Higher Education Student Data
HE Student Data: Frequently asked questions
We publish a wide range of tables and charts about students in higher education. The areas above guide you through the information we collect, and we have also published a complete list of our tables.
The table below identifies the charts and tables that answer some of the most common questions about HE students. Use the drop-down filter to select the topic that most interests you, or the search box to display more specific questions (such as searching for 'part-time', or 'MBA').
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| Question | Table/chart | Published by | Theme | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How many students are there in higher education? | HE student enrolments by level of study | HESA | Student numbers | student; enrolments; enrolment |
| How have student numbers changed over time? | Chart: First year student enrolments HE student enrolments by level of study |
HESA | Time series | enrolments; enrolment; students; changes |
| How many students are studying at university x? | HE student enrolments by HE provider and domicile | HESA | Universities and colleges | HEP; HEPs; providers; HE providers; universities; colleges; university; college; school |
| How many part-time students are there? | HE student enrolments by level of study (use the 'Mode of study' filter) | HESA | Student numbers | part-time; mode |
| What subjects are students studying? | HE student enrolments by subject of study and domicile HE student enrolments by subject of study and domicile 2014/15 to 2018/19 (use the 'Subject of study' drop-down filter to switch between subject groupings) |
HESA | Subjects | course; module; subject; programme |
| What is the gender breakdown in higher education? | HE student enrolments by personal characteristics | HESA | Personal characteristics | sex; gender; male; female; men; women; |
| How many students are studying science subjects? | HE student enrolments by subject of study and domicile HE student enrolments by subject of study and domicile 2014/15 to 2018/19 (use the 'Subject of study' drop-down filter to switch between subject groupings) |
HESA | Subjects | STEM, science, technology, engineering, maths, sciences, |
| What is the ethnic profile of HE students? | HE student enrolments by personal characteristics UK domiciled student enrolments by ethnicity and sex (detailed breakdown) |
HESA | Personal characteristics | Ethnicity, white, black, Asian |
| How many mature students are in HE? | HE student enrolments by personal characteristics | HESA | Personal characteristics | Age, mature |
| What proportion of HE students identify as disabled? | HE student enrolments by personal characteristics | HESA | Personal characteristics | Disability, disabled |
| How many students report having a mental health condition? | UK domiciled student enrolments by disability and sex | HESA | Personal characteristics | Wellbeing, mental health, disability, disabled |
| How many students drop out of HE? | UK Performance Indicators - non-continuation rates. | HESA | Continuation rates | Continuation, progression, dropout, drop-out, non-continuation |
| What proportion of students live at home? | Full-time and sandwich students by term-time accommodation | HESA | Location | Accommodation, location, parent, parents, guardians, house, home |
| How have international student numbers changed over time? | HE student enrolments by domicile | HESA | Time series | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile, non-UK |
| What countries do higher education students come from? | HE student enrolments by domicile and region of HE provider | HESA | International | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile |
| What proportion of students get a first? | Percentage of first degree qualifiers obtaining each classification | HESA | Degree classifications | Degrees, classes, classifications, first, first class, first-class, firsts, grade, grades, |
| How has access to higher education changed over time? | UK domiciled full-time HE undergraduate student enrolments by participation characteristics Chart: Percentage of UK domiciled young full-time first degree entrants from state schools by academic year 1998/99 - 2017/18 Chart: Percentage of UK domiciled young full-time first degree entrants from low participation neighbourhoods by academic year 1998/99 - 2017/18 |
HESA | Widening participation | Widening participation, participation, access, outreach, background |
| What is the gender breakdown on science subjects? | HE student enrolments by subject group and sex | HESA | Subjects | STEM, science, technology, engineering, maths, sciences, sex |
| What proportion of students in HE come from state schools? | UK domiciled full-time HE undergraduate student enrolments by participation characteristics Chart: Percentage of UK domiciled young full-time first degree entrants from state schools by academic year 1998/99 - 2017/18 |
HESA | Widening participation | Widening participation, participation, access, outreach, state, schools, school, background |
| How do widening participation rates differ between universities? | See the UK Performance Indicators: Widening participation release for data and commentary | HESA | Widening participation | Widening participation, participation, access, outreach, background |
