Target of 50% of young people attending university achieved

The percentage of young people in England attending university has exceeded 50% for the first time. 

The figure is regarded as “symbolic” after former Prime Minister Tony Blair called for half of young people to attend university in September 1999.

The data presents a social change in attitudes towards higher education within England.

In 1980, 15% of young people staying in full-time education continued with education after turning 18, including universities, polytechnics and any other form of training.

The Department of Education (DfE) released figures stating that 50.2% of young people enrolled in university in 2017/2018. This presents a minimal increase from 49.9% of young people attending university the year before. 

The Department of Education (DfE) released figures stating that 50.2% of young people enrolled in university in 2017/2018

Despite the increase in young adults pursuing higher education, there remains a gender difference within university enrolment rates. 57% of women are enrolling in university, in comparison to 44.1% of men.

Male university participation rate is less than the percentage of women lower than that of women attending university over a decade ago.

43,000 men and 25,0000 women were in the graduating cohort of the 1980 academic year. 

This figure has risen to around 430,0000 beginning a degree course this Autumn term in total, with over 245,0000 of students likely to be female.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has encouraged universities to further their efforts to improve university access for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Mr Williamson stated that students from the most advantaged areas were 2.4 times more likely to further their education than those from disadvantaged means. 

“It is simply not good enough that white working-class boys are far less likely to go to university and black students are far less likely to complete their courses than others,” he said in a letter sent to Universities UK (UUK).

“These inequalities have been around for far too long and should be addressed as a priority.”