The Office for Students (OfS) publishes the number of intakes to medicine degrees each year, as well as withdrawals during the first year of the course. It does not publish reasons for withdrawal. The data is available at the following link:

https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-providers/finance-and-funding/medicine-and-dentistry-funding/data-on-medical-and-dental-intakes/

The Student Loans Company (SLC) publishes data on student withdrawals from higher education providers by domicile, academic year, and year of study for SLC-funded students. It does not publish the reason for withdrawal. The data is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/early-in-year-student-withdrawal-notifications-academic-year-201819-to-202425-up-to-31082025/early-in-year-student-withdrawal-notifications-academic-year-201819-to-202425-up-to-31082025#additional-information

The number of student loan borrowers who are not UK Nationals and withdrew from their latest recorded course in 2024/25 was 15,000 (to the nearest 500).

The department and the Student Loans Company have strengthened the quality and consistency of data in this area and now hold reliable information on borrowers’ UK national status and nationality.

The Office for Students (OfS) publishes statistics across different aspects of the student lifecycle by higher education providers to help inform regulatory processes. The Student Outcomes Data Dashboard is accessible here: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-outcomes-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/. The dashboard holds the following indicators:

• Continuation: the percentage of first degree entrants who continue their studies after 12 months for full-time students, or 24 months for part-time students.
• Completion: the percentage of first degree entrants who completed their course within 4 years 15 days for full-time students, and within 6 years 15 days for part-time students.

The OfS publish breakdowns for non-UK domiciled students for English OfS registered providers. The latest data available are for 2022/23 entrants for continuation rates and 2019/20 entrants for completion rates. The student outcomes dashboard is updated annually and was last released in August 2025. The data can be accessed here:

https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/student-outcomes-data-dashboard/get-the-data/.

Data on student nationality as opposed to domicile, which is the permanent address of the student immediately prior to study, is not published by the OfS and is not readily available.

The Home Office does not currently publish data on the number of student visas issued for individuals attending specific universities, nor does it provide information regarding students who fail to complete their course.

Information on Home Office Entry Clearance Student visas can be found in the Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK.

Education and training achievement rates are available in the ‘Further education and skills’ statistics publication, which is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-and-skills/2024-25#content-9.

The department does not hold data on the estimated cost of providing those placements in England.

Funding for students who withdraw from their studies during the academic year is reduced through the retention factor in the 16 to 19 funding formula. This has the effect of funding withdrawn students at 50% of their funding band’s rate. This recognises that there is a cost to institutions in delivering programmes to students who do not complete.

The department does not hold data on the number of people who have dropped out of further education and are searching for work or training.

I refer the hon. Member for Wyre Forest to the answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 83275.

Further education colleges can decide to retain students who have been absent from their maths or English lessons, but they will have their future funding allocations reduced by half the national funding rate for every eligible student who is not offered the minimum planned teaching hours. This demonstrates the importance of supporting all students to make progress towards and attain level 2 in English and maths. A provider is permitted to opt out up to 2.5% of their 16- to 19 cohort from this requirement without financial penalty, where it is not appropriate to offer a student the minimum planned teaching hours.

The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

Additionally, estimates of young people aged 16 to 18 participating in education and training using the department’s administrative data are published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-and-training-and-employment/2024. This release contains the most robust measure for 16 to 18 year olds NEET.

Both NEET sources are based on status at time of data collection and therefore the definition does not rely on being out of education and employment for a specific length of time before being categorised as NEET.

Neither source can be used to estimate the number of young people who left school/further education before the end of their course. However, they will be included in the statistics as NEET if they had left their course prior to the reporting timeframe and not taken part in any employment or alternative education at that time.

The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

Additionally, estimates of young people aged 16 to 18 participating in education and training using the department’s administrative data are published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-and-training-and-employment/2024. This release contains the most robust measure for 16 to 18 year olds NEET.

Both NEET sources are based on status at time of data collection and therefore the definition does not rely on being out of education and employment for a specific length of time before being categorised as NEET.

Neither source can be used to estimate the number of young people who left school/further education before the end of their course. However, they will be included in the statistics as NEET if they had left their course prior to the reporting timeframe and not taken part in any employment or alternative education at that time.

Further education colleges can decide to retain students who have been absent from their maths or English lessons, but they will have their future funding allocations reduced by half the national funding rate for every eligible student who is not offered the minimum planned teaching hours. This demonstrates the importance of supporting all students to make progress towards and attain level 2 in English and maths. A provider is permitted to opt out up to 2.5% of their 16- to 19 cohort from this requirement without financial penalty, where it is not appropriate to offer a student the minimum planned teaching hours.

Educational psychologists play a critical role in the support available to children and young people. The department is investing over £21 million to train 400 more educational psychologists from September 2024. This is in addition to the £10 million currently supporting the training of over 200 educational psychologists who began their training in September 2023.

To support retention, trainees starting from 2024 who have had their training funded by the department will be required to remain in local authority employment for a minimum period of three years after graduation.

