5.1% students discontinue education in 2016-17

Discontinuation of education leading to a qualification or degree remained in the academic year 2016/2017 almost on level with the previous academic year.

In all, 5.1 per cent of students discontinued their studies and did not resume them in any education leading to a qualification or degree, according to Statistics Finland.

In upper secondary general education aimed at young people the discontinuation percentage was 3.1, in vocational education aimed at young people it was 7.4, in university of applied sciences education (university of applied sciences qualifications) 7.3 and in university education (lower and higher university degrees) 5.9 per cent. These data derive from Statistics Finland’s Education Statistics.

These statistics examine discontinuation from many perspectives. Education can be discontinued in one's own field of education in one's own sector of education, but it can continued in another field of education either in one's own or another sector of education. Or correspondingly, examined by area; education can be discontinued in one's own sector of education in one’s own region, but it can continue in another region in either one's own or another sector of education.

Men discontinued their education leading to a qualification or degree more often than women in the academic year 2016/2017. Of men, 6.0 per cent discontinued education completely and 4.2 per cent of women.

Women and men changed their sector of education equally often. Men most often discontinued university of applied sciences education (9.3 per cent), women vocational education (7.5 per cent). Women discontinued studies in the sector of vocational education more often than men (7.3 per cent), but instead of discontinuing completely, women continued studies in some other sector of education more often than men.