How many people start apprenticeships, and have university prices risen?
308,770 apprenticeships were started in England in 2025-26, compared with 393,380 in the busiest year we show (2018-19). University tuition prices were 5.4% higher than a year earlier in August 2026.
In the academic year 2025-26. The most: 393,380 (2018-19).
Yearly change in the price of university and other tertiary education, August 2026.
Over time
What’s this?
The number of people in England who began an apprenticeship during the academic year.
What it cannot tell you: A start is the beginning of an apprenticeship, not a completion, and some people start more than one.
What’s this?
How much higher the price of university and other tertiary education is than a year earlier.
What it cannot tell you: It is an average across the country; what you pay depends on where you live, what you buy and when.
What’s this?
The level of the price of university and other tertiary education, with 2015 set to 100.
What it cannot tell you: It is an average across the country; what you pay depends on where you live, what you buy and when.
Apprenticeship starts, year by year
| Period | Apprenticeship starts |
|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 308,770 |
| 2024-25 | 353,500 |
| 2023-24 | 339,580 |
| 2022-23 | 337,140 |
| 2021-22 | 349,190 |
| 2020-21 | 321,440 |
| 2019-20 | 322,530 |
| 2018-19 | 393,380 |
| 2017-18 | 375,760 |
Questions people ask
How many people start apprenticeships?
308,770 in England in 2025-26. The latest academic year may be incomplete and is usually revised up when the full year is published.
Have university tuition fees gone up?
The ONS price index for tertiary education was 149.1 in August 2026 (2015 = 100). Fees in England were set at £9,000 then £9,250 a year for most students for many years, so the index moves in steps.
What does “apprenticeship starts” measure?
The number of people in England who began an apprenticeship during the academic year. It was 308,770 (starts in the academic year) in 2025-26, down 4% on 2020-21. The highest we have is 393,380 (2018-19) and the lowest 308,770 (2025-26).
What does “university tuition (tertiary education), yearly change” measure?
How much higher the price of university and other tertiary education is than a year earlier. It was 5.4% (% a year) in August 2026, up 3.1 points on January 2021. The highest we have is 5.8% (January 2016) and the lowest 2.3% (October 2020).
What does “university tuition (tertiary education), index (2015 = 100)” measure?
The level of the price of university and other tertiary education, with 2015 set to 100. It was 149.1 (index, 2015 = 100) in August 2026, up 24% on January 2021. The highest we have is 149.1 (October 2025) and the lowest 98.6 (January 2015).
Sources: Department for Education, Explore education statistics; ONS Consumer Prices Index. Updated every night. Each chart has a CSV and a Share button.
See also: GCSE results · Inflation