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Introduction - Students 2006/07

Introduction

This publication is one of four reference volumes published annually by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). HESA is a company limited by guarantee, and is owned by the United Kingdom (UK) higher education sector through the representative bodies Universities UK and GuildHE (formerly the Standing Conference of Principals). HESA collects data from publicly-funded higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UK on behalf of funding bodies and government departments, in a framework underpinned by legislation.

This volume draws on HESA’s collection of data about students in HEIs during the academic year 2006/07, that is, the period 1 August 2006 to 31 July 2007. It covers data supplied by 169 HEIs (133 in England, 12 in Wales, 20 in Scotland, 4 in Northern Ireland); one of the English HEIs, The University of Buckingham, is a non-publicly-funded institution voluntarily providing data to HESA. The data collection procedure is uniform across all institutions, regardless of size, nature, and location; the range of data fields collected is administration-dependent to a limited extent. HESA does not collect data from further education colleges (FECs). Data on HE provision in FECs is accordingly not included in this volume except for students funded indirectly through HEIs, in which case it is reported by the HEI through which funding passes.

For a limited period after the completion of normal data collection, an institution may, when required or approved to do so by the relevant funding body, submit data to the ‘Fixed Database’ through the HESA data collection system, in order to correct material errors in the data originally submitted and included in the ‘Collection Database’. Data from the ‘Fixed Database’ is available about 16 months after the closure of the original collection. This means that the ‘Fixed Database’ for the 2006/07 student data collection on which this volume is based will be available from April 2009. Although some corrections are applied to the funding models used by the funding bodies prior to general availability of the ‘Fixed Database’, this volume is based entirely on the ‘Collection Database’.

The other reference volumes published by HESA are as follows.

Resources of Higher Education Institutions. This volume brings together information about the finances and the staff of HEIs. Tabulations are included which record and analyse income and expenditure, and the characteristics of staff, at the institutional level.

Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions. This volume draws on the Destination of Leavers from HE (DLHE) survey, and provides information about patterns of employment and further study or training at a point about six months after completion. DLHE covers leavers from part-time as well as full-time programmes.

Higher Education Statistics for the United Kingdom. This is the only HESA reference volume that currently falls within the National Statistics framework, and it accordingly carries the National Statistics logo as well as that of HESA. It provides an overview of higher education in the UK from a statistical perspective, including statistics about applications, participation, institutional finance, staffing, student awards, and loans. To achieve this broad coverage, this volume draws on data collected by other bodies as well as HESA, and in particular includes some information about directly funded HE provision in Further Education Colleges.

HESA also publishes annually two Statistical First Releases within the National Statistics framework. Detailed data for institutional planning purposes is published on CD (HE Planning Plus and HE Finance Plus). Research Datapacks dealing with specific issues are produced on an occasional basis on CD. The HESA Information Provision Service exists to meet more specialist needs of data users on a bespoke basis. The Higher Education Information Database for Institutions (heidi) commenced operation in April 2007, and offers a subscription service to institutions and approved HE bodies to allow the interrogation of HESA and other data through the production and export of tabular reports, and their display as charts.

Data protection

In order to comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998, HESA implements a strategy in published and released tabulations designed to minimise the risk of disclosure of personal information about any individual. The tabulations in this volume are derived from the HESA non-statutory populations1 and may differ slightly from those published by related statutory bodies or in National Statistics publications. This strategy involves rounding all numbers to the nearest multiple of 5. A summary of this strategy is as follows:

  1. 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0
  2. All other numbers are rounded to the nearest multiple of 5.

So for example 3 is represented as 5, 22 is represented as 20, 3286 is represented as 3285 while 0, 20, 55, 3510 remain unchanged.

This rounding strategy is also applied to total numbers; the consequence of this is that the sum of numbers in each row or column rarely matches the total shown precisely. Note that subject level data calculated by apportionment is also rounded in accordance with this strategy.

Average values, proportions and FTE values prepared by HESA are not usually affected by the above strategy, and are calculated on precise raw numbers.

Percentages calculated on populations which contain 52 or fewer individuals are suppressed and represented as ‘..’ as are averages based on populations of 7 or fewer.

Format of publications

Commencing with the 2002/03 cycle of publications, HESA reference volumes now comprise a relatively slim printed volume containing only a limited range of tables, together with a CD, which contains all the remaining data familiar to users from earlier years, supplemented with additional and more detailed tables. The tables on the CD are in Microsoft® Excel 2003 format. This has the further benefit of allowing users to select data from the tables and manipulate how it is displayed. However, arithmetical manipulations should be carried out with caution because of the effect of the rounding strategy described above.

Students in UK higher education institutions, 2006/07

This commentary draws attention to some of the headline figures and key points which emerge from the main tables. The information is displayed graphically where appropriate. Where figures for previous years are quoted for comparison, they are taken from the 2005/06 and 2004/05 editions of this volume.

Summary of key points

2,362,815 students were recorded as following an HE programme leading to a qualification or credit at a UK higher education institution (all 168 publicly-funded HEIs together with The University of Buckingham) in 2006/07 (2,336,110 in 2005/06; 2,287,540 in 2004/05). This total includes both full-time and part-time students. It includes students at further education colleges who were funded indirectly through an HEI; they have been counted within the numbers for that HEI. It excludes students studying on a directly funded HE programme at a FEC, and excludes students studying at HE level in institutions that are not publicly-funded, apart from The University of Buckingham. In what follows, the terms ‘total’ or ‘entire’ HE population do not imply inclusion of these groups.

Of the 2006/07 total, 61.4% (61.3%; 60.8%) were following a full-time or sandwich programme and the balance were following a part-time programme or were writing-up. Except where they are separated out explicitly in what follows, the full-time category includes sandwich students, and the part-time category includes students (typically postgraduates) who are writing up.

Of the 2006/07 total, 76.3% (76.7%; 76.7%) were studying for an undergraduate qualification (either at or below first degree level), and the balance for a qualification at postgraduate level.

