The start of a new academic year marks an important point for those in their final year of sixth form or college, with young learners thinking about what comes next.
At the end of 2023/24, over three-quarters of those leaving year 13 from a maintained sixth form or post-16 special school chose to continue in full-time education. In this article, we set out some important dates such learners might need to know ahead of applying to higher education. We also look at what the data shows about the choices learners have been making.
Student destinations
Careers Wales’ latest pupil destination data for learners leaving year 13 from a maintained sixth form or post-16 special school shows, in the 2023/24 academic year, the majority of students chose to continue in full-time education.
Table 1: Student destinations on leaving Year 13 in 2024 from a maintained sixth form or special school
| Activity | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing in full-time education | 7,425 | 76.7% |
| Continuing in part-time education (less than 16 hours per week) | 52 | 0.5% |
| Work based training – Non employed status | 37 | 0.4% |
| Work based training – Employed status | 278 | 2.9% |
| Employed – Other | 1,200 | 12.4% |
| Known to not be in education, employment or training | 309 | 3.2% |
| No response to survey | 351 | 3.6% |
| Left the area | 31 | 0.3% |
Source: Careers Wales, Year 13 Pupil Destinations from Schools in Wales 2024
Of those 7,425 learners continuing in full-time education, the majority continue in higher education (HE).
Table 2: Breakdown of student destinations of those continuing to full-time education in the 2023/24 academic year
| Activity | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing to Year 14 in School of 11–18 schools | 446 | 6% |
| Year 13 school leavers continuing in colleges of Further Education | 635 | 8.6% |
| Year 13 continuing in Higher Education | 6,252 | 84.2% |
| Year 13 taking gap year with intention of going to Higher Education | 92 | 1.2% |
Source: Careers Wales, Year 13 Pupil Destinations from Schools in Wales 2024
Important dates for those thinking of going to HE
Many students who choose to go to university apply through UCAS. It publishes relevant information and guidance on its website, including help to discover subjects and universities, information on how to apply to university, and advice on money and student life.
UCAS also outlines important dates and deadlines for prospective students to be aware of, these include:
- 15 October (18:00): Deadline for applications to Oxford and Cambridge universities, and for most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/ science.
- 14 January (18:00): Equal consideration date (where course providers must consider all applications received by the date equally) for applications for most undergraduate courses.
- 26 February: Extra opensUCAS Extra allows applicants to have another chance to gain a place at university or college if all five choices have been used on an original application and no offers have been received (more information on UCAS Extra can be found here).
- 2 July: Clearing opens (more information on clearing can be found here).
Further information on key dates are available on UCAS’ website, including when students must respond to any offers received.
Information on student finance for 2026/27 will available later in the year. Applications to Student Finance Wales typically open in March. Senedd Research has published student funding guides, which include information for those going to HE. Please note, as the guides set out the latest information for the current 2025/26 academic year, there may be changes for 2026/27.
Where do learners from Wales choose to study?
The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) publishes HE student data annually, with the latest publication in April 2025 containing information about students from the 2023/24 academic year. This data release is for students of all ages and includes information on where HE students come from. This includes information about students with a permanent UK address as well as those from EU and non-EU countries.
A total of 103,185 students from Wales were enrolled at a UK HE provider for 2023/24. Of these students, 68,940 (66.8%) were enrolled at a Welsh HE provider (67,520 of these at a Welsh university and 1,425 at another form of provider in Wales).
In comparison, 95.5% of English students were enrolled at an English HE provider, 94.1% of Scottish students studied at a Scottish HE provider and 75.5% of students from Northern Ireland attend a Northern Ireland HE provider.
When only considering new entrants, there were 45,290 students from Wales entering HE in 2023/24, of which 32,005 (70.7%) chose to do so at a Welsh HE provider. In England, 95.7% of entrants chose to enrol at an English HE provider, 93.6% of Scottish entrants chose to study in Scotland and 78.0% of Northern Ireland’s entrants were enrolled at a HE provider in Northern Ireland.
Table 3: Cross-border movements of students going to HE (entrants), both in and out of Wales
| Domicile | Country of HE provider | Number | Percentage (of students from domicile) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wales | Wales | 32,005 | 70.7% |
| Wales | England | 12,810 | 28.3% |
| Wales | Scotland | 385 | 0.9% |
| Wales | Northern Ireland | 90 | 0.2% |
| England | Wales | 21,550 | 2.9% |
| Scotland | Wales | 165 | 0.2% |
| Northern Ireland | Wales | 210 | 0.9% |
Source: HESA, HE Student Data: Where do HE students come from?
While HESA only collects information on those studying within the UK, there are also opportunities for learners to complete their studies overseas. UCAS have guidance available for those looking to study outside of the UK.
Data released throughout the year
There are a range of data releases and statistical publications made available throughout the year which relate to students in Wales attending HE.
In addition to the above, HESA’s HE student data also sets out information about the qualifications achieved by those who went to HE. In addition, it publishes annual statistics on graduate outcomes, covering graduate activities, salaries and work locations. The latest being about those who graduated at the end of the 2022/23 academic year, where the majority of respondents were engaged in full-time employment (59%).
UCAS publishes data on the latest application deadline, which provides summary counts of applicants at each deadline for applications (October, January and June). It also publishes clearing data and end of cycle data, which considers the summary count of applicants at the end of each annual application cycle.
The Student Loans Company publishes statistics on student support for HE in Wales. The latest providing an early in year overview for the 2024/25 academic year. As at 31 October 2024, 68,600 applicants/students were paid for the academic year 2024/25, where the amount awarded/paid was £341.5 million.
Medr, Wales’ Commission for Tertiary Education and Research, publishes some statistics related to HE. This includes information about students in higher education (including enrolments and qualifications). In 2023/24, Wales was a net importer of full-time students from the rest of the UK. There were 27,785 full-time Welsh students studying elsewhere in the UK compared to 45,045 full-time students from other UK countries studying at Welsh HE providers.
Medr also publishes information on progression from Year 11 to tertiary education. The latest provisional data indicates 90% of learners progressed from Year 11 to tertiary education. The statistics about progression from Year 11 to tertiary education is not a regular publication. However, Medr’s next release on students in higher education is due between January and March 2026. Medr outlines a statistical publication schedule, which also details some other statistics about HE.
Other choices and outcomes
While continuing to HE is the most common choice for those leaving year 13 at a maintained sixth form or post-16 special school in Wales, it is not the only choice. Other routes have recently been considered in work conducted by the Senedd including the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report on Apprenticeship Pathways, which found many young people may be uncertain how to navigate an apprenticeship as an educational pathway.
The Children, Young People and Education Committee’s report on its inquiry into Routes into Post-16 Education and Training, is due to be published in November. Plenary will debate the report in the new year and you can follow this live on Senedd.tv.
Article by Dr. Thomas Morris, Senedd Research, Welsh Parliament