Students in higher education, 1 October 2003, preliminary figures

The decline is due to a significant reduction in the number of students in private colleges. This number was reduced from 35 200 in 2002, to 29 600 in 2003. There was a slight decrease in the number of students at the universities and university colleges while the number of students at the state colleges increased. The university sector registered 79 600 students in autumn 2003 as against 80 600 the previous year and at the state colleges 98 300 as against 94 300. Those within doctoral programs are not included.

Student numbers at the Norwegian School of Management was reduced by 5 600 from 2002 to 2003 ¹ when 20 300 students were registered. There was a slight decline in the number of students at the University of Tromsø, but the University of Bergen and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology recorded increases in student numbers.

Large female majority in the colleges

The proportion of females in the colleges was 63 per cent compared with 55 per cent in the universities. Men dominated the number of students at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology as well as the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. Proportion of women was highest at certain state colleges. The study programs at the various institutions are significant for the gender distribution among the students.

Women were in the majority among students in all the major courses except natural sciences, vocational and technical subjects where males dominated in autumn 2003. The female proportion in health, welfare and sports were as high as 80 percent. Within education, the portion of females was 76 per cent and 63 per cent within the humanities and arts.

¹Due to error in the data for the preliminary figures the reduction of the student numbers at the Norwegian School of Management was about 1 500 students.

Tables:

• Table 1 Students by gender, type of college, ownership and educational institution. Preliminary figures. 1st October 1998, 2002 and 2003 (figures were corrected 8 June 2004)
• Table 2 Students by age and type of college. Absolute figures and per cent. Preliminary figures. 1st October 2003
• Table 3 Students by gender and field of education. Preliminary figures. 1st October 2003
• Table 4 Students by gender and college county. Preliminary figures. 1st October 1998, 2002 and 2003 (figures were corrected 8 June 2004)