A further 115,615 (123,785; 136,050) students were following a course at further education (FE) level within HEIs.

Full-time first degree students made up 46.0% (46.0%; 45.4%) of the HE student population.

50,185 (40,485; 30,655) students were reported through HEIs as studying for a foundation degre.e2

The proportion of the entire HE population studying part-time was 38.6%, with exceptionally high proportions in ‘Combined’ and ‘Education’.

Women made up 57.2% (57.3%; 57.2%) of the entire HE student population and 59.2% (59.3%; 59.2%) of UK domiciled3 undergraduates.

Subject areas with a high proportion of women included subjects allied to medicine (81.7%), education (75.0%), veterinary science (73.7%), and languages (67.5%). Subject areas with a high proportion of men included engineering & technology (84.1%), computer science (78.6%), and architecture, building & planning (69.2%).

There were 351,470 (330,080; 318,400) students from countries other than the UK, of which 262,330 were full-time and 89,140 were part-time. Such students represented 14.9% (14.1%; 13.9%) of the entire HE student population, and the full-time non-UK students represented 18.1% of the full-time HE student population. Students from outside the EU numbered 239,210 (223,855; 218,395), which represented 10.1% of the entire HE student population. In 2007 two further countries, Romania and Bulgaria, joined the EU. The student number from these 2007 accession countries is reported in the volumes for 2005/06 and 2006/07 as non-EU, and was 1,450 in 2006/07 (1,260 in 2005/06).

Students from outside the UK were well represented in engineering & technology, business & administrative studies, computer science, law and mathematical sciences.

Students from outside the UK made up 51.5% (49.8%; 50.1%) of all full-time postgraduates, with 39.6% coming from outside the EU.

Students on sandwich programmes made up 6.5% (6.6%; 6.8%) of all undergraduates. They formed the highest proportion of all undergraduate students in architecture, building & planning, computer science, agriculture & related subjects, business & administrative studies, and engineering & technology.

21.0% (21.1%; 22.0%) of UK domiciled entrants on full-time first degree courses were aged 21 and over.

Ethnic minorities constituted 16.4% (16.0%; 15.7%) of all first year UK domiciled HE students of known ethnicity.

11,635 (9,275; 6,175) foundation degrees were awarded.

Of students who obtained a classified first degree, 60.2% (59.5%; 59.0%) were awarded first or upper second class honours, and 12.6% (12.0%; 11.6%) were awarded a first.

95.0% of full-time first degree students domiciled in England studied in their country of domicile; the corresponding figure for Wales was 64.0%, for Scotland 94.2%, and for Northern Ireland 69.7%.

Student population

In 2006/07 there were 2.48 million students studying for a qualification or for credit at 169 higher education institutions (all 168 publicly-funded HEIs together with The University of Buckingham) in the United Kingdom. Of these, 0.12 million (4.7%) were studying at further education level. Information about numbers of FE students studying in HEIs is included as the penultimate line of Table A (below) and in two of the main tables of this volume, but they are otherwise excluded from the figures presented here, and all percentages from this point onwards are relative to the HE total or subtotals of it.

Table A - All students by level and mode of study 2006/07
  Full-time & sandwich % of FT HE students Part-time & other % of PT HE students Writing-up % of writing-up HE students Total % of HE students
Higher degree (research) 63330 4.4% 27010 3.2% 28605 49.4% 118945 5.0%
Doctorate degree mainly by research 50925 3.5% 20630 2.4% 25385 43.9% 96935 4.1%
Masters degree mainly by research 12400 0.9% 6375 0.7% 3220 5.6% 22000 0.9%
Postgraduate bachelors degree mainly by research 5 0.0% 10 0.0% 0 0.0% 15 0.0%
Higher degree (taught) 133535 9.2% 133085 15.6% 24465 42.3% 291085 12.3%
Doctorate degree not mainly by research 1125 0.1% 1275 0.1% 80 0.1% 2480 0.1%
Masters degree not mainly by research 131735 9.1% 131135 15.4% 24380 42.1% 287245 12.2%
Postgraduate bachelors degree not mainly by research 680 0.0% 670 0.1% 5 0.0% 1355 0.1%
Other postgraduate 46205 3.2% 99630 11.7% 3525 6.1% 149360 6.3%
Ordinary PGCE 29530 2.0% 7545 0.9% 65 0.1% 37140 1.6%
All other postgraduate 16675 1.1% 92085 10.8% 3460 6.0% 112220 4.7%
Total postgraduate 243070 16.7% 259730 30.4% 56590 97.8% 559390 23.7%
First degree 1086080 74.8% 200505 23.5% 645 1.1% 1287225 54.5%
Other undergraduate 122570 8.4% 392990 46.1% 640 1.1% 516200 21.8%
Foundation degree 26950 1.9% 23215 2.7% 20 0.0% 50185 2.1%
HND 16085 1.1% 3430 0.4% 15 0.0% 19525 0.8%
DipHE 61005 4.2% 10995 1.3% 50 0.1% 72050 3.0%
HNC 1750 0.1% 12455 1.5% 15 0.0% 14220 0.6%
All other undergraduate 16780 1.2% 342895 40.2% 545 0.9% 360220 15.2%
Total undergraduate 1208645 83.3% 593490 69.6% 1285 2.2% 1803425 76.3%
Total HE students 1451720 100.0% 853220 100.0% 57875 100.0% 2362815 100.0%
Total FE students 22400   93215   0   115615  
Total 1474115   946435   57875   2478425  
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.

Of the 2,362,815 HE students recorded, 1,451,720 (61.4%) were following a full-time or sandwich programme and the balance were following a part-time programme or were writing-up.

Of the 559,390 (23.7% of the HE total) postgraduate students, 118,945 (21.3% of postgraduates) were studying for a research degree and 291,085 (52.0%) for a taught higher degree. Of the remaining postgraduate students, 37,140 were studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

Of the 1,803,425 (76.3% of the HE total) undergraduates, 1,287,225 (71.4% of undergraduates) were studying for a first degree. Of the remaining undergraduate students, 50,185 were studying for a foundation degree.

