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

Ireland: Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes was 19,872 number in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
19,872 number
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
62nd
of 143 countries
All-time high
68,599 number
in 2002
All-time low
16,493 number
in 2016
Years of data
21
1998–2018

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

20.0k40.0k60.0k1998200820181998: 54.2k number1999: 60.9k number2000: 65.3k number2001: 62.7k number2002: 68.6k number2003: 64.9k number2004: 63.2k number2005: 55.9k number2006: 54.1k number2007: 54.5k number2008: 48.4k number2009: 48.5k number2010: 44.1k number2011: 42.4k number2012: 39.8k number2013: 41.6k number2014: 18.0k number2015: 16.5k number2016: 16.5k number2017: 19.5k number2018: 19.9k number

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.

Analysis

The most recent figure for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Ireland is 19,872 number, measured in 2018.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 59.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Ireland peaked at 68,599 number in 2002 and was at its lowest, 16,493 number, in 2016.

That places Ireland 62nd out of 143 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.

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

Annual values for Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes (number) in Ireland, 1998 to 2018.
Year number Change
1998 54,205 number —
1999 60,894 number +12.3%
2000 65,329 number +7.3%
2001 62,718 number -4.0%
2002 68,599 number +9.4%
2003 64,873 number -5.4%
2004 63,194 number -2.6%
2005 55,938 number -11.5%
2006 54,128 number -3.2%
2007 54,499 number +0.7%
2008 48,448 number -11.1%
2009 48,494 number +0.1%
2010 44,078 number -9.1%
2011 42,367 number -3.9%
2012 39,780 number -6.1%
2013 41,618 number +4.6%
2014 17,963 number -56.8%
2015 16,505 number -8.1%
2016 16,493 number -0.1%
2017 19,549 number +18.5%
2018 19,872 number +1.7%

Ireland compared with similar countries

  • Ireland's 19,872 number is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,411 number, 1.9× the median. (62 countries reporting)
  • Ireland's 19,872 number is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 14,033 number, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Enrolment in tertiary education, ISCED 5 programmes, both sexes in Ireland 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
2014 -56.8% 41,618 number 17,963 number

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 57,550 number 54,205 number 60,894 number 2
2000s 58,622 number 48,448 number 68,599 number 10
2010s 28,692 number 16,493 number 44,078 number 9

Countries ranked near Ireland

  1. 59 Netherlands 25,029 number compare
  2. 60 Belgium 22,720 number compare
  3. 61 Lebanon 21,496 number compare
  4. 63 Dominican Republic 19,587 number compare
  5. 64 Cambodia 19,575 number compare
  6. 65 El Salvador 17,928 number compare

See the full ranking of 188 places →

More reference data data for Ireland

All data for Ireland →

Frequently asked questions

What is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Ireland?
Enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes in Ireland was 19,872 number in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in Ireland?
The highest recorded value was 68,599 number in 2002.
What is the lowest enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes recorded in Ireland?
The lowest recorded value was 16,493 number in 2016.
How does Ireland rank for enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes?
Ireland ranks 62nd out of 143 countries with data for 2018.
Is enrolment in tertiary education, isced 5 programmes, both sexes rising or falling in Ireland?
Over the last ten years it is down 59.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Ireland 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 Ireland. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 29 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/enrolment-in-tertiary-education-isced-5-programmes-both-sexes-number/ireland/

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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).