,535 4,350 4,055 4,105 4,155
Taught Postgraduate 28,630 31,200 33,610 35,345 40,195 49,250 56,370 57,830 50,665 49,090
First Degree 49,095 50,245 51,690 52,565 53,035 57,030 54,875 52,935 51,285 54,240
HNC/HND 28,215 29,700 28,855 27,860 27,140 29,550 24,455 22,050 22,405 21,435
Other Sub-degree 24,975 24,480 23,310 23,630 22,555 23,345 24,970 27,565 26,570 22,835
Level of study 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate
Taught Postgraduate
First Degree 795 670 665 715 775 815 745 610 635 790
HNC/HND 24,930 26,280 25,515 24,965 24,385 26,510 22,090 19,805 19,885 19,040
Other Sub-degree 12,230 11,540 11,115 11,465 10,155 10,480 11,025 12,460 10,330 9,470
Level of study 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate 4,175 4,165 4,365 4,510 4,240 4,535 4,350 4,055 4,105 4,155
Taught Postgraduate 28,630 31,200 33,610 35,345 40,195 49,250 56,370 57,830 50,665 49,090
First Degree 48,300 49,575 51,020 51,850 52,260 56,210 54,130 52,330 50,650 53,450
HNC/HND 3,285 3,420 3,340 2,895 2,755 3,040 2,370 2,245 2,520 2,395
Other Sub-degree 12,745 12,940 12,190 12,170 12,395 12,865 13,945 15,105 16,240 13,365
  1. There were 151,760 total entrants to higher education at Scottish institutions in 2024-25. This is lower than the 155,030 entrants in 2023-24 (-3,270, -2.1%), and reflects reduced entrants to both colleges (-1,555, -5.0%) and universities (-1,720, -1.4%). The reduction in entrants to higher education was driven by falling numbers of entrants to postgraduate taught courses (-1,575, -3.1%) and courses in the ‘Other Sub-degree’ category (-3,735, -14.1%). In contrast, entrants to first degree courses rose to 54,240 (+2,955, +5.8%) in 2024-25, the highest level since 2021-22.

Figure 2: Higher Education Initial Participation Rate at Scottish Institutions, 2015-16 to 2024-25


  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. In 2024-25 the HEIPR fell by 0.7 percentage points (pp) compared 2023-24, from 59.3% to 58.6%. Behind this drop is a reduction in initial participants across ages 24-30, offset in part by an increase in participation at ages 17 (16.7%, +0.5pp) and 18 (21.6%, +0.2pp).

Students

Figure 3: Students on Higher Education Courses at Scottish Institutions by Level of Study, 2015-16 to 2024-25

Level of study 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate 12,910 13,045 13,145 13,420 13,110 13,535 13,705 14,105 13,610 13,735
Taught Postgraduate 43,800 45,780 48,495 50,900 55,850 68,375 83,065 79,395 72,075 66,390
First Degree 158,495 162,130 166,040 169,635 172,680 181,495 184,380 177,945 174,185 174,630
HNC/HND 41,060 42,660 41,560 40,320 39,080 41,670 35,475 30,795 30,920 29,695
Other Sub-degree 29,185 29,005 27,455 28,390 26,500 27,735 29,645 31,875 30,405 26,045
Level of study 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate
Taught Postgraduate
First Degree 1,055 1,005 980 1,065 1,110 1,240 1,140 890 940 1,085
HNC/HND 36,130 37,525 36,535 35,835 34,660 37,110 31,770 27,395 27,300 26,200
Other Sub-degree 12,705 12,155 12,070 12,285 10,955 11,590 12,115 13,590 11,500 10,590
Level of study 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate 12,910 13,045 13,145 13,420 13,110 13,535 13,705 14,105 13,610 13,735
Taught Postgraduate 43,800 45,780 48,495 50,900 55,850 68,375 83,065 79,395 72,075 66,390
First Degree 157,440 161,125 165,060 168,570 171,565 180,255 183,245 177,055 173,245 173,540
HNC/HND 4,930 5,135 5,030 4,485 4,420 4,560 3,690 3,400 3,620 3,495
Other Sub-degree 16,480 16,850 15,385 16,105 15,540 16,145 17,530 18,285 18,905 15,455

  1. In academic year 2024-25 there were a total of 310,490 students on higher education courses at Scottish institutions. This represents a reduction of -10,700 students (-3.3%) from 2023-24. Proportionally there was a greater fall in HE students at Scotland’s colleges, -4.7% (-1,860) as compared to Scotland’s universities (-3.1%, -8,840).

  2. The number of students on Postgraduate taught courses dropped to 66,390 (-5,685, -7.9%). This decline was due in part to a fall in participation amongst Scottish-domiciled students from 30,510 students in 2023-24 to 26,695 in 2024-25 (-3,815, -12.5%). The number of students on ‘other sub-degree’ courses also fell year on year, from 30,405 in 2023-24 to 26,045 in 2024-25 (-4,630, -14.3%).

Qualifiers

Figure 4: Qualifiers from Higher Education Courses at Scottish Institutions by Level of Study, 2015-16 to 2024-25

Level of qualification 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate 2,790 3,050 3,265 3,180 3,320 2,765 3,170 3,280 3,435 3,670
Taught Postgraduate 23,050 26,340 27,240 32,225 28,575 33,040 42,695 35,570 48,485 40,840
First Degree 37,785 38,225 38,855 39,340 37,990 39,895 40,345 37,360 41,675 40,475
HNC/HND 20,525 21,895 21,995 21,395 21,015 20,445 17,230 15,005 15,635 16,045
Other Sub-degree 13,250 12,245 12,810 14,005 10,460 12,570 13,760 14,790 12,900 12,220
Level of qualification 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate
Taught Postgraduate
First Degree 645 575 560 610 690 705 625 610 675 720
HNC/HND 17,960 19,110 19,425 18,790 18,955 18,210 15,410 13,815 13,465 14,075
Other Sub-degree 7,965 7,305 7,585 8,510 6,015 6,950 7,385 8,520 6,595 6,220
Level of qualification 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25
Research Postgraduate 2,790 3,050 3,265 3,180 3,320 2,765 3,170 3,280 3,435 3,670
Taught Postgraduate 23,050 26,340 27,240 32,225 28,575 33,040 42,695 35,570 48,485 40,840
First Degree 37,140 37,650 38,295 38,730 37,300 39,190 39,720 36,745 41,000 39,755
HNC/HND 2,565 2,785 2,570 2,610 2,060 2,235 1,820 1,190 2,170 1,970
Other Sub-degree 5,285 4,940 5,225 5,495 4,450 5,620 6,370 6,270 6,305 6,000

  1. Reporting of many postgraduate taught qualifications awarded by University of Glasgow was deferred from 2022-23 to 2023-24 as a result of agreed updates to reporting practices, impacting sector totals in these years. A total of 113,255 students qualified from HE courses at Scottish institutions in 2024-25. This is 3,940 fewer than in 2021-22 (-3.4%), but remains higher than much of the past decade.

  2. In total 92,235 students qualified from HE courses at Scottish universities in 2024-25, down slightly from 93,775 in 2021-22 (-1,540, -1.6%) and the third highest number of qualifiers in the last decade. The number of qualifiers from HE courses at Scotland’s colleges rose to 21,020 in 2024-25, up 285 (1.4%) from 2023-24.