All HE students by level and mode 2006/07

Domicile and gender

Table B provides a summary of students by domicile and gender.

Table B - All HE students by gender, mode and domicile 2006/07
  United Kingdom Other European Union countries European Union 2007 accession countries(#9) Other EEA countries Other Europe Africa Asia Australasia Middle East North America South America Non- European- Union unknown Non- United Kingdom subtotal Total
Full-time 1189390 81335 965 2790 6180 23990 113235 1445 11665 16970 2930 825 262330 1451720
Female 672015 42385 575 1600 3255 9605 51950 760 3510 9980 1470 345 125435 797445
Male 517375 38955 390 1190 2925 14385 61285 685 8155 6990 1460 480 136895 654270
Part-time 821955 30925 480 630 2440 9365 29315 1050 4455 8525 1530 420 89140 911095
Female 512845 15850 295 310 1205 3715 13030 555 1545 4630 840 165 42130 554975
Male 309110 15075 185 320 1235 5655 16290 500 2910 3895 690 260 47010 356120
All students 2011345 112260 1450 3420 8620 33355 142555 2495 16120 25495 4460 1250 351470 2362815
Female 1184855 58235 870 1910 4460 13320 64980 1315 5050 14610 2305 510 167565 1352420
Male 826485 54025 575 1510 4160 20035 77575 1180 11065 10885 2150 740 183905 1010395
% by domicile 85.1% 4.8% 0.1% 0.1% 0.4% 1.4% 6.0% 0.1% 0.7% 1.1% 0.2% 0.1% 14.9%  
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

UK figures include 5,960 (3,690 full-time and 2,270 part-time) students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man (from Tables 5a and 5b).

There were 351,470 students (262,330 full-time and 89,140 part-time) from countries other than the UK. Such students represented 14.9% of the entire HE student population, and the full-time non-UK students represented 18.1% of the full-time HE student population. Students from outside the EU numbered 239,210, which represented 10.1% of the entire HE student population. Of these students, 142,555 (just under three-fifths) were from Asia. The number of students from the EU 2007 accession countries (Bulgaria and Romania) in 2006/07 was 1,450.

Women made up 57.2% of the entire HE student population, being in the majority among both full-time (54.9%) and part-time (60.9%) students. The pattern was different as between UK students, of whom 58.9% were women, and students from outside the UK, where the proportion of women was 47.7%. Table C provides a more detailed breakdown of the postgraduate population.

Table C - Postgraduates by gender, mode and domicile 2006/07
  United Kingdom Other European Union countries European Union 2007 accession countries(#9) Other EEA countries Other Europe Africa Asia Australasia Middle East North America South America Non- European- Union unknown Non- United Kingdom sub-total Total
Higher degree (research) 68490 15450 325 260 1370 4185 16710 695 4275 5925 1060 200 50460 118945
Full-time
Female 15015 4115 120 65 420 795 4470 220 800 1660 235 50 12940 27955
Male 17110 5085 75 65 410 2060 6300 245 1775 1755 405 95 18265 35375
Part-time
Female 17325 2865 75 55 250 385 2470 95 595 1070 190 20 8070 25395
Male 19035 3385 60 75 290 940 3475 140 1105 1440 235 40 11185 30220
% by domicile 57.6% 13.0% 0.3% 0.2% 1.2% 3.5% 14.0% 0.6% 3.6% 5.0% 0.9% 0.2% 42.4%  
Higher degree (taught) 170825 27705 355 955 3105 12695 59255 715 4690 8535 1770 485 120255 291085
Full-time
Female 24140 8785 150 350 1110 3145 21430 190 1060 3705 625 130 40675 64815
Male 21345 8630 80 315 900 5675 26090 220 2145 2545 570 205 47375 68720
Part-time
Female 70465 5060 60 125 470 1335 4605 145 465 1145 320 60 13790 84250
Male 54880 5230 60 165 625 2535 7135 155 1020 1135 255 90 18415 73295
% by domicile 58.7% 9.5% 0.1% 0.3% 1.1% 4.4% 20.4% 0.2% 1.6% 2.9% 0.6% 0.2% 41.3%  
Other postgraduate 135830 4870 65 85 370 1700 4275 255 530 985 305 90 13530 149360
Full-time
Female 27165 1410 15 15 55 270 905 40 55 280 70 10 3130 30295
Male 13070 825 10 15 40 535 1105 15 90 135 65 5 2840 15910
Part-time
Female 62385 1490 30 25 155 315 985 105 150 300 95 25 3680 66065
Male 33205 1145 10 25 120 580 1275 90 235 270 75 50 3885 37090
% by domicile 90.9% 3.3% 0.0% 0.1% 0.2% 1.1% 2.9% 0.2% 0.4% 0.7% 0.2% 0.1% 9.1%  
All postgraduate 375145 48025 745 1295 4845 18575 80245 1660 9495 15440 3135 775 184245 559390
Full-time
Female 66320 14310 285 430 1585 4215 26805 445 1915 5640 925 185 56745 123065
Male 51525 14540 170 395 1345 8270 33495 480 4010 4435 1040 305 68480 120005
Part-time
Female 150180 9415 165 210 875 2035 8060 345 1210 2515 600 100 25535 175715
Male 107120 9760 130 265 1035 4060 11885 390 2360 2850 570 180 33485 140605
% by domicile 67.1% 8.6% 0.1% 0.2% 0.9% 3.3% 14.3% 0.3% 1.7% 2.8% 0.6% 0.1% 32.9%  
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

Students from outside the UK made up 32.9% of all postgraduates, and 51.5% of all full-time postgraduates, with 39.6% of full-time postgraduates coming from outside the EU (77.0% of the non-UK total). Non-UK students were prominent on full-time research degree programmes (49.3%) and even more so on full-time taught higher degree programmes (65.9%).

Women made up 53.4% of the entire postgraduate population, and 57.7% of UK domiciled postgraduates. There were considerable variations apparent in a breakdown by both type of programme and domicile, as shown by Chart 2.