| How has the percentage of students achieving first class degrees changed over time? | Percentage of first degree qualifiers obtaining each classification Chart: Classified first degree qualifications by class |
HESA | Degree classifications | Degrees, classes, classifications, first, first class, first-class, firsts, grade, grades, |
| How many qualifiers from HE are there? | HE qualifications obtained by level of qualification | HESA | Qualifiers | qualifications; qualifiers; quals; qualify |
| What is the breakdown by ethnicity on subject x? | UK domiciled undergraduate students of known ethnicity by subject area and ethnicity UK domiciled undergraduate students of known ethnicity by subject area and ethnicity 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Personal characteristics | Ethnicity, white, black, Asian, course; module; subject; programme |
| How many undergraduate students are there in higher education? | HE student enrolments by level of study | HESA | Student numbers | students; student; enrolments; enrolment; undergrad; UG; undergraduate; first degree; bachelor's; BA, bachelors |
| How have the number of qualifiers changed over time? | Chart: HE qualifications obtained by level of qualification HE qualifications obtained by level of qualification |
HESA | Time series | qualifications; qualifiers; quals; qualify; grades |
| How many students are studying for a Masters in Business Administration (MBAs)? | MBA students by domicile | HESA | Subjects | MBA; Business masters; Business; |
| Where do MBA students come from? | MBA students by domicile | HESA | International | MBA; Business masters; Business, Masters of business administration |
| How have part-time student numbers changed over time? | Chart: First year student enrolments HE student enrolments by level of study |
HESA | Time series | part-time; mode |
| What subjects are studied most by male students and most by female students? | HE student enrolments by subject group and sex HE student enrolments by subject of study HE student enrolments (including on AP designated courses) by subject area and sex Chart: All students by subject area and sex |
HESA | Subjects | sex; gender; male; female; men; women; course; module; subject; programme |
| What are the entry qualifications of HE students? | First year UK domiciled HE student enrolments by subject of study and highest qualification on entry First year UK domiciled HE student enrolments by subject of study and highest qualification on entry 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Personal characteristics | Tariff, grades, applications, entrants |
| What is the gender breakdown at university x? | HE student enrolments by HE provider | HESA | Personal characteristics | sex; gender; male; female; men; women; HEP; HEPs; providers; HE providers; universites; colleges; university; college; school |
| What is the age profile of HE students? | HE student enrolments by personal characteristics | HESA | Personal characteristics | Age, mature |
| How many students are studying subject x? | HE student enrolments by subject of study and domicile HE student enrolments by subject of study and domicile 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Subjects | course; module; subject; programme |
| Where do students live while they're studying? | Full-time and sandwich students by term-time accommodation | HESA | Location | Accommodation, location, parent, parents, guardians, house, home |
| How many students live in provider-owned accommodation? | Full-time and sandwich students by term-time accommodation | HESA | Location | Accommodation, location, parent, parents, guardians, house, home |
| How many students come from country x? | HE student enrolments by domicile and region of HE provider (select the 'Non EU' or 'Other EU' options in the 'Domicile' filter to exclude UK counties from the list) | HESA | International | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile |
| How many students at university x are studying subject x? | HE student enrolments by HE provider and subject of study HE student enrolments by HE provider and subject of study 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Subjects | course; module; subject; programme |
| What percentage of female students enrol on science subjects? | Percentage of HE student enrolments in science subjects by personal characteristics | HESA | Personal characteristics | course; module; subject; programme |
| How has the percentage of female students enrolled on science subjects changed over time? | Percentage of HE student enrolments in science subjects by personal characteristics | HESA | Time series | STEM, science, technology, engineering, maths, sciences, female, women, sex, gender |
| What is the gender breakdown on x subject? | HE student enrolments by subject group and sex HE student enrolments by subject of study HE student enrolments (including on AP designated courses) by subject area and sex Chart: All students by subject area and sex |
HESA | Personal characteristics | sex; gender; male; female; men; women; course; module; subject; programme |