The department does not hold information on what proportion of assistant educational psychologists left the profession before becoming fully qualified educational psychologists.

This government is breaking down barriers to opportunity by ensuring young people receive the mental health support they deserve. It is vital that higher education (HE) students are supported to achieve and thrive during their time at university.

Figures on non-continuation following year one of entry to HE are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency for full-time first-degree entrants starting courses between the 2014/15 and 2019/20 academic years. Further information is available in Table T3 at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/non-continuation.

More recent information on continuation rates, which are the inverse of non-continuation, for first year full-time degree entrants entering HE are published by the Office for Students (OfS). This is available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/access-and-participation-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/.

The proportion of UK domiciled student enrolments to HE providers who declared a mental health condition, such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety disorder, was 5.6% in the 2022/23 academic year, compared with 1.8% in 2014/15. Although specific data on the number of students who have left their course due to a mental health issue is not known, we are determined that action is taken so students can maximise the opportunity to study in HE.

This government has committed to recruiting 8,500 additional staff across children and adult NHS mental health services.

To drive meaningful change in HE mental health support, the HE Student Support Champion, Professor Edward Peck, is chairing the HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The taskforce includes representatives from students, parents, mental health experts and the HE sector. The taskforce published its second stage report in December, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/higher-education-mental-health-implementation-taskforce.

We appointed the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health to undertake a National Review of HE Student Suicides. This review has seen excellent engagement from universities and will publish its report in the spring, with a focus on highlighting lessons learned and recommendations for better prevention of student suicides.

This government is breaking down barriers to opportunity by ensuring young people receive the mental health support they deserve. It is vital that higher education (HE) students are supported to achieve and thrive during their time at university.

Figures on non-continuation following year one of entry to HE are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency for full-time first-degree entrants starting courses between the 2014/15 and 2019/20 academic years. Further information is available in Table T3 at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/non-continuation.

More recent information on continuation rates, which are the inverse of non-continuation, for first year full-time degree entrants entering HE are published by the Office for Students (OfS). This is available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/access-and-participation-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/.

The proportion of UK domiciled student enrolments to HE providers who declared a mental health condition, such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety disorder, was 5.6% in the 2022/23 academic year, compared with 1.8% in 2014/15. Although specific data on the number of students who have left their course due to a mental health issue is not known, we are determined that action is taken so students can maximise the opportunity to study in HE.

This government has committed to recruiting 8,500 additional staff across children and adult NHS mental health services.

To drive meaningful change in HE mental health support, the HE Student Support Champion, Professor Edward Peck, is chairing the HE Mental Health Implementation Taskforce. The taskforce includes representatives from students, parents, mental health experts and the HE sector. The taskforce published its second stage report in December, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/higher-education-mental-health-implementation-taskforce.

We appointed the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health to undertake a National Review of HE Student Suicides. This review has seen excellent engagement from universities and will publish its report in the spring, with a focus on highlighting lessons learned and recommendations for better prevention of student suicides.

This government wants all young people to have access to high-quality education options that enable them to learn the skills they need to progress in life and build successful careers.

T Levels are an excellent post-16 option for students, and we want to extend the opportunities they provide to as many young people as possible. The department has listened to feedback about barriers to delivery and taken action as a result. For example, we have announced updated approaches to industry placements, including allowing up to 20% of the placement to be remote, with up to 50% for T Levels in Digital. These changes which will unlock more opportunities for students and employers, while maintaining quality.

T Levels are still early in their implementation, and the retention rate is now improving. To support this, the department is raising awareness of T Levels with schools and careers advisers, backed up by case studies of students’ experiences and access to face to face support to ensure they understand the requirements of T Levels and can advise students effectively.

The department has addressed issues specific to the Health and Science T Levels, which may have affected the second cohort of students. In September 2023, a new T Level in Health Qualification Specification was published, with changes to the core content, alongside a suite of support from the awarding organisation to help providers deliver the T Level effectively. The department expects retention rates to continue rising as providers become more familiar with delivering the courses, and we continue to support providers to deliver T Levels effectively.

The department’s recently published 2023/24 T Level Action Plan outlines the developments and next steps for T Levels. It also includes the latest student data for the programme. It shows that 5,321 students began their T Level in 2021/22. In summer 2023, 3,592 of those students were retained (68%), and 3,510 were retained and assessed (66%). Similar statistics for students that began their T Level in 2020/21 are not published. Further data about T Levels, as well as details of the methodology used in the above data can be found in the T Level Action Plan Analytical Annex, which is attached.

As relatively new qualifications, retention rates on T Levels may be expected to fluctuate. The department is keen to understand the reasons behind students dropping out of their T Level programme and have undertaken a range of research. This has included discussing the issue in routine conversations with further education (FE) providers and holding workshops with a variety of providers to explore further the reasons for students dropping out of specific T Levels. The department has also reviewed data from the Individualised Learner Record and school census to identify patterns in students dropping out of T Levels, and examined responses to the Technical Education Learner Survey (2021 and 2022) to understand student motivations for dropping out. Links to these surveys can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-education-learner-survey, and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/technical-education-learner-survey-2022. The department has also spoken to Awarding Organisations to discuss student retention on T Levels.