Gender of postgraduates by domicile 2006/07

A major component of ‘other postgraduate’ numbers arose from PGCE programmes, where women are predominant and the large majority of students are UK domiciled, and this has contributed to the high proportion (64.5%) of women among students on ‘other postgraduate’ programmes. For taught higher degree programmes the gender balance was close to even with 51.2% women, and for research degree programmes the proportion of women was less than half at 44.9%. Breaking down the research degree programme figures by domicile shows that among students from EU countries including the UK, the proportion of women was 46.8%, whereas it was 40.1% for those from outside the EU.

Table D provides the same breakdown by domicile as Table C, but for undergraduates.

Table D - Undergraduates by gender, mode and domicile 2006/07
  United Kingdom Other European Union countries European Union 2007 accession countries(#9) Other EEA countries Other Europe Africa Asia Australasia Middle East North America South America Non- European- Union unknown Non- United Kingdom sub-total Total
First degree 1152030 51840 510 1895 3150 11595 53220 440 5415 5850 970 320 135195 1287225
Full-time
Female 528730 25905 270 1095 1555 4615 23205 220 1460 3180 490 95 62095 590825
Male 431900 22950 215 755 1465 5500 26010 175 3690 2045 385 160 63355 495255
Part-time
Female 117260 1650 20 25 65 695 1655 25 90 415 55 35 4730 121990
Male 74140 1330 10 15 60 780 2350 20 175 210 40 30 5020 79160
% by domicile 89.5% 4.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.2% 0.9% 4.1% 0.0% 0.4% 0.5% 0.1% 0.0% 10.5%  
Other undergraduate 484170 12395 190 230 625 3185 9090 395 1205 4210 350 155 32030 516200
Full-time
Female 76960 2170 25 75 115 770 1940 90 135 1160 50 60 6595 83555
Male 33950 1460 10 40 110 615 1780 30 450 510 35 20 5060 39010
Part-time
Female 245405 4785 110 75 260 985 3315 180 245 1700 185 30 11865 257270
Male 127850 3980 45 40 140 815 2055 90 375 840 80 50 8510 136360
% by domicile 93.8% 2.4% 0.0% 0.0% 0.1% 0.6% 1.8% 0.1% 0.2% 0.8% 0.1% 0.0% 6.2%  
All undergraduate 1636200 64235 700 2120 3775 14780 62310 830 6625 10055 1320 475 167225 1803425
Full-time
Female 605690 28075 295 1170 1670 5390 25145 315 1595 4340 540 160 68690 674380
Male 465850 24410 220 795 1580 6115 27795 205 4145 2555 420 175 68415 534265
Part-time
Female 362665 6435 130 105 325 1680 4965 205 335 2115 235 60 16595 379260
Male 201990 5315 55 55 200 1595 4405 110 550 1045 120 75 13530 215520
% by domicile 90.7% 3.6% 0.0% 0.1% 0.2% 0.8% 3.5% 0.0% 0.4% 0.6% 0.1% 0.0% 9.3%  
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

The pattern at undergraduate level was very different from that for postgraduates. Only 9.3% of undergraduates were from outside the UK, comprising 3.6% from other EU countries and 5.7% from non-EU countries. However, undergraduates made up a larger proportion of students from other EU countries, at 57.2%, than for non-EU countries, where the figure was 43.1%

Of UK domiciled undergraduates, 59.2% were women. The figure for other EU countries was 53.7%, and for non-EU countries it was slightly lower at 49.3%.

The proportion of women on ‘other undergraduate’ programmes, that is, aiming for qualifications below degree level, was 66.0%; this figure did not vary much between full-time programmes (68.2%) and part-time programmes (65.4%); student numbers on part-time programmes constituted 76.3% of all those on programmes below first degree level. Subject of study is an important factor in explaining the high proportion of women on programmes below first degree level, as illustrated in the following section.

Subject of study

Table E shows the percentages of students at different levels who were following programmes in each of 19 subject areas, supplemented with the figures for four further areas cutting across or lying within the main areas. A detailed explanation of the main and supplementary subject areas, and the way in which student numbers are apportioned between them, may be found in a separate article in this volume.

