University enrolment by age groups

A record number of young students enrolled in undergraduate studies at Canadian universities in the 2000/01 academic year.

Undergraduate enrolment among people aged 18 to 24 reached 518,800, the highest total ever for this age group. At 18%, the population aged 18 to 24 enrolled in undergraduate studies in 2000/01 was also at an all-time high.

From 1997/98 to 2000/01, undergraduate enrolment among students aged 18 to 24 increased 7.3%. Of the 35,300 new students aged 18 to 24 from 1997/98 to 2000/01, just under three-quarters were women.

Meanwhile, enrolment among older age groups continued to decline in 2000/01. Just under 213,000 students aged 25 and over enrolled in full-time or part-time undergraduate studies in 2000/01, a 2.7% decrease from 1997/98. Students aged 25 and over represented just under 29% of total undergraduate enrolment in 2000/01.

Overall, universities had 735,300 full-time and part-time students enrolled in undergraduate studies in 2000/01, up 4.3% from 1997/98, the third straight annual increase. Women accounted for a record 59% of total undergraduate enrolment.

Part-time studies: Younger students represent over one-third of enrolment

Just over 213,400 students attended university undergraduate programs on a part-time basis in 2000/01, up 2.6% from 1997/98, the result of substantial gains in part-time enrolment among students aged 18 to 24.

Since 1997/98, part-time enrolment among 18- to 24-year-olds grew 15%, almost five times faster than the growth rate of this age group in the general population. Individuals aged 18 to 24 accounted for 35% of part-time undergraduate enrolment, compared with 31% in 1997/98.

Despite the gain, however, part-time enrolment accounted for only 29% of total undergraduate enrolment, compared with nearly 36% in 1992/93, the peak year for part-time enrolment. Much of the decline in part-time enrolment since 1992/93 was due to a sharp decrease in enrolment among students aged 25 and over. In the 2000/01 academic year, universities enrolled 137,000 men and women aged 25 and over, down 3.4% from three years before.

Since 1997/98, the decline in part-time enrolment was particularly strong among undergraduate women aged 35 and over. Their numbers fell 6.3% to 46,600. However, women aged 35 and over still outnumbered part-time undergrad women in the core age group of 18 to 24.

Graduate programs: Gains in enrolment among younger age groups

A total of 126,300 students were enrolled in university graduate programs in 2000/01, up 7.3% from 1997/98.

The biggest gains were among students aged 18 to 24, where graduate enrolment rose 17% from 1997/98 to 2000/01. This increase was driven primarily by higher enrolment among women. Of the 2,900 new graduate students aged 18 to 24 during the three-year period, two-thirds were women.

Graduate enrolment among older age groups has also been on the rise. Since 1997/98, enrolment among students aged 25 to 34 increased 5.5%. Again, much of this growth in this age group can be attributed to increases among women.

From 1997/98 to 2000/01, graduate enrolment among women aged 25 to 34 increased 10%, much faster than the 1.2% increase among their male counterparts.

Women have represented the majority of undergraduate enrolment since 1979/80, but in the graduate field, they have only represented the majority of enrolment since 1997/98. In 2000/01, women represented 51% of graduate enrolment, compared with 59% among undergraduates. Within the graduate field, women represented the majority of master's enrolments in 2000/01; men still accounted for over 54% of doctorate enrolment.

More detailed data are now available from the University Student Information System and the Enhanced Student Information System. Tables and other statistical products are available on request.

Information on methods and data quality available in the Integrated Meta Data Base: survey numbers, including related surveys, 3124 and 5017.

To obtain statistical products, contact Client Services (1-800-307-3382; 613-951-7608; fax: 613-951-9040; educationstats@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Todd Robertson (613-951-4711; fax: 613-951-6567; todd.robertson@statcan.gc.ca) or Sylvie Bonhomme (613-951-5366; fax: 613-951-6567; sylvie.bonhomme@statcan.gc.ca) Culture, Tourism and the Centre for Education Statistics.