More than 35,500 students were enrolled in post-secondary and tertiary education in Malta during the 2024-2025 academic year, an increase of 8.7% over the previous year, according to data published by the National Statistics Office (NSO).

In its report, 'Students in Post-secondary and Tertiary Education: 2024-2025,' the NSO recorded 35,533 enrolments, comprising 10,886 students at post-secondary level and 24,647 at tertiary level.

The figures show that foreign students accounted for 35.3% of all enrolments, while female students made up 52.4% of the total.

The increase was more pronounced at tertiary level, where enrolments rose by 10.6% compared with the previous academic year. Post-secondary enrolments increased by 4.7%.

One of the most notable changes was the rise in foreign students pursuing tertiary education, with their number increasing by 27.4% over the preceding academic year.

There were 10,513 foreign students enrolled in tertiary education in 2024-2025, representing 42.7% of all tertiary enrolments. Of these, 26.7% were non-EU nationals, while 16% were nationals of other EU member states.

Foreign students accounted for a considerably smaller proportion of post-secondary enrolments, where 2,028 students, or 18.6% of the total, were foreign nationals.

The NSO data also highlighted differences in the gender composition of students across the two education levels. At post-secondary level, males outnumbered females by 2.7 percentage points, continuing the trend recorded in the previous academic year.

At tertiary level, however, women represented 54.1% of all students, outnumbering men by 8.3 percentage points.

In terms of age, the vast majority of post-secondary students were under 20 years old, accounting for 85.7% of enrolments. At tertiary level, the largest age group was made up of students aged between 20 and 24, who represented 38.9% of the total.

The report also found that 84.5% of post-secondary students were enrolled in state-run institutions. Slightly more than half of those studying at this level were following courses or programmes with a vocational study orientation, representing 55.4% of enrolments.

At tertiary level, 18,484 students were studying full-time, equivalent to 75% of all enrolments. Part-time enrolments increased by 3% compared with the previous academic year.

Almost half of all tertiary students were enrolled in Bachelor's degree or equivalent programmes, classified as ISCED level 6. These accounted for 49.7% of tertiary enrolments, while Master's degree or equivalent programmes, classified as ISCED level 7, accounted for a further 32.7%.

Maltese students made up the majority of enrolments at Bachelor's and Master's level. However, foreign students represented the majority of those enrolled in short-cycle tertiary education and doctoral or equivalent programmes.

Foreign nationals accounted for 57.5% of students at ISCED level 5 and 72.9% of those at ISCED level 8.

The gender distribution also varied according to qualification level. Female students outnumbered males in Bachelor's and Master's programmes, while men represented the larger share of students enrolled in short-cycle tertiary and doctoral studies.

Business, administration and law was the most popular field of study at tertiary level, attracting 7,885 students, equivalent to 32% of all tertiary enrolments.

Health and welfare was the second most popular field, with 5,917 students, representing 24% of the total. Generic programmes and qualifications were the least popular, accounting for just 0.1% of tertiary enrolments.

The type of institution attended also varied depending on the qualification being pursued. State-run institutions accounted for 67.4% of Bachelor's students and 55% of Master's students.

Independently run institutions, meanwhile, accounted for the larger share of students pursuing short-cycle tertiary education and doctoral studies, representing 78.5% and 69.3% of enrolments respectively.

The NSO further noted that Maltese students made up the overwhelming majority of enrolments in generic programmes and qualifications, agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary studies, and education. They accounted for 96.9%, 94.1% and 93.8% of students in these respective fields.

The statistics cover students enrolled in formal education programmes lasting at least one semester of full-time study, or the equivalent in part-time study, delivered by institutions operating from Malta. These include programmes provided online or through face-to-face teaching.

Students are included regardless of whether they reside in Malta or abroad.