Table E - All students by subject area(#1), level and mode 2006/07
                                      Percentages
  Higher degree (research)   Higher degree (taught)   Other postgraduate   First degree   Other undergraduate
  Total Full- time Part- time   Total Full- time Part- time   Total Full- time Part- time   Total Full- time Part- time   Total Full- time Part- time
Medicine & dentistry 8.4 7.4 9.6   2.2 1.6 2.7   2.4 0.5 3.2   3.3 3.9 0.1   0.1 0.3 0.0
Subjects allied to medicine 5.8 4.8 6.9   7.8 3.8 11.2   11.8 5.3 14.7   9.0 7.8 15.4   26.7 52.9 18.5
Biological sciences 11.9 14.0 9.5   5.1 5.0 5.2   1.3 0.9 1.6   9.5 9.7 8.7   2.0 3.0 1.7
Veterinary science 0.5 0.5 0.4   0.1 0.1 0.1   0.2 0.3 0.1   0.3 0.4 0.0   0.0 0.0 0.0
Agriculture & related subjects 0.7 0.8 0.6   0.6 0.7 0.5   0.2 0.1 0.2   0.6 0.6 0.2   1.1 2.2 0.8
Physical sciences 11.0 13.9 7.6   2.4 3.4 1.6   0.7 0.4 0.8   4.3 4.6 3.1   1.3 0.9 1.5
Mathematical sciences 2.5 3.3 1.6   1.0 1.1 1.0   0.2 0.1 0.2   1.9 1.9 1.8   0.6 0.4 0.6
Computer science 4.7 5.0 4.3   5.5 7.2 4.0   1.1 0.7 1.3   4.9 4.9 5.0   3.9 4.4 3.7
Engineering & technology 12.8 15.2 10.0   7.6 9.5 6.0   2.3 1.5 2.7   6.4 6.6 5.4   3.4 4.5 3.0
Architecture, building & planning 1.7 1.6 1.8   3.3 2.5 4.0   2.6 2.7 2.5   2.7 2.5 3.8   2.0 2.3 2.0
Social studies 9.4 9.3 9.5   9.7 12.3 7.5   3.7 2.0 4.4   9.6 9.5 10.1   6.4 3.0 7.5
Law 2.0 1.9 2.1   4.2 4.9 3.7   6.2 12.2 3.6   4.8 4.8 5.1   0.9 0.9 0.9
Business & administrative studies 5.1 4.2 6.1   27.6 29.4 26.1   12.7 3.0 17.1   12.4 13.0 9.1   8.7 9.1 8.6
Mass communications & documentation 0.9 0.8 0.9   2.9 3.5 2.4   0.7 1.1 0.5   2.7 3.1 0.8   0.5 1.2 0.3
Languages 6.3 6.1 6.5   3.4 4.2 2.7   0.6 0.9 0.5   6.4 6.8 4.4   7.5 1.9 9.2
Historical & philosophical studies 7.4 6.2 8.9   3.4 2.8 4.0   0.3 0.3 0.4   5.0 4.8 6.4   3.7 0.4 4.7
Creative arts & design 3.0 2.5 3.7   4.4 5.8 3.2   0.9 1.9 0.5   9.4 10.6 2.5   4.3 8.1 3.1
Education 5.7 2.3 9.5   8.7 2.4 14.0   50.8 66.0 44.0   4.0 3.9 4.9   11.0 3.3 13.4
Combined 0.4 0.3 0.6   0.1 0.0 0.3   1.3 0.1 1.8   2.5 0.5 13.1   15.9 1.3 20.5
Supplementary subject information(1)
Psychology 3.7 4.2 3.2   3.0 2.6 3.4   0.8 0.7 0.9   4.3 4.0 5.9   0.6 0.5 0.6
Geography & environmental sciences 2.4 2.7 2.1   1.3 1.8 0.9   0.2 0.1 0.3   1.9 2.1 1.2   0.3 0.2 0.4
Economics & politics 4.2 4.4 3.8   3.8 6.2 1.9   0.4 0.6 0.3   3.5 3.9 1.4   0.3 0.3 0.3
English 2.4 2.2 2.5   1.3 1.5 1.2   0.3 0.6 0.2   3.3 3.4 2.9   2.0 1.5 2.1
Percentages are not subject to rounding.
(1) Numbers reported under 'Supplementary subject information' are within and not additional to the overall total, but are disaggregated from it on a different pattern from the 19 subject areas.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

Most of the figures in this table speak for themselves, but there are two figures at the ‘other undergraduate’ level that need comment, those for ‘Subjects allied to medicine’ and ‘Combined’. The high proportion in ‘Subjects allied to medicine’ was because it is still the case that a qualification below first degree level is the norm in many health-related professions, at least as an initial qualification aim. By far the largest component is that attributable to nursing, which attracts a large majority of women students. Many Open University students , who do not, at least initially, have to declare an award intention, are reported as studying for institutional credit in the ‘Combined’ subject area.

Table F shows that the proportion of part-time students varied greatly by subject area. At 93.6% almost all students in the ‘Combined’ subject area were part-time; again, this is attributable to the way OU students are reported. The other area with a very high proportion was ‘Education’, at 62.5%.

Table F - Percentage distribution by subject area(#1), mode, gender and non-United Kingdom domicile 2006/07
        Percentages
  % part-time % female % non-UK % non-EU
Medicine & dentistry 20.9 57.7 14.5 10.5
Subjects allied to medicine 46.7 81.7 6.7 4.3
Biological sciences 24.0 63.7 10.0 5.4
Veterinary science 8.7 73.7 14.5 10.3
Agriculture & related subjects 29.9 59.8 13.1 7.9
Physical sciences 23.4 41.6 13.0 7.8
Mathematical sciences 25.4 37.9 18.2 13.0
Computer science 32.5 21.4 19.7 14.8
Engineering & technology 28.8 15.9 30.7 22.0
Architecture, building & planning 41.7 30.8 14.6 9.3
Social studies 35.3 62.5 15.2 10.1
Law 26.9 59.0 18.8 13.4
Business & administrative studies 36.8 48.7 29.0 21.9
Mass communications & documentation 16.2 58.3 15.1 9.0
Languages 38.2 67.5 16.0 9.2
Historical & philosophical studies 41.8 54.6 9.0 5.6
Creative arts & design 15.5 60.7 11.5 6.5
Education 62.5 75.0 6.1 3.8
Combined 93.6 61.3 4.0 2.9
Total - All subject areas 38.6 57.2 14.9 10.1
Supplementary subject information(1)
Psychology 30.8 79.5 7.7 3.5
Geography & environmental sciences 20.1 48.1 10.9 7.1
Economics & politics 14.6 39.7 32.2 22.0
English 29.3 70.2 15.4 10.6
Percentages are not subject to rounding.
(1) Numbers reported under 'Supplementary subject information' are within and not additional to the overall total, but are disaggregated from it on a different pattern from the 19 subject areas.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

Similarly, the proportion of women students was heavily subject-dependent, with wide divergence from the overall figure of 57.2%. Subject areas with a high proportion of women included subjects allied to medicine (81.7%), education (75.0%), veterinary science (73.7%), and languages (67.5%). Subject areas with a low proportion of women included architecture, building & planning (30.8%), computer science (21.4%), and engineering & technology (15.9%).

Students from outside the UK were well represented in engineering & technology, business & administrative studies, computer science, law and mathematical sciences.

Expected length of study

Table G shows the expected length of the programme of study reported for full-time first degree students who commenced studying in 2006/07 on programmes leading to first degrees.

