The transition from upper secondary school to post-secondary education

Upcoming publishing: 2026-11-04

The statistics show the number and percentage of students completing upper secondary schools who choose to continue studying in post-secondary education.

Find on this page

Results

Statistical news
Tables and graphs
Tables in the Statistical Database

Contact

Contact

Statistical news

Students who have completed vocational programs tend to delay further education

2026-05-26

It is common for students who graduate from upper secondary school to also pursue post-secondary education. However, it varies whether the student continues directly or waits for some time. Of the students who graduated in spring 2020, nearly one third began a post-secondary education immediately. Five years after graduating, almost two thirds had chosen to start a post-secondary education.

All statistical news for this statistic

Tables and graphs

Name	Type	Date
Key figures - The transition to post-secondary education within 1 year. Distribution by sex. Percent	Table	2026-05-26
Rate of transition to higher education within 1-10 years among pupils who completed a program of upper secondary school 1993/94-2023/24. Distriubution by sex and type of program	Excel file	2025-11-06
Rate of transition to higher education within 3 years among pupils who completed a program of upper secondary school 1990/91-2021/22. Distribution by programme. Percent	Excel file	2025-11-06

Tables in the Statistical Database

Post-secondary/tertiary education

Name	Date
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced post-secondary education within one, three, five or ten years, by region, programme, sex, eligibility, and grades. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2023/2024	2026-05-26
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced post-secondary education within one, three, five or ten years, by sex, programme, responsible organisation, eligibility, grades, national background, and parents´ level of education. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2023/2024	2026-05-26

Higher education

Name	Date
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced higher education within one, three, five or ten years, by region, programme, sex, eligibility, and grades. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2023/2024	2025-11-06
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced higher education studies within one, three, five or ten years, by sex, programme, responsible organisation, eligibility, grades, national background, and parents´ level of education. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2023/2024	2025-11-06
Students having completed upper secondary school education by municipality, enrolment in higher education within three years and sex. Academic year 2003/04 - 2014/15	2019-05-09
Students having completed upper secondary school education by programme, enrolment in higher education within three years and sex. Academic year 2003/04 - 2014/15	2019-05-09

Higher vocational education

Name	Date
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced higher vocational education studies within one, three, five or ten years, by region, programme, sex, eligibility, and grades. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2023/2024	2026-05-26
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced higher vocational education studies within one, three or five years, by sex, programme, responsible organisation, eligibility, grades, national background and parents´ level of education. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2020/2021	2023-05-31

Folk high schools

Name	Date
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced a specific course at a folk high school within one, three, five years, by region, programme, sex, eligibility, and grades. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2023/2024	2026-05-26
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced at a specific course at a folk high school within one, three, or five years by sex, programme, responsible organisation, eligibility, grades, background and parents´ level of education. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2020/2021	2023-05-31

Fine arts and culture programmes

Name	Date
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced arts and cultural programmes within one, three, five or ten years, by region, programme, sex, eligibility, and grades. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2023/2024	2026-05-26
Upper secondary school graduates who commenced arts and cultural programmes within one, three, or five years, by sex, programme, responsible organisation, eligibility, grades, national background, and parents´ level of education. Graduation year 2013/2014 - 2020/2021	2023-05-31

Do you have questions about our statistics?

Petter Lassinantti

Telephone: +46 10 479 60 91
E-mail: petter.lassinantti@scb.se

Annica Wallerå

Telephone: +46 10 479 62 57
E-mail: annica.wallera@scb.se

Simple URL: https://www.scb.se/uf0542-en