| How many international students study subject x? | HE student enrolments by subject of study (click the 'Domicile' radio button) | HESA | International | course; module; subject; programme |
| How many students from low participation neighbourhoods are there in HE? | HE undergraduate UK domiciled full-time student enrolments by participation characteristics | HESA | Widening participation | Widening participation, participation, access, outreach, background, POLAR, POLAR3 |
| How many students’ had parents/guardians that went to university? | HE undergraduate UK domiciled full-time student enrolments by participation characteristics | HESA | Widening participation | Widening participation, participation, access, outreach, background |
| How many sandwich students are there? | Undergraduate sandwich student enrolments by subject of study and sex Undergraduate sandwich student enrolments by subject of study and sex 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Student numbers | student; enrolments; enrolment |
| What is the proportion of students from low participation neighbourhoods at university x? | Table T1 – Participation of under-represented groups in higher education: UK domiciled young full-time undergraduate entrants (click the 'Low participation neighbourhoods' filter) Table T2a – Participation of under-represented groups in higher education: UK domiciled mature full-time undergraduate entrants Table T2b – Participation of under-represented groups in higher education: UK domiciled part-time undergraduate entrants |
HESA | Widening participation | Widening participation, participation, access, outreach, background, POLAR, POLAR3, HEP, HEPs, HE provider, colleges, college, university, universities |
| What is the proportion of students from state schools at university x? | Table T1 – Participation of under-represented groups in higher education: UK domiciled young full-time undergraduate entrants | HESA | Widening participation | Widening participation, participation, access, outreach, background, state schools, HEPs, HE provider, colleges, college, university, universities |
| How many students are studying on teacher training programmes? | ITT students by HE provider and level of study | HESA | Subjects | course; module; subject; programme; ITT; teaching; PGCE |
| How many students are there in England / Wales / Scotland / Northern Ireland? | HE student enrolments by domicile and region of HE provider | HESA | Location | |
| What is the regional breakdown of students in higher education? | HE student enrolments by domicile and region of HE provider | HESA | Location | |
| Which countries send the most students to the UK? | Chart: Top ten European Union countries of domicile (excluding the UK) in 2017/18 | HESA | International | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile |
| What proportion of students come from the EU? | Chart: HE student enrolments at HE providers in the UK by level of study, mode of study and domicile | HESA | International | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile, European Union, Brexit |
| What proportion of students come from outside the EU? | Chart: HE student enrolments at HE providers in the UK by level of study, mode of study and domicile | HESA | International | International, overseas, foreign, domicile |
| How have student enrolments from the EU changed over time? | HE student enrolments by domicile Chart: First year non-UK domicile students by domicile |
HESA | Time series | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile, European Union, Brexit |
| How many international students are there at university x? | HE student enrolments by HE provider and domicile | HESA | Universities and colleges | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile |
| How many EU students are there at university x? | HE student enrolments by HE provider and domicile | HESA | Universities and colleges | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile, European Union, Brexit |
| How have student enrolments from China changed over time? | Chart: Top ten non-European Union countries of domicile (excluding the UK) Chart: First year non-UK domicile students by domicile |
HESA | International | International, overseas, foreign, domicile, China, Chinese, Asia |
| How many overseas students are there? | HE student enrolments studying wholly overseas by location of provision 2013/14 - 2017/18 | HESA | International | Aggregate offshore, offshore, overseas |
| Where do the majority of overseas students study? | Chart: Transnational students studying wholly overseas for a UK higher education qualification | HESA | International | Aggregate offshore, offshore, overseas, transnational |
| How many overseas students are registered at university x? | Aggregate offshore students by HE provider and level of study | HESA | Universities and colleges | Aggregate offshore, offshore, overseas, HEP, HE providers, university, college, transnational |
| How many students at university x achieve a first? | HE qualifiers by HE provider and level of qualification obtained (use the 'Classification of first degree' radio button') | HESA | Degree classifications | HEP; HEPs; providers; HE providers; universities; colleges; university; college; school, Degrees, classes, classifications, first, first class, first-class, firsts, grade, grades, |
