Number of international students returns to pre-pandemic levels
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The number of international students in Ireland has returned to pre-pandemic levels, while courses in the business, administration, and law category remain the most popular among higher education students across the country, new data has shown.
New statistics from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) show that more than one in five students (20.6%) were on a course within the category of business, administration, and law in 2021/22.
Health and welfare courses accounted for 17.5% of students, while 13.9% were enrolled on arts and humanities courses, and a further 11.7% were studying engineering, manufacturing, and construction courses.
The new figures from the HEA come after over 50,000 offers were given in round one of the CAO on Thursday, following another year of high performance in the Leaving Cert.
Prospective students have until Wednesday to accept their first-round offers.
In 2021/22, there were 246,299 students in Ireland — up 0.3% on 2020/21 figures. Almost two-thirds were studying honours degrees (61.6%), and 11.3% were studying a taught masters. In 2020/21, these figures were at 60.8% and 10.8%, respectively.
Ordinary degrees, or level 7 degrees, are “steadily declining in popularity”, according to the HEA. In 2015/16, such degrees accounted for 11.3% of students. This had fallen to 6.8% in 2021/22.
Almost a quarter of students who graduate, meanwhile, do so with a first-class honours degree. This has risen in recent years from 15.9% for the class of 2015 to 23.5% in 2021/22.
There continues to be more women than men in third-level courses, as females accounted for 54.5% of the student population in 2021/22. This was up from 51.4% in 2015/16.
International students make up 12.4% of the student population, according to the HEA, up from 10.3% in the previous academic year. The US is the most common country of origin, representing 14.8% of international students. This is followed by India and China.
UCD is the most populous higher education institution with 29,000 students, followed by TU Dublin with 26,000.
Mature students are in decline, meanwhile, now standing at 6.6% of the student population compared to 10.9% in 2015/16.
According to an equal access survey, 17.8% of students reported a disability compared to 18.1% the previous year.
In 2021/22, there were 88,638 graduates, with two in five graduating with an honours degree and one in five achieving a taught masters.