Statistics Iceland has collected and published data on registered students in upper secondary schools and universities in autumn 2010. The data are published in the Statistical series Hagtíðindi.
A 7.9% decrease in the number of registered students at the upper secondary level
In the autumn term of 2010 there were 47,240 students registered in schools at the upper secondary and tertiary level of education. There were 27,351 registered students at the upper secondary level and 19,889 at the tertiary level. The number of registered students decreased from the previous year by 3.1%. This is the first time that the number of students decreases between years since Statistics Iceland started publishing data on registered students in 1997. The decrease in the number of registered students only takes place at the upper secondary level, where the number of students decreased by 7.9%. At the tertiary level the number of students increased by 4.3%. The main reason for the overall decrease in the number of students is a decrease in the number of students in distance learning programmes and evening schools at the upper secondary level. In addition, the number of elementary school pupils in upper secondary schools decreased considerably to approximately one-quarter of their number in autumn 2008.
Women outnumber men among registered students but the share of males among students has increased
There are 5,396 more women than men registered students. There are 26,318 female students at both the upper secondary and tertiary levels while there are 20,922 men registered in autumn 2010. Women are 55.7% of students at school levels above compulsory education. The share of males is 44.3% while in the autumn of 2009 males were 43.4% of students. Males constitute a larger share of the student group since the number of female students has declined more than the number of male students. When examining data by school level it can be observed that women are 51.9% of students at the upper secondary level, 34.6% at the post-secondary non-tertiary level, 62.3% at the first stage of tertiary education and 58.3% at the doctoral level.
Most students select a general programme at the upper secondary level and an academic programme at the tertiary level
At the upper secondary level 17,938 students are registered in general programmes whereas 9,044 students are registered in vocational programmes. Thus, 66.5% of students at the upper secondary level are registered in general programmes and 33.5% of students in vocational programmes.
At the tertiary level of education 97.9% of students are registered in academic programmes while 2.1% are registered in occupational programmes. The number of doctoral students has increased by 168 from the previous year and now 482 students study 47 different subject areas.
Most students at the tertiary level study business and law
The most popular individual line of study in universities is business, with 2,452 students registered for the various business programmes, thereof 54.4% women. Law is the second most popular line of study with 1,387 registered students, thereof 53.2% women. Business and law are the only lines of study at the tertiary level with more than one thousand students.
In the Statistical series Hagtíðindi there are key data on the total number of registered students at both the upper secondary and tertiary level from 2004 to 2010 including detailed data by school level, mode of teaching and type of school. Data on progress of study are also published. The Statistical series are available at the web site of Statistics Iceland.
Registered students in schools at the upper secondary and tertiary level in autumn 2010 - Statistical Series
Statistics:
Overview
Upper secondary
Universities