Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada

Canada: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes was 361,504 number in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
361,504 number
Change on year
up 3.7%
World rank
19th
of 143 countries
All-time high
445,242 number
in 2008
All-time low
307,352 number
in 2000
Years of data
16
1998–2018

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada, 1998–2018

0100.0k200.0k300.0k400.0k1998200820181998: 309.2k number1999: 315.0k number2000: 307.4k number2002: 307.6k number2007: 444.6k number2008: 445.2k number2009: 440.0k number2010: 309.8k number2011: 315.6k number2012: 323.5k number2013: 325.5k number2014: 338.0k number2015: 340.2k number2016: 336.4k number2017: 348.7k number2018: 361.5k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

Canada recorded 361,504 number for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in 2018.

The figure is up 3.7% on the previous year and down 18.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada peaked at 445,242 number in 2008 and was at its lowest, 307,352 number, in 2000.

Canada ranks 19th of 143 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 16 years of available data.

Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number) in Canada, 1998 to 2018.
Year number Change
1998 309,164 number
1999 314,968 number +1.9%
2000 307,352 number -2.4%
2002 307,639 number +0.1%
2007 444,586 number +44.5%
2008 445,242 number +0.1%
2009 440,017 number -1.2%
2010 309,831 number -29.6%
2011 315,624 number +1.9%
2012 323,520 number +2.5%
2013 325,512 number +0.6%
2014 337,998 number +3.8%
2015 340,217 number +0.7%
2016 336,403 number -1.1%
2017 348,728 number +3.7%
2018 361,504 number +3.7%

Canada compared with similar countries

  • Canada's 361,504 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,411 number, 34.7× the median. (62 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2007 +44.5% 307,639 number 444,586 number
2010 -29.6% 440,017 number 309,831 number

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 312,066 number 309,164 number 314,968 number 2
2000s 388,967 number 307,352 number 445,242 number 5
2010s 333,260 number 309,831 number 361,504 number 9

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 16 Malaysia 398,615 number compare
  2. 17 Ukraine 383,710 number compare
  3. 18 South Africa 361,511 number compare
  4. 20 Chile 347,377 number compare
  5. 21 Thailand 345,866 number compare
  6. 22 United Kingdom 284,245 number compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More reference data data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada was 361,504 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 445,242 number in 2008.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 307,352 number in 2000.
How does Canada rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
Canada ranks 19th out of 143 countries with data for 2018.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is down 18.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-5-programmes-both-sexes-number/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number)
Unit
number
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
188 places, 2,883 data points, 1997–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of students enrolled in public and private short-cycle tertiary education programmes (ISCED 5).