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.

Release type
Published

Get help by contacting 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)


Official statistics

These are Official Statistics and have been produced in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics (opens in new tab).

This can be broadly interpreted to mean that these statistics are:

  • managed impartially and objectively in the public interest
  • meet identified user needs
  • produced according to sound methods
  • well explained and readily accessible

Find out more about the standards we follow to produce these statistics through our Standards for official statistics published by DfE guidance (opens in new tab).

Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics (opens in new tab) that all producers of official statistics should adhere to.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website (opens in new tab).


Pre-release access list

Besides Department for Education (DfE) professional and production staff, the following post holders were given pre-release access up to 24 hours before release.

  • Secretary of State for Education
  • Minister of State for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education
  • Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Education X 2
  • Minister of State for the School System and Student Finance
  • Permanent Secretary for Education
  • Director General, Higher and Further Education
  • Director, Higher Education Reform and Funding
  • Director, Higher Education Quality, Access and Student Experience
  • Head of Profession for Statistics
  • Deputy Head of Profession for Statistics
  • Press Officer, Higher Education X 2
  • Head of Higher Education Access and Admissions Policy
  • Policy advisor, Higher Education Strategy
  • Policy advisor, Higher Education Provider Funding Policy
  • Policy advisor, Higher Education Access and Participation