Tertiary level - Higher education institutions

There are three types of higher education institutions: universities and institutes of technology (UIT), universities of applied sciences (UAS) and universities of teacher education (UTE). UAS and UTE offer courses which mainly have a practical orientation. All higher education institutions award bachelor and master degrees following the application of guidelines from the Bologna declaration. A doctorate may only be obtained at UIT.

The number of students at higher education institutions has more than doubled since 2000. The development of UAS and the establishment of UTE have made a considerable contribution to this growth. The percentage of women and foreign students, especially students who have attended school abroad, has also increased over the past few years.

Students by type of institutions, sex, nationality (category) and place of education, since 1990/91

	1990/91	2000/01	2010/11	2022/23
Universities and institutes of technology	85 940	96 673	131 494	167 748
% Female	38.8	45.5	50.3	51.9
% Foreign	19.0	20.0	27.1	33.7
% Foreign with foreign school education	13.1	14.5	22.3	28.1
Universities of applied sciences	0	25 137	60 930	83 756
% Female	-	25.9	44.9	48.7
% Foreign	-	14.9	18.5	20.7
% Foreign with foreign school education	-	8.3	12.1	13.5
Universities of teacher education	0	0	14 105	23 412
% Female	-	-	76.3	71.3
% Foreign	-	-	8.3	10.3
% Foreign with foreign school education	-	-	4.6	5.4
Total	85 940	121 810	206 529	274 916
% Female	38.8	41.5	50.5	52.6
% Foreign	19.0	19.0	23.3	27.7
% Foreign with foreign school education	13.1	13.2	18.1	21.7

Source: FSO - SHIS-studex

UIT welcome more students than the other types of higher education institutions. Overall, more women than men study but are spread differently between the types of higher education institution. The percentage of foreign nationals is highest at the universities and institutes of technology.

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