Factcheck LedgerReceipts, not verdicts
Request a check
Menu
Fact checks
Economy and money
Public services
Parliament and politics
Where you live
UK and the world
Data and tools

How we workEmail alertsRequest a check

Official sources · Questions

Higher education statistics: students, loans, graduates and university finances

UK higher education statistics are official figures on students, qualifications, staff and university finances from HESA (part of Jisc), together with student loan statistics from the Student Loans Company, regulatory data from the Office for Students (OfS) and graduate outcome and apprenticeship statistics from the Department for Education. The Home Office adds study visa figures. Fact-checkers use them for claims about student numbers, international students, loan debt and write-offs, graduate pay, dropout rates and university finances.

Covers: UK · Release calendar

What it publishes

Key datasets

APIs and downloads

When it publishes

HESA publishes its main student statistics early in the calendar year after the academic year ends, with finance data later. The Student Loans Company publishes its England release in June and separate releases for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. DfE releases on Explore Education Statistics go live at 9:30am and are pre-announced on the GOV.UK statistics calendar; student loan forecasts appear in the summer and apprenticeship figures several times a year. Home Office study visa figures are quarterly.

How to use it to check a claim

  1. Check the geography: SLC, DfE and OfS figures are often for England only, while HESA covers the whole UK.
  2. For student numbers, check whether a figure counts enrolments or people, and includes part-time and postgraduate students.
  3. For international students, separate HESA enrolments from Home Office visa grants, which include dependants and people who may not enrol.
  4. For loan debt, note that the outstanding balance includes interest and loans not expected to be repaid; DfE forecasts give the expected repayment share.
  5. For graduate pay, prefer LEO figures that compare like with like, and note whether pay is nominal or in real terms.
  6. For dropout claims, use OfS continuation measures and check the student population and time period used.
  7. For university finances, separate audited results from providers' own forecasts in OfS reports.

Common mistakes

How many universities are there in the UK?

There is no single official count, because providers range from large universities to small specialist colleges. In England, the Office for Students register lists every registered higher education provider, and GOV.UK explains how to check which bodies can award degrees in each UK nation. HESA's provider lists cover the publicly funded sector UK-wide.

Is HESA an official statistics producer?

Yes. HESA, now part of the charity Jisc, is the designated data body for higher education in England and publishes official statistics on students, staff, finances and graduate outcomes under the Code of Practice for Statistics, covering providers across the UK.

Where can I find student loan figures for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

The Student Loans Company publishes separate annual releases for borrowers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland alongside its England release, listed on its GOV.UK statistics page. Repayment plans differ: Scottish borrowers are on Plan 4, and Welsh and Northern Irish borrowers mostly on Plans 1 and 2.

Questions answered using this source

Links checked 2026-10-13. This page describes what the source publishes and gives no verdict on any claim.