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Published: 10 May 2016

Numbers of university degrees grew from the previous year

According to Statistics Finland's Education Statistics, the numbers of university degrees grew in 2015 from the year before in nearly all levels of education. The number of lower university degrees grew most, by 11 per cent. The number of higher university degrees went up by four per cent and that of doctorate degrees by nearly one per cent. The total number of degrees completed was 32,700.

Completed university degrees 2001–2015

University degrees

In all, 15,200 lower university degrees, 15,500 higher university degrees, 100 licentiate degrees and 1,900 doctorate degrees were completed. Fifty-eight per cent of those having completed a degree were women. Over six per cent of the degrees were attained by foreign students, the figure being 10 per cent for higher university degrees and 21 per cent for doctorate degrees.

In 2015, most degrees were completed in the field of administration and commerce and in the field of humanities and education, around 28 per cent in both. The third most degrees were completed in the field of technology and transport, 18 per cent. Doctorate degrees were completed most in the fields of natural resources, technology and transport, and health and social services, over 400 in all.

Examined by university, the highest number of degrees were completed at the University of Helsinki, 6,100. The second most degrees were completed at Aalto University, 3,900 and the third most at the University of Turku, 3,600.

In 2014, professional specialisation in medicine leading to a degree included specialist training of doctors, dentists and veterinarians. Starting from 2015, specialist training of doctors and dentists is not considered education leading to a degree according to Decree 56/2015. Therefore, the numbers of completed degrees, new students and students in professional specialisation in medicine (20, 15 and 157) were in 2015 clearly lower than in 2014, when the corresponding figures were 580, 668 and 4,365.

University students

The numbers of new students studying for lower and higher university degrees went down slightly, but the number of new doctoral programme students grew. In 2015, a total of 17,300 students started studying for a lower university degree and 6,800 for a higher university degree. In all, 1,700 students started studying for a doctorate degree.

University students by fields of education (Educational Administration’s classification 1995) and gender in 2015

In all, 85,600 students were studying for a lower university degree and 52,100 for a higher university degree. There were 19,500 post-graduate students, 1,300 were studying for a licentiate degree and nearly 18,300 for a doctorate degree.

In 2015, the highest numbers of students were studying in the field of administration and commerce, 27 per cent. There were nearly as many students in the field of humanities and education, 25 per cent. The third most students were studying in the field of technology and transport, 19 per cent. The proportion of women of all students attending education leading to a degree was 53 per cent but the variation was large when viewed by field of education. In the field of humanities and education, the proportion of women was 75 per cent and in the field of health and social services it was 67 per cent, but in the field of technology and transport the proportion was only 22 per cent.

The number of students was highest at the University of Helsinki, 32,500. The second most students were found at Aalto University, 18,100, and the third most at the University of Turku, 16,100. More detailed time series data on university students and degrees by education and university are available in the tables in databases .

Source: Education. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Anna Loukkola 029 551 3678, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Tables

Tables in databases

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Students in universities and completed university degrees by level of education, fields of education (Educational Administration's classification 1995) and gender in 2015 (10.5.2016)
• Appendix table 2. Foreign students in universities and completed university degrees by level of education, fields of education (Educational Administration's classification 1995) and gender in 2015 (10.5.2016)

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Updated 10.5.2016