The T Level Foundation Year is the first step on a 3-year path to achieving a T Level, for those who need it. The programme is supporting good progression to level 3 destinations in its first two years, compared with other level 2 courses. Reasons why more students are not progressing onto T Levels may include not meeting providers’ entry criteria and the early cohorts being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The T Level Foundation Year is still early in its rollout and the department will monitor outcomes as the programme continues to roll out and funding is removed from level 3 qualifications that overlap with T Levels. Research by the National Foundation for Education Research and the Technical Education Learner Surveys provide information on the early cohorts. This research can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-on-early-delivery-of-the-t-level-transition-programme. The department is undertaking further research with providers to identify good practice and success factors in supporting progression to T Levels.

Lord Sainsbury’s report on technical education defined the skills areas suitable for T Levels, drawing on analysis of relevant apprenticeship standards, existing taught qualifications, and labour market information. All T Levels are based on the same employer-led occupational standards as apprenticeships, and these standards were led by, and updated with, employers. That means that employers and young people can be confident in these new qualifications. This is not consistently the case with the large qualifications they are replacing, which often do not support a young person to enter the sector they thought the qualification was preparing them for. For example, in the latest data for health and social care qualifications only 9% of those who complete worked in ‘Health and social care’ the following year. This data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/detailed-destinations-of-16-to-18-year-olds-in-further-education. T Levels will not be the only technical qualification available in the future landscape. Where there are occupational standards at level 3, but no T Level, the department is allowing technical qualifications to be developed, which will allow students to continue to study areas currently covered by applied general qualifications such as travel consultant, highways electrician, and personal trainer, to list a few. The key distinction here is that they will be based on employer led occupational standards, unlike the current applied general qualifications. The department will also allow for large alternative academic qualifications in areas not well served by A levels or T levels and where an academic pathway is required, such as performing arts and sport.

The department’s recently published 2023/24 T Level Action Plan outlines the developments and next steps for T Levels and includes the latest student data for the programme. It shows that 5,321 students began their T Level in 2021/22. In summer 2023, 3,592 of those students were retained (68%), and 3,510 were retained and assessed (66%). Further data about T Levels, as well as details of the methodology used in the above can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66290c86b0ace32985a7e6d6/T_Level_action_plan_-_analytical_annex.pdf.

Data published by the Office for Students in the Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES), collates figures submitted by individual higher education providers to give an indication of the number of students studying in each academic year. HESES data includes figures on undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery courses in England. The latest published data is for those starting courses in 2022. The table below gives the number of undergraduate and postgraduate starters on midwifery courses in England, each year from 2018 to 2022:

Source: The Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES) 2018 to 2022.

The table below presents the latest available data published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for the number of qualifiers from undergraduate midwifery courses in England, for the years 2019/20 to 2021/22:

Source: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) qualifier data 2022

Note: A qualifier is defined by the HESA as a student who gained a qualification during the academic year in question.

The Department does not hold information on the proportion of student midwives who left university courses, in each of the last five years.

Figures on non-continuation following year one of entry to higher education (HE) are published by the Higher Education Statistics Agency for full-time first-degree entrants starting courses between 2015/16 and 2019/20. Further information is available in Table T3 at: https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/non-continuation.

More recent information on continuation rates (which are the inverse of non-continuation) for first year full-time degree entrants entering HE are published by the Office for Students (OfS). This is available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/access-and-participation-data-dashboard/data-dashboard/.

For further information on the percentage of students that dropped out of the first year of their university course between 2015 and 2023, I refer the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington to the answers of 13 September to Questions 197774 and 197775.

Limited sources of research are available highlighting reasons for non-continuation for students within HE. However, some older research covering this issue was released in 2014 and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/learning-from-futuretrack-dropout-from-higher-education.

This study suggests that most students who drop out of university cite ‘personal’ reasons, while others say they have decided they do not want to go to university.

The government believes every student should receive education of high quality, equipping them for future careers. Continuation rates are an important indicator of quality, alongside completion and progression to professional employment or further study. Since October 2022, the OfS has monitored whether HE courses at registered providers are meeting new minimum thresholds for student outcomes, including course continuation and completion rates, as part of the B3 condition of registration. The OfS examines the data to identify courses which fail to meet the minimum expected standards for student outcomes. It has launched 18 investigations to consider whether there have been breaches of condition B3 and we expect the results to be published in the near future. These investigations consider the reasons for providers' data. On 17 July, we announced a package of reforms aimed at improving the quality of HE provision across the sector. The Prime Minister said then, and in his speech to the Conservative Party Conference, that the government will stop universities offering low value ‘rip-off degrees’.