Department for Education
Academic year 2020/21

Participation measures in higher education

Higher Education initial entrants and estimated percentages of participation. Annual statistics that include student characteristics and provider type.

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WarningThis publication has been superseded by Widening participation in higher education
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  • Data sets: download or create tables

    Data sets present comprehensive open data from which users can create their own tables using the EES table tool or download a zipped CSV file.

  • Data guidance

    Description of the data sets included in this release, including information on data sources, coverage, quality and any data conventions used.

  • Data catalogue

    Alternatively use our data catalogue to search and filter for specific data sets from this release or our entire library, providing full data summaries, data previews and access to API data sets.

Data sets: download or create tables

Data sets present comprehensive open data from which users can create their own tables using the EES table tool or download a zipped CSV file.

9 data sets available for download

Download all (ZIP)

  • Headline key stats

    National

    <p>HE Participation by age 25 (CHEP-25) key stats</p>

    Number of rows
    1
    Indicators
    • HE Entry Percentage by Age 25 (Females)
    • HE Entry Percentage by Age 25 (First Degrees)
    • HE Entry Percentage by Age 25 (Full Time)
    Time period
    2010/11
    Data set information page for Headline key stats
    Create table using Headline key stats

  • Overall

    National

    <p>HE participation by ages 25, 20 and 30 (CHEP-25, CHEP-20, CHEP-30)</p>

    Number of rows
    30
    Indicators
    • Entrants
    • Entry percentage
    Filters
    • Age entered HE
    Time period
    2001/02 to 2015/16
    Data set information page for Overall
    Create table using Overall

  • Age

    National

    <p>HE participation by specific age, including a cumulative rate</p>

    Number of rows
    171
    Indicators
    • Cumulative entry percentage
    • Entrants
    • Entry percentage
    Filters
    • Age entered HE
    Time period
    2001/02 to 2018/19
    Data set information page for Age
    Create table using Age

  • Gender

    National

    <p>HE participation (CHEP-25, CHEP-20, CHEP-30) by gender</p>

    Number of rows
    90
    Indicators
    • Entrants
    • Entry percentage
    Filters
    • Age entered HE
    • KS4 Gender
    Time period
    2001/02 to 2015/16
    Data set information page for Gender
    Create table using Gender

  • Region

    National, Regional

    <p>HE participation (CHEP-25, CHEP-20, CHEP-30) by region</p>

    Number of rows
    300
    Indicators
    • Entrants
    • Entry percentage
    Filters
    • Age entered HE
    Time period
    2001/02 to 2015/16
    Data set information page for Region
    Create table using Region

  • Level

    National

    <p>HE participation (CHEP-25, CHEP-20, CHEP-30) by level of study</p>

    Number of rows
    180
    Indicators
    • Entrants
    • Entry percentage
    Filters
    • Age entered HE
    • Level of Study
    Time period
    2001/02 to 2015/16
    Data set information page for Level
    Create table using Level

  • Mode

    National

    <p>HE participation (CHEP-25, CHEP-20, CHEP-30) by mode of study</p>

    Number of rows
    60
    Indicators
    • Entrants
    • Entry percentage
    Filters
    • Age entered HE
    • Mode of Study
    Time period
    2001/02 to 2015/16
    Data set information page for Mode
    Create table using Mode

  • Projections

    National

    <p>A comparison of a HEIP-like projection using the new cohort-based figures against the old HEIP projection measure</p>

    Number of rows
    27
    Indicators
    • Entrants
    • Entry percentage
    Filters
    • Methodology
    Time period
    2006/07 to 2020/21
    Data set information page for Projections
    Create table using Projections

  • Other data sources - APS, ONS

    National

    <p>Office for National Statistics (ONS) Annual Population Survey (APS) data showing percentages in the aged 25-29 population qualified to Level 4 and above.</p>

    Number of rows
    22
    Indicators
    • Percentage with degree
    Filters
    • Level of degree
    Time period
    2011 to 2021
    Data set information page for Other data sources - APS, ONS
    Create table using Other data sources - APS, ONS
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Data guidance

Description of the data sets included in this release, including information on data sources, coverage, quality and any data conventions used.

Description

This guidance describes the data included in the Participation Measures in Higher Education: 2020/21 Official Statistics release’s underlying data files. This data is released under the terms of the Open Government License (opens in new tab) and is intended to meet at least 3 stars for Open Data. (opens in new tab) 

The methodology pages attached to this release should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining methodology used in producing the data. 

Coverage

The release covers the latest Cohort-based Higher Education Participation (CHEP) measure.

For each cohort of pupils registered at English schools at age 15, we track their participation rates in HE by age 25 (CHEP-25). 

Also included are underlying tables containing data on participation by age 20 and by age 30 (CHEP-20, CHEP-30). 

Rounding 

We are removing rounding and suppression of entrant numbers where possible in order to maximise the utility of the statistics while minimising the risk of disclosure. 

More information about the Departmental policy on confidentiality can be found here: 

External_Confidentiality_Policy (opens in new tab)

All participation percentages are rounded to 1 decimal place. 

Data files

All data files associated with this releases are listed below with guidance on their content. To download any of these files, please visit our data catalogue.

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Contact us

If you have a specific enquiry about Participation measures in higher education statistics and data:

HE Participation and Provider Statistics Team

Email: he.statistics@education.gov.uk
Contact name: Louis Erritt

Press office

If you have a media enquiry:

Telephone: 020 7783 8300

Public enquiries

If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:

Phone: 0370 000 2288

Opening times

Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed on bank holidays)

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