Skip to main content

Students

Changes and trends in the student population

Proportions of science students and disabled students rise, while proportions of older and part-time students fall. HESA publications Students in Higher Education 2015/16 and Higher Education Statistics for the United Kingdom 2015/16 provide information on personal characteristics and study activities of students in the UK.

Overview of the academic year 2014/15

Headline statistics: 2,266,075 HE students at HE providers, plus 189,635 HE students at FE colleges and 50,245 on designated courses at Alternative Providers; 56% of HE students are female; 45% of students studied science subjects. The most popular subject area was business & administrative studies which was studied by 14% of students.

Trends in HE qualifications: 745,000 HE qualifications awarded in 2014/15

Data published today show that 745,005 higher education qualifications were awarded by UK HE providers in 2014/15. This is 4% fewer than were awarded in 2013/14. While 6% fewer first degrees were awarded than in the previous year, the number of postgraduate qualifications rose by 1%. The number of other undergraduate qualifications awarded, such as diplomas and certificates of HE fell by 10%, continuing a four year downward trend. 

International Students' Day November 17th

In 2013/14, there were 236,580 first year non-UK domiciled students studying at UK HE providers. Nearly a quarter of these students came from China (there was a 4.0% increase in the number of students from China in 2013/14 from 2012/13). The chart below shows the Top 20 countries of domicile in 2013/14 alongside a table showing the percentage change from 2012/13 to 2013/14. There was nearly a 20% increase in students from Italy in 2013/14 from 2012/13.

Literature students, qualifiers and leavers, 2013/14

Cheltenham Literature Festival is an annual event celebrating the written word. As it is based in the same town as our offices, it seemed appropriate to delve into our data to learn about students, qualifiers and leavers who had 'Literature' in their course title during 2013/14.

Overview of the academic year 2013/14

The HESA publication Higher Education Statistics for the United Kingdom 2013/14 is released today. This National Statistics publication gives a statistical overview of UK higher education (HE) in the 2013/14 academic year including data from HESA and other statistics producers.

Demand grows for Biology, Business and Maths degrees

Data published today show that 521,990 students started first degree courses at UK HE providers in 2013/14. This is 5% higher than in 2012/13, but still 5% lower than in 2011/12 - the last year before the £9,000 fee cap was introduced. 15% of students starting degrees in 2013/14 were in the Business and administrative studies subject area.

International students: Non-UK domiciled students studying in the UK

In 2012/13 there were 425,265 non-UK domiciled students studying at UK HE providers. This was a fall in numbers from 435,235 the year before following a continuous year-on-year rise since HESA started collecting data in 1995. Unsurprisingly the highest numbers of students came from the world's two most populous countries, China and India.

Sandwich day: Students on sandwich courses

10% of full-time first degree students studied on sandwich courses in 2012/13. However sandwich courses were less popular with female students. 7% of female students studied on sandwich courses compared with 12% of male students.

Mole day: Students starting Chemistry courses in 2012/13

In 2012/13 7,275 students started HE level chemistry courses at UK HE providers. 42% of those students were female and 20% were from outside the UK.