Discontinuation of education decreased

In all, 5.1 per cent of students attending education leading to a qualification or degree discontinued their studies and did not resume them in any education leading to a qualification or degree during the 2014/2015 academic year. Compared to the year before, discontinuation decreased in upper secondary general, university of applied sciences and university education and remained unchanged in vocational education. These data derive from Statistics Finland’s Education Statistics.

Discontinuation of education in upper secondary general, vocational, university of applied sciences and university education in academic years from 2005/2006 to 2014/2015, %

The percentages of discontinuation were 3.1 per cent in upper secondary general education aimed at young people, 7.6 per cent in vocational education aimed at young people, 7.6 per cent in university of applied sciences education (university of applied sciences degrees), and 6.2 per cent in university education (lower and higher university degrees) in the academic year 2014/2015.

Men discontinued their university of applied sciences education most commonly and women their vocational education

If students who have changed their sectors of education, e.g. students who have switched from upper secondary general school to vocational education, are not calculated as discontinued students, the percentages of discontinuation are lower. Students in upper secondary general education and in university of applied sciences education changed their sector of education most frequently. Women changed their sector of education slightly more often than men.

Men discontinued completely their education leading to a qualification or degree in the academic year 2014/2015 more often than women in all sectors of education. Men discontinued their university of applied sciences education most commonly and women their vocational education. Women discontinued their studies in their own sectors of education more often than men only in vocational education.

Discontinuation of education leading to a qualification or degree by sex and sector of education in academic year 2014/2015 ¹⁾

Sex / sector of education		Number of students used in the statistics on discontinuation of education 20 Sept. 2014	Discontinued in own sector of education	Changed sector of education	Discontinued completely education leading to a qualification or degree
Sex / sector of education			%	%	%
Total		476 465	6,3	1,2	5,1
Men and women	Upper secondary general education (aimed at young people)	95 322	3,1	1,7	1,4
	Vocational education (aimed at young people)	123 590	7,6	0,8	6,8
	University of applied sciences education (university of applied sciences degrees)	127 736	7,6	1,7	6,0
	University education (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees)	129 817	6,2	0,8	5,3
Men	Total	225 702	7,1	1,1	6,0
	Upper secondary general education (aimed at young people)	40 775	3,3	1,7	1,7
	Vocational education (aimed at young people)	67 079	7,6	0,6	7,0
	University of applied sciences education (university of applied sciences degrees)	59 994	9,3	1,8	7,5
	University education (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees)	57 854	7,0	0,8	6,1
Women	Total	250 763	5,6	1,3	4,3
	Upper secondary general education (aimed at young people)	54 547	2,9	1,6	1,3
	Vocational education (aimed at young people)	56 511	7,7	1,1	6,5
	University of applied sciences education (university of applied sciences degrees)	67 742	6,2	1,6	4,6
	University education (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees)	71 963	5,5	0,9	4,7

1) Numbers of students used in calculating discontinuation differ from total numbers of students, because part of students had to be removed from the data. The data do not include the Rovala Institute, the Pohjois-Savo Institute, the Lybecker Institute, the Police University College, the National Defence University or the Tampere University of Technology, because discontinuation of studies could not be calculated due to insufficient monitoring data.

Education was discontinued most often in the fields of natural sciences, tourism, catering and domestic services, and natural resources and the environment. There were least discontinuations in general comprehensive education or upper secondary general education and in the field of health, welfare and sports.

Of students aged 18 or over who discontinued upper secondary general school education, 43 per cent continued studies leading to a qualification or degree in some other sector of education, and 15 per cent started working. The corresponding figures were 10 and 24 per cent in vocational education, 22 and 51 per cent in university of applied sciences education, and 14 and 56 per cent in university education. The employment data are based on Statistics Finland's employment statistics.

The database tables of these statistics contain information on discontinuation of studies by sector of education in different fields and levels of education, and regions.

Other statistics also indicate that studying was more interesting than before. Degrees were completed faster in 2015 and the employment of students decreased (Progress of studies and Employment of students).

In 2015, in all 686 students discontinued apprenticeship training during the four-month probationary period, which is 1.4 per cent of all students in apprenticeship training. In all, 3,314 students discontinued apprenticeship training after the probationary period, which is 6.7 per cent of all students in apprenticeship training. The total number of students in apprenticeship training was 49,102 in 2015.

A total of 409 students had discontinued studies in one way or another in comprehensive school during the 2015/2016 academic year. The number of those who had completely dropped out from compulsory education in the spring term was 94 and those over the age of compulsory education having left school without a leaving certificate from comprehensive school was 315. More than one-half of school drop-outs were boys. The number of boys among those who had completely dropped out from compulsory education was 53, and 185 among those having left comprehensive school without a leaving certificate.

The statistics describe the discontinuation of post-comprehensive school education leading to a qualification. Data concerning discontinuation in the academic year 2014/2015 have been obtained by examining the situation of students in September 2015 having attended education in September 2014. If a person has not continued education or obtained a qualification during this period, he/she is counted as having discontinued education. In order to calculate the discontinuation, students have been followed in a certain logical order where completion of a qualification is always prioritised above studying. The calculation of discontinuation is described in more detail in the quality description (only in Finnish).

Source: Education. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Heli Hiltunen 029 551 3314, koulutustilastot@stat.fi

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Appendix tables

Updated 17.3.2017

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Discontinuation of education [e-publication].
ISSN=1798-9302. 2015. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 21.12.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/kkesk/2015/kkesk_2015_2017-03-17_tie_001_en.html