British Virgin Islands: School enrollment, tertiary (% gross)

Key figures

Over five years it is up 5.31 percentage points from 24.25% in 2019. Since 1999 it is down 28.24 percentage points from 57.8% in 1999. The World Bank has no value for 11 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, British Virgin Islands' school enrollment, tertiary (% gross) rose 2.91 percentage points on 2023 (from 26.65% to 29.56%).

Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.25 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.06 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 6.5 percentage points in 2019 and the biggest yearly fall was 8 percentage points in 2000. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 there is no clear straight-line trend: a straight line explains 18% of the movement over 9 observed years, so the value is moving around more than it is heading anywhere.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, British Virgin Islands had the 55th highest value of the 81 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to British Virgin Islands in the 2024 ranking

• Jordan — 52nd of 81: 35.92%
• Tajikistan — 53rd of 81: 35.64%
• El Salvador — 54th of 81: 32.83%
• Guyana — 56th of 81: 26.43%
• Belize — 57th of 81: 24.81%
• Trinidad and Tobago — 58th of 81: 23.85%

What this measures

Gross enrollment ratio is the ratio of total enrollment, regardless of age, to the population of the age group that officially corresponds to the level of education shown. Tertiary education, whether or not to an advanced research qualification, normally requires, as a minimum condition of admission, the successful completion of education at the secondary level.

Limitations: Enrollment indicators are based on annual school surveys, but do not necessarily reflect actual attendance or dropout rates during the year. Also, the length of education differs across countries and can influence enrollment rates, although the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) tries to minimize the difference. For example, a shorter duration for primary education tends to increase the rate; a longer one to decrease it (in part because older children are more at risk of dropping out). Moreover, age at enrollment may be inaccurately estimated or misstated, especially in communities where registration of births is not strictly enforced.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 15 values

School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) in nearby economies

• Argentina — 107.82% (2023)
• Aruba — 14.07% (2024)
• Barbados — 50.8% (2025)
• Belize — 24.81% (2024)
• Brazil — 69.73% (2024)
• Chile — 110.18% (2024)
• Colombia — 59.29% (2022)
• Costa Rica — 55.02% (2019)
• Cuba — 43.1% (2024)
• Dominican Republic — 57.65% (2024)
• El Salvador

More education data for British Virgin Islands

• Primary school starting age (years) — 5 (2025)
• Primary education, duration (years) — 7 (2025)
• Lower secondary school starting age (years) — 12 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 1,626 (2024)
• School enrollment, primary (% gross) — 72.78% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, female (% gross) — 73.55% (2024)
• School enrollment, primary, male (% gross) — 72.03% (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 2,300 (2024)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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Questions people ask

What is British Virgin Islands's school enrollment, tertiary (% gross)?

29.56% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1999?

It is down 28.24 percentage points from 57.8% in 1999. The highest value was 70.49% in 2009 and the lowest 17.76% in 2018.

How does British Virgin Islands rank?

55th highest of 81 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in school enrollment, tertiary (% gross) unusual for British Virgin Islands?

In 2024, British Virgin Islands' school enrollment, tertiary (% gross) rose 2.91 percentage points on 2023 (from 26.65% to 29.56%). Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.25 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 5.06 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.6 standard deviations above that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.TER.ENRR, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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