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Population and Education, Social Statistics
Asger Bromose Langgaard
+45 39 17 30 33

ungdomsuddannelser@dst.dk

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Upper-Secondary Education

These statistics contain figures about the enrollment and completion in upper-secondary education in Denmark. This includes the number of entrants, the number of completed and the number of active students. The statistics are divided by education and the students' age, sex, ancestry and national origin.

Data description

These statistics cover several aspects of activity in upper secondary education in Denmark. The statistics are a part of the Student Register and are published annually as a part of this register. In StatBank Denmark, the statistics show the number of entrants, active and completed students distributed by educational fields, age, ancestry, national origin and sex.

Classification system

The statistics are based on DISCED-15, which is the Danish version of the international classification system ISCED.

The statistics provides information regarding the activity in:

  • Category 20 in DISCED-15: Upper secondary education, STX, 2-year STX, HF, HTX, HHX, and international upper secondary education, Pre-IB, IB, DFB, EB and DIAP.
  • Category 35 in DISCED-15: Qualifying educational programmes.

Sector coverage

Not relevant for these statistics.

Statistical concepts and definitions

Qualifying educational programmes: Shorter educations that are typically 1-1½ years in duration. They are aimed at people with vocational upper-secondary education or fugitives and gives qualification for entry to higher education.

Higher General Examination (STX): Higher General Examination is a 3 year programme and is a general upper-secondary education. The purpose is to grant qualification for entry to higher education. It is possible to choose from a variety of study programmes with subjects from humanities, science or social science.

Year: In the education statistics a year is defined as the period from 1 October the previous year to 30 September the mentioned year. As an example, 2017 is defined as 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017.

Danish-French Bacalaurétte (DFB): Danish-French Bacalaurétte is a 3 year programme and is an international secondary-upper education. The teaching is mainly done in French and the education gives qualification for entry to higher education. The education takes place at Lycée Francais Prins Henrik in Copenhagen.

Danish-German Examination (DIAP): Danish-German Examination is a 3 year programme and is an international secondary upper-education. The teaching is mainly conducted in German and the education gives qualification for entry to higher education. The education takes place at Sankt Petri Schule in Copenhagen.

Students per 1 October: Persons enrolled on an education 1 October in the given year, for example 2017.

Completed: Persons completing their education in the period between October 1st and September 30th the following year.

Ancestry: A person's national affiliation or origin

Higher Preparatory Examination (HF): Higher Preparatory Examination is a 2 year programme and is a general upper-secondary education. The purpose is to grant qualification for entry to higher education at either a business academy or a university college. It is possible to choose an extended cluster of courses and get qualification for entry to an education at a university.

Higher Commercial Examination (HHX): Higher Commercial Examination is a 3 year programme and is a commercial upper-secondary education. The purpose is to grant qualification for entry to higher education. The education has more focus on businesses and economics than a Higher General Examination. Until 2005 it was possible to attend the HHX as a 1-year programme.

Higher Technical Examination (HTX): Higher Technical Examination is a 3 year programme and is a technical upper-secondary education. The purpose is to grant qualification for entry to higher education. The education has more focus on science and technics than a Higher General Examination.

International Baccalaureate (IB): International Baccalaureate is a 2 year programme and is an international secondary-upper education. The teaching is mainly conducted in English and the education gives qualification for entry to higher education.

National Origin: A person from Denmark is a person – regardless place of birth – where at least one parent is a Danish citizen and also born in Denmark. The Western countries are: All 28 EU countries and Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican State, Canada, USA, Australia and New Zealand. The non-western countries are all other countries.

Pre-International Baccalaureate (Pre-IB): Pre-International Baccalaureate is a 1 year programme and is an international secondary-upper education. The teaching is mainly conducted in English and the education gives qualification for entry to International Baccalaureate.

Studenterkursus (2-årig STX eller HHX): Student Courses is a 2 year programme and is a general or business adult upper-secondary education. The purpose is to grant qualification for entry to higher education. The education is a compressed version of the Higher General Examination.

Entrants: Persons beginning their education in the period between 1 October the year before to 30 September in the given year, for example 1 October 2016 to 30 September 2017

Statistical unit

Persons.

Statistical population

Persons enrolled in publicly regulated upper secondary education institutions in Denmark. The population also contains persons enrolled in private upper secondary education institutions giving access to public grants.

Reference area

Denmark.

Time coverage

The current time series in StatBank Denmark covers the time period from 2005 and onwards.

Base period

Not relevant for this statistics.

Unit of measure

Number.

Reference period

The newest data collection was for the period of 1 October 2022-30 September 2023.

Frequency of dissemination

Yearly.

Legal acts and other agreements

Law on Statistics Denmark § 6 and § 8 stk. 3.

Regulation (EC) No 452/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2008 concerning the production and development of statistics on education and lifelong learning.

Cost and burden

The respondent burden is minimal. Data is collected by The Ministry of Children and Education for their data warehouse. Statistics Denmark receives the error corrected data from The Ministry of Children and Education.

Comment

Further information can be found on the subject page for Upper-secondary education or by contacting Statistics Denmark directly.