Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa

South Africa: Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes was 19.0% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
19.0%
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
43rd
of 112 countries
All-time high
19.5%
in 2017
All-time low
6.9%
in 2010
Years of data
17
1999–2018

Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa, 1999–2018

051015201999200820181999: 8.2 %2000: 8.2 %2001: 7 %2002: 8.1 %2003: 8.4 %2004: 8.7 %2005: 7.2 %2009: 7.1 %2010: 6.9 %2011: 7.7 %2012: 10.4 %2013: 13.4 %2014: 15.6 %2015: 17.6 %2016: 18.4 %2017: 19.5 %2018: 19 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2018, gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa stood at 19.0%.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and up 168.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa peaked at 19.5% in 2017 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 2010.

South Africa ranks 43rd of 112 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 17 years of available data.

Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes (%) in South Africa, 1999 to 2018.
Year % Change
1999 8.2%
2000 8.2% -0.3%
2001 7.0% -14.2%
2002 8.1% +15.9%
2003 8.4% +3.6%
2004 8.7% +4.1%
2005 7.2% -18.1%
2009 7.1% -1.1%
2010 6.9% -2.3%
2011 7.7% +11.4%
2012 10.4% +35.5%
2013 13.4% +28.2%
2014 15.6% +16.4%
2015 17.6% +13.1%
2016 18.4% +4.3%
2017 19.5% +6.1%
2018 19.0% -2.7%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 8.2% 8.2% 8.2% 1
2000s 7.8% 7.0% 8.7% 7
2010s 14.3% 6.9% 19.5% 9

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 40 Ireland 19.8% compare
  2. 41 Austria 19.6% compare
  3. 42 Trinidad and Tobago 19.5% compare
  4. 44 Czechia 18.3% compare
  5. 45 Belarus 16.6% compare
  6. 46 Saint Kitts and Nevis 14.5% compare

See the full ranking of 112 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa?
Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa was 19.0% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 19.5% in 2017.
What is the lowest gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 2010.
How does South Africa rank for gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes?
South Africa ranks 43rd out of 112 countries with data for 2018.
Is gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 168.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 02 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/gross-enrolment-ratio-post-secondary-non-tertiary-both-sexes-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Gross enrolment ratio, post-secondary non-tertiary, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
112 places, 1,436 data points, 1998–2020
Last refreshed

Total enrollment in post-secondary non-tertiary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the total population of official post-secondary non-tertiary education age.