Experimental statistics: Tertiary completion rate, Slovenia, 2020
A little over a half of higher professional and academic education students completed tertiary education
At the end of theoretical duration (in 2017), 38% of full-time students in 1st cycle higher education have completed their studies. After three additional years (in 2020) this share increased to 56%. Tertiary education was successfully completed by 64% of female and 47% of male students.
Tertiary completion rates higher in higher academic and long first degree (uniform) master education
Tertiary completion rates were very different for full-time students of different types of education in 2020. They were substantially lower for vocationally oriented study programmes. Not even one third (31.3%) of short-term higher vocational education students completed their study successfully. The share of higher professional education students was 41%. Students enrolled in higher academic education, on the other hand, were more successful; two thirds (66.7%) completed their study. Completion rate was the highest for long first degree (uniform) master education studies, where 81% of all students completed their degree.
Students with attained general upper secondary education more successful at completing studies
Over a half (56%) of higher professional education students with previously attained general upper secondary education completed their studies compared to only 39% of their colleagues with previously attained technical upper secondary education. And since students with technical upper secondary educational background prevailed substantially among higher professional education students (87%), the tertiary completion rate was lower for this type of education.
The difference in completion rates due to upper secondary education is similar at the higher academic education level. Studies were successfully completed by 69% of students with general upper secondary education and by 53% of students with technical upper secondary education. Since the majority of higher academic education students finished general upper secondary education (88%), tertiary completion rate at this level was higher.
Students in short-term higher and higher professional education tend to leave studies for employment more often
About one third of students in higher professional and short-term higher vocational education have entered the labour market. Only few returned to their studies, while most of them dropped out. Among higher academic education students a tenth were employed during their studies with 5% returning to education. Among long first degree (uniform) master education students, 9% of them left tertiary education for employment, while most of them later returned to their studies.
Most students that left tertiary education for a while or dropped out completely did so in their first year of study. About 28% of short-term higher vocational and higher professional students decided not to continue their education after the first year of study. In higher academic education the share was 10% and in long first degree (uniform) master education 6%.
Women complete their studies more often than men
Sex of the students can influence tertiary completion rates as well. Female students were more successful in completing their studies than their male colleagues in all types of education. The gender gap was the smallest in higher professional education (9 percentage points) and the largest in higher academic education where 74% of women completed their studies compared to 57% of men.
Students in pedagogically oriented study programmes with highest tertiary completion rate
Tertiary completion rate varies between different fields of education. In the field of education, 80% of students in higher education completed the studies, followed by students in the field of health and welfare (72%). On the other hand, not even half of all students completed tertiary education in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary (39%), services (43%) and business, administration and law (45%).
Children of tertiary educated parents tend to complete tertiary education more often
65% of students in higher education with at least one tertiary educated parent completed their studies successfully, while among students with parents with basic education this share was 21 percentage points lower. Parent’s education has a bigger impact on women. The gap between tertiary completion rates for female students with tertiary educated parents and those with basic education was almost 30 percentage points compared to 20 percentage points in male population.
Women transfer to another field of study more often
6% of all tertiary graduates have changed their mind about the chosen type of education and transfered to another. This share was the highest (8%) among students originally enrolling in long first degree (uniform) master programmes.
During their studies some students changed their field of interest as well. The fewest students (3% of those successfully graduating) transferred to another field of education from the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary, health and welfare, or services. On the other hand, more students transferred to other fields of education form the fields of social sciences, journalism and information (11%) and natural sciences, mathematics and statistics (13%).
Women changed their field of education more often than men. The share was the highest (15%) for female graduates originally entering programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics. The only field men chose to change for another more than women is education (10% of male vs. 5% of female graduates).
Data are available in SiStat Database.
Tertiary completion rates were very different for full-time students of different types of education in 2020. They were substantially lower for vocationally oriented study programmes. Not even one third (31.3%) of short-term higher vocational education students completed their study successfully. The share of higher professional education students was 41%. Students enrolled in higher academic education, on the other hand, were more successful; two thirds (66.7%) completed their study. Completion rate was the highest for long first degree (uniform) master education studies, where 81% of all students completed their degree.
Students with attained general upper secondary education more successful at completing studies
Over a half (56%) of higher professional education students with previously attained general upper secondary education completed their studies compared to only 39% of their colleagues with previously attained technical upper secondary education. And since students with technical upper secondary educational background prevailed substantially among higher professional education students (87%), the tertiary completion rate was lower for this type of education.
The difference in completion rates due to upper secondary education is similar at the higher academic education level. Studies were successfully completed by 69% of students with general upper secondary education and by 53% of students with technical upper secondary education. Since the majority of higher academic education students finished general upper secondary education (88%), tertiary completion rate at this level was higher.
Students in short-term higher and higher professional education tend to leave studies for employment more often
About one third of students in higher professional and short-term higher vocational education have entered the labour market. Only few returned to their studies, while most of them dropped out. Among higher academic education students a tenth were employed during their studies with 5% returning to education. Among long first degree (uniform) master education students, 9% of them left tertiary education for employment, while most of them later returned to their studies.
Most students that left tertiary education for a while or dropped out completely did so in their first year of study. About 28% of short-term higher vocational and higher professional students decided not to continue their education after the first year of study. In higher academic education the share was 10% and in long first degree (uniform) master education 6%.
Women complete their studies more often than men
Sex of the students can influence tertiary completion rates as well. Female students were more successful in completing their studies than their male colleagues in all types of education. The gender gap was the smallest in higher professional education (9 percentage points) and the largest in higher academic education where 74% of women completed their studies compared to 57% of men.
Students in pedagogically oriented study programmes with highest tertiary completion rate
Tertiary completion rate varies between different fields of education. In the field of education, 80% of students in higher education completed the studies, followed by students in the field of health and welfare (72%). On the other hand, not even half of all students completed tertiary education in the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary (39%), services (43%) and business, administration and law (45%).
Children of tertiary educated parents tend to complete tertiary education more often
65% of students in higher education with at least one tertiary educated parent completed their studies successfully, while among students with parents with basic education this share was 21 percentage points lower. Parent’s education has a bigger impact on women. The gap between tertiary completion rates for female students with tertiary educated parents and those with basic education was almost 30 percentage points compared to 20 percentage points in male population.
Women transfer to another field of study more often
6% of all tertiary graduates have changed their mind about the chosen type of education and transfered to another. This share was the highest (8%) among students originally enrolling in long first degree (uniform) master programmes.
During their studies some students changed their field of interest as well. The fewest students (3% of those successfully graduating) transferred to another field of education from the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary, health and welfare, or services. On the other hand, more students transferred to other fields of education form the fields of social sciences, journalism and information (11%) and natural sciences, mathematics and statistics (13%).
Women changed their field of education more often than men. The share was the highest (15%) for female graduates originally entering programmes in the field of natural sciences, mathematics and statistics. The only field men chose to change for another more than women is education (10% of male vs. 5% of female graduates).
Data are available in SiStat Database.
METHODOLOGICAL NOTE
The methodology as well as the content and different aspects of the tertiary completion rate indicator are not yet final, therefore, the data are published as experimental. The indicator is being developed based on the methodology of Eurostat and the OECD.
Additional explanations are available in chapter 7.5 in the Methodological explanation.
Additional explanations are available in chapter 7.5 in the Methodological explanation.
When making use of the data and information of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia, always add: "Source: SURS". More: Copyright.
