News

More 18 and 19 year olds in education in autumn 2011 than in previous years

The number of students at levels above compulsory education increases by 2.7%
There were 46,217 students at levels above compulsory education in Iceland in the autumn of 2011, an increase of 1,214 students from the previous year (2.7%). There were 20,744 males in education and 25,473 females. There were 26,153 students at the upper secondary level, an increase of 3.9% from the previous year, and 965 students at the post-secondary non-tertiary level. There were 19,099 students at the tertiary level as a whole, a 1.3% increase.

More 18 and 19 year olds in education than in previous years
Almost 83% of 18 year olds attend school, and more than 75% of 19 year olds. Never before have there been so many 18 and 19 year olds in education in Iceland. Almost 90% of 17 year olds attend school, an increase from the previous year. With the exception of the autumn of 2009 there have never been more 17 year olds in education. The enrolment rate of 16 year olds in Iceland in the autumn of 2011 was 95%, the same as in 2009 and 2010.

In addition, there is an increase in the number of students at the upper secondary level in all 5 year age groups from 15 to 54 years old. The enrolment rate in these age groups had dropped between 2009 and 2010 due to a decline in the number of students in evening school and distance learning programmes.
The enrolment rate of 16 year olds is highest in West Iceland, 97%, while it is lowest in the Northwest, 90%.

One of every three students at the upper secondary level is enrolled in vocational programmes, never fewer in the past decade
Around two out of every three students at the upper secondary level are enrolled in general programmes, while 33.4% are enrolled in vocational programmes. The share of students in vocational programmes had dropped slightly from the previous year, when it was 34.2%, and has not been lower in the past decade. A total of 38.5% of male students and 28.2% of female students are enrolled in vocational programmes.

A decrease in the number of students in master’s and doctorate programmes
The number of students preparing for a master’s degree has increased year by year until the autumn of 2011 when their number dropped by 59 (-1.4%), from 4,243 in 2010 to 4,176. The decrease is only found among male students, a decrease of 5.8%, while there are 0.8% more females in master’s degree programmes than in the autumn of 2010.

The same applies to the doctorate level. The number of students at the doctorate level has increased year by year since 2001, but in the autumn of 2011 there is a decline of 26 students (-5.4%), from 478 to 452. There are 15.0% fewer males at the Ph.D. level than in the previous year, while there are 1.4% more women than in 2010. Almost one-quarter (23.8%) of doctoral students are foreigners, mainly coming from other European countries.

 About the data
Information is gathered directly from the schools and refers to the number of students in the middle of October. Each student is only counted once even if he is studying in two schools. The enrolment rate is computed by classifying students by age and domicile on December 1 each year and computing their proportion of the relevant age group.

Statistics:
     Overview
     Upper secondary schools
     Universities