By far most common to study at university

After three academic years, many graduates have commenced post-secondary studies. To examine differences between programmes and regional differences, we study the share of those who commence studies within three years in more detail.

Among persons who graduated from upper secondary school in the academic year 2015/16, half of them commenced post-secondary studies within three academic years. This share was 56 percent for women and 44 percent for men. By far the largest share of those who commenced post-secondary school studies within three academic years attend university. Among graduates in 2015/16, 46 percent had commenced a higher education programme, 3 percent had attended a special course at a folk high school, 1 percent had commenced arts or cultural programmes and 3 percent had commenced higher vocational education studies within three academic years. In general, persons who commenced studies at higher vocational education were slightly older than in other forms of education, which in part explains the lower share of persons who transitioned.

Highest share of those who continue studying among graduates from the natural sciences programme

Among persons who transitioned to post-secondary education, there is a large difference in shares between those who attended higher education preparatory programmes and vocational upper secondary school programmes. Among graduates in 2015/16 who transitioned to post-secondary education within three years, 67 percent attended higher education preparatory programmes and 14 percent attended vocational programmes.

Among graduates in 2015/16 from higher education preparatory programmes, those attending the natural sciences programme accounted for the highest share of persons who commenced post-secondary school education within three academic years. The smallest share of persons who transitioned to higher education was among those attending arts programmes. Differences between women and men were generally minor. Although, the share of women who continued their studies was clearly larger among graduates from economics programmes and social science programmes.

Students from education with nationwide admission, including fields such as aircraft engineering and marine engineering, accounted for the largest share of graduates in 2015/16 from vocational programmes who commenced post-secondary school studies within three academic years, at 50 percent. The smallest share of students who transitioned to higher education were graduates from the building and construction programme, the vehicle and transport programme and the HVAC and property maintenance programme. The share of graduates who continued studying was larger among women than among men for all programmes except national programmes, the handicraft programme and the vehicle and transport prog

Overall, there is a low share of graduates who commenced studies at higher vocational education, special courses at folk high school, or arts or cultural programmes within three years after completing upper secondary school. The large majority of those who continue studying enroll in university. However, a few programmes stand out:

• Among graduates from the arts programme, 39 percent continued studies in higher education. It was also very common to continue studying at a folk high school (17 percent) or in an arts and cultural programme (5 percent). Around 4 percent studied in higher vocational education.
• Many graduates from the humanities programme also continued studying at a folk high school (8 percent).
• Graduates from the electricity and energy programme to a large extent continued studying in higher vocational education; nine percent attended higher vocational education within three years of graduating from upper secondary school.
• Around half of the graduates from education with nationwide admission who continued studying did so at university and around half continued studying at higher vocational education.

Jämtland County accounts for lowest share of graduates who continued studying

There are major differences between regions in shares of graduates who transitioned to post-secondary school studies. Among graduates in 2015/16 from upper secondary school, persons living in Stockholm County accounted for the largest share of those who transitioned to post-secondary education within three years, at 60 percent. The smallest share in the same time period was among those living in Jämtland County, at 33 percent. In general, the share of graduates who transitioned to further studies is higher in metropolitan regions and regions with major colleges or universities.

The average share of those who commenced studies at higher vocational education was 3 percent. This percentage was slightly higher, 4 percent, in Östergötland County and Dalarna County. The share of those who studied at folk high school was also 3 percent on average, although slightly more, 6 percent, among upper secondary school graduates in Kronoberg County, and 5 percent among graduates in the counties of Östergötland, Jönköping and Gotland.