Table G - First year, full-time, first degree students by subject area(#1) and expected length of programme(#4) 2006/07
  Expected length of programme
  ≤ 3 years > 3 years ≤ 4 years > 4 years ≤ 5 years                 > 5 years
Medicine & dentistry 90 1.0% 955 10.0% 6975 73.3% 1500 15.7%
Subjects allied to medicine 21060 73.1% 7230 25.1% 510 1.8% 10 0.0%
Biological sciences 28875 76.4% 8670 22.9% 220 0.6% 25 0.1%
Veterinary science 45 4.7% 100 10.8% 715 76.4% 75 8.1%
Agriculture & related subjects 1620 62.9% 950 36.9% 5 0.1% 0 0.0%
Physical sciences 8800 52.4% 7290 43.4% 685 4.1% 20 0.1%
Mathematical sciences 4000 54.8% 3230 44.2% 70 1.0% 0 0.0%
Computer science 9845 52.4% 8570 45.6% 365 1.9% 5 0.0%
Engineering & technology 9315 38.1% 12545 51.4% 2530 10.4% 30 0.1%
Architecture, building & planning 5175 53.9% 3505 36.5% 695 7.3% 220 2.3%
Social studies 31370 86.4% 4885 13.5% 40 0.1% 10 0.0%
Law 14720 82.2% 3135 17.5% 45 0.2% 10 0.0%
Business & administrative studies 33745 63.6% 18995 35.8% 230 0.4% 100 0.2%
Mass communications & documentation 11065 89.8% 1250 10.1% 0 0.0% 0 0.0%
Languages 14950 62.1% 8955 37.2% 170 0.7% 10 0.0%
Historical & philosophical studies 15125 87.7% 1980 11.5% 10 0.1% 135 0.8%
Creative arts & design 36490 86.4% 5590 13.2% 145 0.3% 15 0.0%
Education 10325 70.0% 4160 28.2% 255 1.7% 15 0.1%
Combined 1765 76.9% 440 19.1% 90 3.9% 0 0.0%
Total - All subject areas 258380 68.6% 102430 27.2% 13755 3.7% 2180 0.6%
Supplementary subject information(1)
Psychology 12565 83.1% 2540 16.8% 5 0.0% 5 0.0%
Geography & environmental sciences 5905 80.4% 1440 19.6% 5 0.0% 0 0.0%
Economics & politics 11580 82.7% 2400 17.1% 30 0.2% 0 0.0%
English 11550 88.7% 1455 11.2% 10 0.1% 5 0.0%
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.
(1) Numbers reported under 'Supplementary subject information' are within and not additional to the overall total, but are disaggregated from it on a different pattern from the 19 subject areas.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

Overall 68.6% of these students were on programmes of up to three years’ duration. There were considerable variations between subjects, with programmes longer than four years being associated mainly with professional training in veterinary science and medicine & dentistry, and to a much smaller extent in engineering & technology, and architecture, building & planning. Four year programmes are common across a wide range of subjects, and 27.2% of students were on such programmes; some but by no means all of these were sandwich programmes, and these are discussed in more detail in the next section. Long programmes may have been slightly under-reported in Table G because of the possibility that, say, what is really a five year programme of study could have been reported as a three year basic programme followed by a two year professional programme.

Sandwich students

In most breakdowns by mode of study, sandwich students are included with full-time students. Students on sandwich programmes comprised 6.5% of all undergraduates. Table H shows by subject area the numbers broken down by first degree and other undergraduate levels, and the overall proportion within the area.

Table H - Undergraduate sandwich students by subject area(#1) 2006/07
  First degree Other undergraduate Sandwich students as a percentage of all undergraduates
Medicine & dentistry 0 0 0.0%
Subjects allied to medicine 5415 1260 2.6%
Biological sciences 6840 15 5.1%
Veterinary science 0 0 0.0%
Agriculture & related subjects 2095 500 19.6%
Physical sciences 3875 10 6.2%
Mathematical sciences 1395 0 5.1%
Computer science 16670 45 19.9%
Engineering & technology 15420 240 15.7%
Architecture, building & planning 9220 410 21.4%
Social studies 3010 5 1.9%
Law 1890 0 2.8%
Business & administrative studies 36580 1355 18.5%
Mass communications & documentation 1305 0 3.5%
Languages 2835 0 2.3%
Historical & philosophical studies 105 0 0.1%
Creative arts & design 5650 0 4.0%
Education 55 35 0.1%
Combined 135 0 0.1%
Total - All subject areas 112500 3880 6.5%
Supplementary subject information(1)
Psychology 2005 0 3.5%
Geography & environmental sciences 980 0 3.7%
Economics & politics 2065 0 4.5%
English 155 0 0.3%
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.
(1) Numbers reported under 'Supplementary subject information' are within and not additional to the overall total, but are disaggregated from it on a different pattern from the 19 subject areas.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

There was some sandwich programme provision in all subject areas except medicine & dentistry and veterinary science (where the extensive practical training is not structured on the sandwich pattern), although in a few cases there were no more than a handful of students. Sandwich students formed the highest proportion of all undergraduate students in architecture, building & planning, computer science, agriculture & related subjects, business & administrative studies, and engineering & technology.

Age of students

Table Ii shows the proportion of first year UK domiciled undergraduates in each age group.

Table Ii - Age distribution(#8) of first year United Kingdom domiciled undergraduates by mode of study 2006/07
              Percentages
  First degree   Other undergraduate
  Total Full-time Part-time   Total Full-time Part-time
18 & under 43.3 51.2 2.3   6.9 23.0 3.6
19 years 17.8 20.8 2.3   4.1 13.7 2.2
20 years 6.4 7.1 2.9   3.2 7.9 2.3
21 - 24 11.1 10.3 15.2   12.1 18.3 10.9
25 - 29 6.4 4.2 18.3   14.1 11.5 14.6
30 & over 15.0 6.5 59.0   59.6 25.5 66.4
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0   100.0 100.0 100.0
Percentages are not subject to rounding.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

21.0% of UK domiciled entrants on full-time first degree courses, and 55.4% on full-time other undergraduate courses, were aged 21 and over. 59.0% of part-time first degree entrants were aged 30 or over.

Table Iii provides equivalent information for postgraduates.

