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Published: 19 April 2021

Number of new students grew in universities of applied sciences education

According to Statistics Finland’s education statistics, a total of 132,800 students attended education leading to a university of applied sciences degree in 2020. The number of students was four per cent higher than in the previous year. The number of students attending education leading to a higher university of applied sciences degree was 16,000, altogether 12 per cent more than in the previous year. The number of new students in education leading to a university of applied sciences degree grew by 14 per cent from the previous year and that in education leading to a higher university of applied sciences degree by 25 per cent.

Students and degrees in education leading to a higher university of applied sciences degree in 2004 to 2020

In 2020, the number of completed university of applied sciences degrees was just under 25,000, which is on level with the previous year. A total of 3,900 higher university of applied sciences degrees were completed in 2020. The number of attained higher university of applied sciences degrees grew by 15 per cent from the previous year.

Women attended education leading to a university of applied sciences degree more often than men in 2020. Fifty-two per cent of the students attending education leading to a university of applied sciences degree and 66 per cent of the students attending education leading to a higher university of applied sciences degree were women. Fifty-four per cent of new university of applied sciences students were women, as were 67 per cent of those studying for a higher university of applied sciences degree.

Among those having completed a university of applied sciences degree in 2020, six out of ten were women. The corresponding share for higher university of applied sciences degrees was seven out of ten.

In 2020, the number of students in education leading to a university of applied sciences degree was highest in the field of health and welfare. Close on one third, or 29 per cent, studied in this field. Nearly one fourth (24%) studied in the field of technology and good one fifth in the field of business, administration and law.

Of those who studied in the field of health and welfare in education leading to a university of applied sciences degree, 83 per cent were women in 2020. As in previous years, men studied more in the fields of technology. In these fields, men’s share of students was 81 per cent.

In 2020, altogether 34 per cent of those studying for a higher university of applied sciences degree studied health and welfare fields. Good one fourth (27%) studied in the field of business, administration and law and close on one fifth (17%) in the field of technology.

The number of students in education leading to a degree was highest at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, around 16,600 students. There were also over 10,000 students at Turku University of Applied Sciences, Tampere University of Applied Sciences and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. The smallest universities of applied sciences by the number of students were Åland University of Applied Sciences (around 500 students) and the Police University College (good 1,100 students).

The highest number of university of applied sciences degrees was attained in 2020 at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, almost 2,700. Over 1,700 degrees were attained at Turku University of Applied Sciences, Tampere University of Applied Sciences and Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences. The clearly highest number, almost 500, of higher university of applied sciences degrees were attained at Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences. Over 300 higher university of applied sciences degrees were completed at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Turku University of Applied Sciences and Laurea University of Applied Sciences.

More detailed time series data on university of applied sciences students and degrees according to education, sex and university of applied sciences, for example, are available in the database tables. More detailed data on foreign students can be found in the database tables of the statistics on students and qualifications.

Source: Education. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Vesa Hämäläinen 029 551 2594, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Students in universities of applied sciences and completed university of applied sciences degrees 1995 to 2020 (19.4.2021)

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Updated 19.4.2021