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Education & commute Statistics · Country

University enrolment in United Kingdom

2000 – 2023 · 24 data points 12 of 32 · Countries Updated 21 Oct 2026

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2000 – 2023

University enrolment, 2000 – 2023 percent · United Kingdom · World
+23.6 pp since 2013
United Kingdom World

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2000 – 2023

Compared with University enrolment · percent
United Kingdom
80.4%
World
43.6% · 2024

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators

The series at a glance United Kingdom · 2000 – 2023
Latest value 80.4% · 2023
First value 57.4% · 2000
Highest 80.4% · 2023
Lowest 56.4% · 2015
Data points 24

By year

All years · 2000 – 2023

YearUnited KingdomChange World
2023 80.4% +0.6 pp 43.2%
2022 79.8% +3.0 pp 42.0%
2021 76.8% +7.3 pp 41.1%
2020 69.4% +3.9 pp 39.7%
2019 65.5% +4.4 pp 38.7%
2018 61.1% +1.5 pp 37.9%
2017 59.6% +1.5 pp 37.5%
2016 58.1% +1.6 pp 37.1%
2015 56.4% −0.1 pp 36.6%
2014 56.5% −0.3 pp 35.6%
2013 56.8% −2.4 pp 33.1%
2012 59.2% −0.2 pp 32.3%
2011 59.3% −0.5 pp 31.1%
2010 59.8% +0.7 pp 29.6%
2009 59.1% +1.7 pp 28.3%
2008 57.4% −1.4 pp 27.4%
2007 58.8% −0.3 pp 26.3%
2006 59.2% −0.1 pp 25.7%
2005 59.3% −0.2 pp 24.3%
2004 59.5% −2.0 pp 23.6%
2003 61.5% +0.3 pp 22.8%
2002 61.1% +3.6 pp 21.6%
2001 57.5% +0.1 pp 20.4%
2000 57.4% 19.5%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2000 – 2023

Ranking · Countries

2017 · Place 1 is the highest value.

#TerritoryUniversity enrolment
36 Congo - Brazzaville 12.1%
35 Bangladesh 18.5%
34 Honduras 24.6%
33 India 27.9%
32 Egypt 33.1%
31 Philippines 33.7%
30 Indonesia 36.0%
29 Mexico 40.3%
28 Lebanon 44.2%
27 Algeria 49.2%
26 Romania 50.5%
25 Brazil 50.7%
24 China 51.1%
23 Colombia 58.4%
22 United Kingdom 59.6%
21 Italy 62.7%
20 France 65.8%
19 Czechia 67.7%
18 Germany 68.5%
17 Canada 70.3%
16 Poland 70.6%
15 Saudi Arabia 70.7%
14 Hong Kong SAR China 72.9%
13 Lithuania 76.5%
12 Bulgaria 81.2%
11 Russia 81.7%
10 Netherlands 83.2%
9 Norway 83.7%
8 United States 88.2%
7 Argentina 89.3%
6 Chile 89.9%
5 Finland 90.7%
4 Spain 92.1%
3 South Korea 93.7%
2 Türkiye 110.5%
1 Greece 135.3%

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2017

What it means

How many young people study at universities and colleges.

How it is calculated

Students in tertiary education divided by the population of the five-year age group after secondary school (gross ratio, can exceed 100%).