Table Iii - Age distribution(#8) of first year United Kingdom domiciled postgraduates by mode of study 2006/07
      Percentages
  Total Full-time Part-time
20 & under 0.3 0.4 0.3
21 - 24 30.6 55.1 11.6
25 - 29 20.8 21.2 20.4
30 & over 48.3 23.3 67.7
Total 100.0 100.0 100.0
Percentages are not subject to rounding.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

Ethnicity

Ethnicity is recorded using the categories available for the 2001 Census. Details can be found in the definitions section. These categories are then amalgamated following Office for National Statistics guidelines into the smaller number of categories shown in Chart 3 and in main tables. The scheme is designed to describe patterns of ethnicity within the UK domiciled population, and information on ethnicity is required by HESA only for students of UK domicile.

Ethnicity is known for 91.8% of UK domiciled first year undergraduates and 92.3% of UK domiciled first year postgraduates (from Table 10b). Taking first year and continuing students together, it is known for 94.5% of undergraduates and 90.8% of postgraduates (from Table 10a). Participation in HE by students from ethnic minorities continues to increase overall, and accordingly the most up to date picture is obtained from consideration of the position for new entrants. 16.4% of first year students of known ethnicity are from ethnic minorities, and for full-time first degree students the figure is 20.1% (from Table 10b).

Table J - Ethnic minority students as a percentage of United Kingdom domiciled first year students of known ethnicity 2006/07
  Percentages
Higher degree (research) 14.2
Full-time 14.5
Part-time 13.5
Higher degree (taught) 19.2
Full-time 24.3
Part-time 15.2
Other postgraduate 12.8
Full-time 13.0
Part-time 12.7
First degree 19.2
Full-time 20.1
Part-time 13.9
Other undergraduate 13.0
Full-time 19.2
Part-time 11.7
Percentages are not subject to rounding.

There are substantial differences in gender participation across ethnic categories, and this is also dependent on mode of study. Chart 3 displays these effects jointly.

Female UK domiciled undergraduate students of known ethnic group by mode 2006/07

Qualifications obtained

In 2006/07 a total of 651,060 qualifications were awarded at HE level to students in publicly-funded HEIs (together with The University of Buckingham) or on indirectly funded HE programmes in FECs. Of these 31.1% were at postgraduate level, 49.0% were undergraduate first degrees, and 19.9% were other undergraduate qualifications. 11,635 foundation degrees were awarded, 1.8% of the total. Table K provides a more detailed breakdown.

Table K - Qualifications obtained by level of qualification, mode and domicile 2006/07
  All qualifications Higher degree (research)    Higher degree (taught)    Other postgraduate    First degree    Other undergraduate ..of which, foundation degree
Full-time 466195 16540    76590    39790    281995    51280 7990
United Kingdom domiciled 357955 8735    25865    33635     244195    45525 7410
Non-United Kingdom domiciled 108240 7805    50725    6155     37805    5755 580
Part-time 184865 4465    30800    34040     37265    78290 3640
United Kingdom domiciled 167510 3365    24330    31090     33705    75020 3580
Non-United Kingdom domiciled 17350 1100    6470    2950     3560    3270 60
All students 651060 21005    107390    73835     319260    129570 11635
Percentage of all qualifications 100.0% 3.2%    16.5%    11.3%     49.0%    19.9% 1.8%
United Kingdom domiciled 525465 12100    50195    64725     277895    120550 10990
Non-United Kingdom domiciled 125595 8905    57195    9105     41365    9025 640
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.

Table L provides a breakdown of the class of award for first degrees.

Table L - First degree classifications by mode, domicile and gender 2006/07
  Total first degree First class Upper second class Lower second class Third class/ Pass Unclassified (#15)
Total full-time 281995 33030 127685 82250 18280 20755
Percentage of classified degrees - 12.6% 48.9% 31.5% 7.0% -
United Kingdom domiciled 244195 28585 114125 69820 13975 17690
Female 139510 15805 68915 38065 6220 10505
Male 104685 12780 45210 31755 7755 7185
Non-United Kingdom domiciled 37805 4440 13560 12430 4305 3065
Female 18990 2235 7495 6125 1770 1365
Male 18810 2205 6065 6305 2535 1700
Total part-time 37265 3615 11060 10545 4915 7125
Percentage of classified degrees - 12.0% 36.7% 35.0% 16.3% -
United Kingdom domiciled 33705 3470 10300 9160 4030 6745
Female 20855 2135 6730 5615 2205 4175
Male 12845 1335 3570 3545 1825 2570
Non-United Kingdom domiciled 3560 145 760 1385 885 380
Female 1730 70 440 655 350 215
Male 1830 75 320 730 540 165
All students 319260 36645 138745 92795 23195 27880
Percentage of classified degrees - 12.6% 47.6% 31.8% 8.0% -
United Kingdom domiciled 277895 32055 124420 78980 18005 24435
Percentage of classified degrees - 12.6% 49.1% 31.2% 7.1% -
Female 160365 17940 75645 43680 8425 14680
Male 117530 14115 48780 35300 9580 9760
Non-United Kingdom domiciled 41365 4590 14325 13815 5190 3445
Percentage of classified degrees - 12.1% 37.8% 36.4% 13.7% -
Female 20720 2305 7940 6780 2120 1580
Male 20640 2280 6385 7035 3075 1865
All domiciles 319260 36645 138745 92795 23195 27880
Female 181090 20245 83580 50460 10545 16260
Percentage of classified degrees - 12.3% 50.7% 30.6% 6.4% -
Male 138170 16395 55165 42335 12650 11625
Percentage of classified degrees - 13.0% 43.6% 33.5% 10.0% -
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5. Percentages are not subject to rounding.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

Of students who obtained a classified first degree, 12.6% were awarded first class honours and 60.2% were awarded either first or upper second class honours. Chart 4 shows the female/male, full-time/part-time, and UK/non-UK percentages drawn from Table L. The proportion of first class degrees did not depend heavily on any of these factors, but the proportion of upper seconds was substantially greater for female students than for male students, and similarly for UK students compared to non-UK students and for full-time students compared to part-time students. Varying proportions of upper seconds were mainly balanced by proportions of thirds; the proportion of lower seconds did not vary greatly.

