There were fewer graduates from schools in Iceland in 2012-2013 than in the previous school year, both at the upper secondary and at the tertiary levels of education. The number of graduates at the tertiary level decreased for the second consecutive year, this year by 78 (-1.9%) from the previous year. The number of graduates at the upper secondary level decreased by 238 from the previous year, by 3.9%.
More Ph.D. graduates than ever before
There were 56 Ph.D. graduates during the 2012-2013 school year, 29 males and 27 females, 15 more than in the previous school year (36.6%). Never before have more students graduated with a Ph.D. degree in one school year, the highest number until now was in 2010-2011 when 48 Ph.D. students graduated. Almost 40% of Ph.D. graduates were 40 years old or older when graduating and almost 88% were 30 years old or older. More than one out of four Ph.D. graduates in 2012-2013 was a foreign citizen, a total of 15 graduates.
Fewer graduates from the tertiary level of education
There were 4,001 graduates with 4,029 graduations at the tertiary level of education in 2012-2013. Females were 64.6% of graduates. There were 2.589 graduations with a first tertiary degree, 5 fewer than in the previous year (-0.2%), and the number of graduates with a diploma after a Bachelor degree decreased by one. In addition, there were 1,049 graduations with a master’s degree, down by 88 (-7.7%) from the previous school year.
Fewer graduates from the upper secondary level of education
A total of 5,907 students graduated with 6,515 graduations from the upper secondary level of education during the school year 2012-2013. Females were more numerous than males, 53.5% of graduates.
Fewer students completed the matriculation examination than in 2011-2012
There were 3,463 graduates from 35 schools with a matriculation exam during the 2012-2013 school year, 136 fewer than in the previous year (-3.8%). Never before had so many students completed the matriculation exam in one school year as in 2011-2012, but 2012-2013 comes second. The ratio of students graduating with the matriculation exam to 20 year olds in the population dropped from the previous year; from 74.7% to 71.2%. Women were 58.9% of those completing the matriculation exam. The number of graduates with the matriculation exam after completing vocational education has increased in recent years; they were 701 in 2012-2013.
The average age of students with the general matriculation exam was 21 years, but 28 years with the vocational matriculation exam. The most common age at graduation was 20, using the end of the year after the completion of the school year as a reference date. A total of 9.4% of graduates with a matriculation exam were 19 years old or younger, but 47.6% were 20 years old. There were 573 graduates who were 25 years or older when completing this exam (16.5%). Thereof 258 graduated from schools with special programmes of preliminary studies for adults, i.e. from Keilir, Reykjavík University or Bifröst University, but 315 graduated from other schools.
More graduates with the journeyman’s exam but fewer masters of a certified trade
In 2012-2013 there were 548 graduations with the journeyman’s exam, 30 more than in the previous year (5.8%). Males were 78.8% of those completing the exam. The average age of students completing the journeyman’s exam was 29 years, while the most common age was 22 years.
Graduated masters of a certified trade were 199, 14 fewer than in the previous school year (-6.6%). Males were 70.9% of certified trade masters, and the average age of certified trade masters was 35 years.
Detailed statistics on graduates and graduations are available on the Statistics Iceland website.
Statistics:
Upper secondary schools
Universities