Taiwan High School Graduation Rate Hits 5-Year High; Vocational School Enrollment Continues to Climb

Taiwan's high school graduates are increasingly opting for higher education, with the enrollment rate reaching an impressive 88.8% for the 113th academic year (2024-2025). This figure marks a five-year high, indicating a strong trend towards continued learning among young Taiwanese. The overall number of graduating students has decreased to 159,665, a 2.2% drop from the previous academic year, attributed to the declining birth rate.

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The enrollment rate for high school graduates has reached a five-year high of 88.8%, and the enrollment rate for vocational high schools has climbed for five consecutive years.

Despite the overall decrease in graduates, the proportion choosing to pursue further studies has climbed. Academic programs focused on general studies saw an 96.7% enrollment rate, while vocational programs also experienced a rise, with 84.6% of graduates continuing their education. This vocational enrollment rate has seen a steady increase for five consecutive years, growing by 2.2 percentage points since the 109th academic year (2020-2021). This trend highlights a growing emphasis on higher education within the vocational track.

The data also reveals shifts in the composition of high school graduates. General studies graduates now account for 53.5% of the total, an increase of 1.1 percentage points from the previous year. Conversely, professional and technical program graduates represent 36.1%, a slight decrease of 0.5 percentage points. Over the past five academic years, general studies programs have seen a cumulative increase of 6.4 percentage points in their share of graduates, while professional programs have decreased by 3.3 percentage points.

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In the 113th academic year, there were 159,665 graduating students from senior high and vocational schools, a decrease of 2.2% compared to the previous academic year.

Regarding the destinations of these graduates, private universities remain the most popular choice, attracting 54.9% of those pursuing higher education. Public universities follow, with 42.1%. Together, they account for 97% of all higher education enrollments. Additionally, 1,587 graduates, approximately 1%, chose to study abroad, including in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, showing a continued recovery in overseas study trends post-pandemic.

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Among the overall graduates, 141,828 chose to continue their studies, accounting for 88.8% of graduates; 11,479 found employment, representing 7.2%; and 5,638 were neither studying nor employed, at 3.5%.

In terms of employment, 11,479 graduates entered the workforce, representing 7.2% of the total. The majority of these employed graduates came from professional and technical programs (6,015), with an employment rate of 10.4% for this group. The most common industries for employment were accommodation and food services (30.3%), followed by public administration and defense, other services, wholesale and retail trade, and manufacturing. The Ministry of Education plans to strengthen collaborations between technical high schools and vocational colleges, as well as deepen industry-academia partnerships, to better align student interests and abilities with educational and career pathways.

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The enrollment rate for professional and technical programs also rose to 84.6%, an increase of 2.2 percentage points compared to the 109th academic year.