Percentage obtaining each classification by gender, domicile and mode 2006/07

Table M shows that there is considerable variation by subject area in the proportions of different classes of degrees that are awarded. This table excludes the clinical subject areas medicine & dentistry and veterinary science, in which the proportion of degrees awarded without classification is substantial.

Table M - First degree graduates in non-clinical subjects(#1) awarded first or upper second class honours as a percentage of classified degrees 2006/07
      Percentages
  First class Upper second First or upper second
Subjects allied to medicine 14.1 46.5 60.6
Biological sciences 12.2 50.4 62.6
Agriculture & related subjects 13.1 43.5 56.6
Physical sciences 19.1 42.8 61.9
Mathematical sciences 28.9 34.7 63.6
Computer science 14.8 35.6 50.4
Engineering & technology 20.6 40.2 60.8
Architecture, building & planning 10.0 44.1 54.1
Social studies 10.0 51.4 61.4
Law 5.8 51.2 56.9
Business & administrative studies 8.6 41.5 50.1
Mass communications & documentation 8.1 52.6 60.7
Languages 13.9 59.7 73.6
Historical & philosophical studies 13.3 61.1 74.4
Creative arts & design 13.1 49.1 62.1
Education 8.9 46.2 55.1
Combined 12.5 42.5 55.0
Total - Non-clinical subjects 12.5 47.6 60.1
Supplementary subject information(1)
Psychology 11.5 56.7 68.3
Geography & environmental sciences 9.8 56.6 66.4
Economics & politics 12.5 52.8 65.4
English 13.4 59.9 73.3
Percentages are not subject to rounding.
(1) Numbers reported under 'Supplementary subject information' are within and not additional to the overall total, but are disaggregated from it on a different pattern from the 19 subject areas.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

The female/male, full-time/part-time, and UK/non-UK proportions vary greatly across subject areas (see Table F), and because of this it is not meaningful to interpret small differences from population proportions of degree classes (for example, in the proportion of first class degrees) without adjusting for subject choice. That has not been attempted here, but the methodology used for benchmarking Performance Indicators could be applied.

Flows between administrations

The main tables provide figures showing student mobility within the UK for all UK domiciled students. However, the figures for postgraduate students should be interpreted with caution because the domicile will often reflect the location of undergraduate study rather than the original ‘domestic’ domicile. Part-time students display little mobility. It is accordingly of interest to focus on full-time undergraduates, and these figures are presented in TableN.4

Table N - Full-time United Kingdom domiciled undergraduate students by domicile(#3), region of institution and level of study 2006/07
  Region of institution
  Total United Kingdom London England (other regions) England total Wales Scotland Northern Ireland
First degree 960630 136555 637815 774370 56045 102620 27590
London 149645 86080 60025 146110 1590 1905 40
England (other regions) 631140 47060 548280 595340 23670 11915 210
England total 780785 133140 608310 741450 25265 13820 250
Wales 47325 1560 15160 16720 30195 400 15
Scotland 89160 695 4315 5010 150 83965 40
Northern Ireland(#14) 39080 495 6810 7305 270 4280 27225
Channel Islands and Isle of Man 3275 250 2755 3005 145 120 0
Other undergraduate 110915 20620 75730 96350 3865 9660 1035
London 17155 14085 3000 17085 60 15 0
England (other regions) 78515 6095 71260 77355 1045 115 0
England total 95675 20180 74260 94435 1105 130 0
Wales 3550 90 720 815 2730 5 0
Scotland 9815 75 260 335 15 9470 0
Northern Ireland(#14) 1385 75 215 290 5 55 1035
Channel Islands and Isle of Man 140 5 130 135 10 0 0
In this table 0, 1, 2 are rounded to 0. All other numbers are rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 5.
# see relevant footnote in Notes to tables.

741,450 out of 780,785 (95.0%) full-time first degree students domiciled in England studied in their country of domicile; the corresponding figures for Wales were 30,195 out of 47,325 (63.8%) for Scotland 83,965 out of 89,160 (94.2%), and for Northern Ireland 27,225 out of 39,080 (69.7%).

So English and Scottish students displayed little mobility in proportionate terms, but English numbers were large enough in absolute terms to mean that outwards mobility from England contributed almost half of Welsh numbers, and more than one-eighth of those in Scotland. Outwards mobility from Wales and Scotland was almost entirely to England, and three-fifths of outwards mobility from Northern Ireland was to England, with almost all the balance to Scotland.

Within England, again for full-time first degree students, the flow into London was 47,060 and the flow out of London was 60,025, not greatly different in absolute terms, which means that there was proportionately much more mobility out of London to other regions of England (40.1% of the London total) than in the reverse direction (7.5% of the total for other regions of England). The table in the main body of the volume provides a full breakdown of mobility between English regions.

There was less mobility between administrations at the level of full-time other undergraduate programmes than at the first degree level: the corresponding percentages for study in the country of domicile were 98.7% for England, 76.9% for Wales, 96.5% for Scotland, and 74.5% for Northern Ireland.


1  Non-statutory publications omit any contribution from individuals who have notified HESA of their wish to be excluded in circumstances such as the publication of the present volume where inclusion is not defined as a requirement by the bodies whose statutory powers underpin HESA data collection.

2  These figures do not include students on directly funded foundation degree programmes at FECs, so are not a measure of the total uptake of Foundation Degree programmes.

3  Except where Channel Islands and Isle of Man students have been separated out explicitly, they have been included in UK figures.

4  In the 2005/06 student volume, the total rows in Table N incorrectly omitted the small number of students known to have UK domicile but whose domicile by administration is not known. The Agency apologises for this mistake. It had no impact on the narrative report. It has been rectified for this 2006/07 volume, and it can be seen that the sum of the rows for the separate administrations falls short of the total by a considerably larger difference than would be produced by rounding.