12 students in higher education

With 2,470,000 students enrolled at the start of the 2014-15 academic year, numbers in higher education have increased significantly (+1.6%). There have never been so many students. This rise is due to the growth in the proportion of young people accessing higher education, even though the number of young people has fallen.

In 2014-15, 2,470,000 students enrolled in higher education in mainland France and the overseas departments. The number of students enrolled increased for the sixth consecutive year (+1.6%, i.e. 38,400 students more than in 2013): there have never been so many students in France. In five years, 157,000 additional students have entered higher education (+7% between 2009 and 2014). Growth was three times less during the five previous years with 44,000 additional students between 2004 and 2009 (chart 12.01). Changes in the size of generations should have led to a 100,000 drop in the number of young people enrolled in 2014-15 compared to 2009-10 (table 12.02). The increase in numbers is not therefore due to a "demographic effect" but a massive "educational effect" since 2009, although it was much more modest in the five previous years (see methodology section opposite).

In 2014-15, 1,531,300 students enrolled in universities in mainland France and overseas departments, which represents 62% of all enrolments in higher education, including 5% in preparation for the university diploma in technology (DUT). Numbers at university increased by 7.5% in 10 years (table 12.03). The increase in preparations for the DUT was 3.6% in ten years. The main areas of growth were therefore on other university courses, especially during the last two years. The situation per discipline is highly contrasting. In Law and even more in Healthcare, numbers increased very significantly between 2004 and 2009, and the increase continued at a more moderate rate over the next 5 years. In Economics, Economic and Social Administration (AES), growth was 4.2% over the decade, and nearly zero over the last 5 years. Finally, the recent upturn in university numbers is noticeable in the "Arts, Humanities, Languages, Human and Social Sciences" group, and especially "Sciences, Physical Education and Sports Sciences and Techniques (STAPS)", whose numbers fell between 2004 and 2009 and increased between 2009 and 2014.

One student in six, i.e. 437,700 students, attends a private educational institution (chapter 09). Numbers have been virtually stable for two years, but have significantly increased since 2000. Although in total 55.2% of students are women, their proportion varies according to the courses. There is a large majority of women in Humanities and Human Sciences (70.1%) and on paramedical or social work courses (83.9%), but they are in the minority on more selective courses (CPGE, IUT) and, above all, on scientific courses, only representing 27.2% of engineering students (chart 12.04).

126,500 advanced technician diplomas (BTS) were awarded in 2013 (chart 12.05), a rise of 25% in 10 years. 46,300 university technology diplomas (DUT) were awarded the same year, 4% less than ten years previously. Between 2003 and 2013, the number of vocational Bachelor's degrees awarded (47,300 in 2013) multiplied by 3.7, while the number of general Bachelor's degrees fell by 6%. 121,300 Masters and 13,700 Doctorates were awarded in 2013, numbers that have grown considerably since 2003, but have stabilised in recent years. Furthermore, 31,600 engineering degrees were awarded in the 2013 session, an increase of 20% in ten years. Business and management schools awarded 34,400 degrees (excluding continuous education and apprenticeships), a figure that has increased significantly over ten years (+41%).

Elisabeth Algava