| How many students are enrolled on first degree courses? | HE student enrolments by level of study | HESA | Student numbers | students; student; enrolments; enrolment; undergrad; UG; undergraduate; first degree; bachelor's; BA; bachelors; BSc |
| How many students are enrolled on postgraduate courses? | HE student enrolments by level of study | HESA | Student numbers | students; student; enrolments; enrolment; postgrad; PG; PGT; PGR; postgraduate; masters; master's; MA; MSc; PhD; MPhil; MBA; Postgraduate research |
| How many students are studying for Masters courses? | HE student enrolments by level of study | HESA | Student numbers | students; student; enrolments; enrolment; postgrad; PG; PGT; postgraduate; masters; master's; MA; MSc; MBA |
| How many students are studying for doctorates? | HE student enrolments by level of study | HESA | Student numbers | students; student; enrolments; enrolment; postgrad; PG; PGR; Postgraduate research; DPhil; MPhil; PhD; doctor; |
| What are the subjects of graduates' qualifications? | HE qualifiers by subject of study and domicile HE qualifiers by subject of study and domicile 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Subjects | course; module; subject; programme; degrees; discipline; science |
| How do degree classes vary by graduates' ethnicity? | UK domiciled first degree qualifiers by classification of first degree, sex, age group, disability marker and ethnicity marker | HESA | Degree classifications | Degrees, classes, classifications, first, first class, first-class, firsts, grade, grades, Ethnicity, white, black, Asian, BME. BAME, minority |
| How many Black, Asian and minority ethnic students attend more selective universities? | UK domiciled first year students at higher education providers with low, medium and high entry tariffs by ethnicity | HESA | Widening participation | Ethnicity, white, black, Asia, BME. BAME, minority, selective, entry, Russell, Tariff, grades, applications, entrants |
| How many students from each country study at each university? | Non-UK domiciled HE students by HE provider and country of domicile | HESA | International | International, overseas, foreign, Europe, domicile, provider; universities; colleges; university; college; school |
| What is the age profile of graduates from each university? | HE qualifiers by HE provider and age group | HESA | Personal characteristics | Age, mature, graduate, qualify, qualifiers, younger, older |
| How many disabled students graduate from university? | HE qualifiers by HE provider and disability marker UK domiciled qualifiers by disability and sex |
HESA | Personal characteristics | Disability, disabled |
| How many Black, Asian and minority ethnic students graduate from each university? | UK domiciled HE qualifiers by HE provider and ethnicity marker | HESA | Personal characteristics | Ethnicity, white, black, Asian, BME, BAME, minority |
| What is the age profile of graduates by subject? | HE qualifiers by subject of study and age group HE qualifiers by subject of study and age group 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Personal characteristics | Age, mature, graduate, qualify, qualifiers, younger, older, subject |
| What are disabled graduates' qualifications by subject? | HE qualifiers by subject of study and disability marker HE qualifiers by subject of study and disability marker 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Personal characteristics | Disability, disabled, subject |
| What are Black, Asian and minority ethnic graduates' qualifications by subject? | UK domiciled qualifiers by subject of study and ethnicity UK domiciled qualifiers by subject of study and ethnicity 2014/15 to 2018/19 |
HESA | Personal characteristics | Ethnicity, white, black, Asian, BME, BAME, minority, subject |
| How do entry qualifications affect degree classification? | HE qualifiers by highest qualification on entry and classification of first degree | HESA | Degree classifications | Degrees, classes, classifications, first, first class, first-class, firsts, grade, grades, A level, entry, qualification |
| What is the Full-time equvalent of students by department? | HE student enrolment FTE by HE provider and cost centre | HESA | Student numbers | FTE, Full-time, equvalent, academic, department, cost centre |
| How many applications to HE were there? | UCAS End of Cycle report: Summary of applicants and acceptances | UCAS | Applications and acceptances | |
| How many applicants accepted their place? | UCAS End of Cycle report: Summary of applicants and acceptances | UCAS | Applications and acceptances | |
| How do application rates vary by age, subject, geography, ethniciity and economic background? | UCAS End of Cycle report: Patterns by age, subject, geography and characteristics | UCAS | Applications and acceptances | |
| How satisfied are undergraduate students? | National Student Survey results | Office for Students | Student satisfaction | |
| How satisfied are postgraduate taught students? | Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey Report 2019 | Advance HE | Student satisfaction | |
| How satisfied are postgraduate research students? | Postgraduate Research Experience Survey Report 2019 | Advance HE | Student satisfaction |