Statistics Iceland has published data on the number of students at the upper secondary and tertiary levels and on the enrolment rate of 16–29 year olds in the middle of the autumn semester of 2005.
More than 100 thousand students at all levels
During the school year 2005-2006 the total number of students in Iceland at all school levels surpasses 100 thousand for the first time. This school year there are 101,171 students in Iceland from pre-primary level to tertiary level. In addition there are 2,237 students studying abroad. The number of students in Iceland has increased by 1,208 since 2004, an increase of 1.2%.
In autumn 2005 there are 23,345 students at the upper secondary level and 16,626 at the tertiary level in Iceland. The number of students at the upper secondary level increased by 3.3% since 2004 and the number of students at the tertiary level also increased by 3.3%. Females are 52.1% of students at the upper secondary level and 62.8% of students at the tertiary level. The number of students at the tertiary level has doubled since 1997.
The enrolment rate of 16 year olds has never been higher, now 94%
The enrolment rate of 16 year olds in Iceland in autumn 2005 was 94% when all modes of teaching are considered (day courses, evening school, external learning, and distance learning). The enrolment rate is almost one percentage point higher than the previous year. The enrolment rate of 16 year olds has now been at least 90% every year since the year 2000. The enrolment rate of 17 year olds is lower than that of 16 year olds by 10 percentage points. The enrolment rate is 84%, an increase of less than one percentage point from autumn 2004.
A drop in the enrolment rate for 18-20 year olds
The enrolment rate of 18-20 year olds in autumn 2005 is lower than in the previous year. In 2005 73% of 18 year olds are studying compared to 75% the previous year. The proportion of 20 year olds attending school has dropped by 3 percentage points, from 56% to 53%. When looking back to the year 1999 the enrolment rate has increased in every age group from 16-29 years old. The drop in the enrolment rate could be explained by some students having completed their programmes and graduated while others may have taken a temporary leave from their studies.
The enrolment rate is highest in the capital region outside of Reykjavík and in Reykjavík. It should be mentioned that 98% of 16 year olds in the Northwest are attending school. When examining the age group between 20 and 30 years old the enrolment rate is highest in Reykjavík, the capital region outside of Reykjavík and in the Northeast.
The enrolment rate of females is considerably higher than for males
The enrolment rate of 16 year old boys is 93% while it is 95% for 16 year old girls, and has increased by one percentage point from 2004 for both sexes. For every age between 16 and 29 the enrolment rate is higher for females than for males. One exception is 20 year olds, where 53% of males and females attend school.
The greatest increase at the tertiary level is in business
The largest number of students at the tertiary level is studying business and economics, and education, a total of 18.0% of all students in each programme, while 17.0% of students are studying social sciences and law. In the autumn of 2004 20.0% of tertiary students were studying in education programmes, but in 2005 the number of these students had dropped by 227. At the same time the number of students in business and economics increased by 414 and by 312 in social sciences and law. When looking back to the year 1997 it can be seen that the number of students in business and economics has more than trebled while it has more than doubled in social sciences and law.
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, 2005 and computing their proportion of the relevant age group.