University bachelors graduate sooner

The share of bachelor students at universities graduating within 5 years has grown substantially. Female students still graduate faster than their male counterparts, but men are catching up.

More than two thirds take their bachelor’s degree within 5 years

After 5 years, 68 percent of first year university students in study year 2007/’08, had completed their bachelor’s degree, i.e. an increase by 5 percentage points compared to first-year students from 2006/’07 and 8 percentage points compared to 2005/’06. The increase comes after a period, in which the binding study advice, the bachelor-before-master rule and the long-study fine – later abolished – were introduced.

Share of students who have passed their bachelor’s degree (full-time university study and pre-university certificate) by study duration period

Graduation gap between genders narrowing

Among women, the share of students to obtain their bachelor’s degree within 5 years increased to 76 percent of first-year students from 2007/’08, i.e. 17 percentage points higher than among men. The gap between men and women has existed for a fairly long period, but men are in the process of catching up, because the graduation gender gap was 20 percentage points in 2006/’07.

Share bachelor graduates within 5 years (full-time university study and pre-university certificate) by gender

Kasper van der Heide and Theo van Miltenburg