Andalusia is positioned as the autonomous community with the largest offer of places for new undergraduate students in the country, with a total of 51.128 in stock for the 2023/2024 academic year. This figure, which represents 20,8% of the national total, places the region ahead of the Community of Madrid (41.540 places) and Catalonia (38.652).
The report, prepared by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and analyzed by the Department of University, Research and Innovation, shows the commitment of the Andalusian government of Juanma Moreno with the public education and the expansion of the higher education system.
Sustained growth in Andalusia's university offering
The data shows a constant growth of the number of places on offer over the last three years. Compared to the 2022/2023 academic year, the increase is 0,56%, while compared to the 2021/2022 academic year it is 1% and, compared to 2020/2021, there is an increase of 0,82%.
As for the distribution by branches of knowledge, Social and Legal Sciences lead with 48,2% of the total (24.649 places), followed by Engineering and Architecture (9.149 places, 17,9%), Health Sciences (7.263 places, 14,2%), Arts and Humanities (5.991 places, 11,7%) and Sciences (4.076 places, 8%).
Social and Health Sciences: the pillars of Andalusian students
La preference of Andalusian students The difference in the number of places available for Social Sciences and Law degrees is evident, although these have fluctuated in recent years. In the 2020/2021 academic year, for example, there were 24.620 places available, a figure lower than the 25.543 registered in the 2015/2016 academic year.
Meanwhile, the Health Sciences have experienced remarkable growth, driven mainly by the increase in health vocations following the COVID-19 pandemic. From 6.849 places in the 2021/2022 academic year, the number rose to 7.094 in 2022/2023 and to 7.263 in the current period.
In contrast, the number of places available in Engineering and Architecture has gradually decreased since the 2015/2016 academic year, when 10.331 places were offered, to the current 9.149. The Science branch, on the other hand, has maintained a constant offer, with figures that are slightly above 4.000 places.
Andalusia, third in offering degrees and masters at national level
El Andalusian university system occupies the third place in the offer of degree courses, with 420 degrees available in the 2023/2024 academic year, representing 12,61% of the national total. This figure represents an increase of 6,87% compared to the 2019/2020 academic year, when 393 degrees were offered.
In the field of master's degreesAndalusia is also ranked third, with 537 titles (13,26% of the national total). This growth has been constant over the last five years, going from 524 master's degrees in 2019/2020 to 537 in 2023/2024, an increase of 2,48%.
As for doctoral programmes, the region is in fourth place, with 153 courses, representing 12,60% of the national total. This figure represents an increase of 3,38% compared to the 2019/2020 academic year, when there were 148 programmes.
87,2% of Andalusian students choose to study in the region
A highlight of the report is the loyalty of Andalusian students towards universities in their own community. In the 2023/2024 academic year, 87,2% of students who took the University Entrance Exam (PAU) chose to enroll in one of the Andalusian institutions.
This percentage has remained stable in recent years, with 87% in 2022 and 87,5% in 2021. Those who decided to move to another community mainly chose the Community of Madrid (4,5%) and the Region of Murcia (1,4%) as preferred destinations.
On the other hand, the Andalusian university system also receives a significant flow of students from other regions, with Extremadura standing out as the largest contributor (19,8%), followed by Castilla-La Mancha (6,5%) and the Balearic Islands (5,7%).
Provinces with the highest concentration of enrolled students
At the provincial level, Seville leads in Andalusia with 51.495 students enrolled in face-to-face universities, making it the fourth province with the most students in the country, only behind Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.
They are followed by Malaga with 34.552 students, Cadiz with 28.414, Granada with 23.356, Cordoba with 19.649, Jaen with 17.061, Almeria with 16.057 and Huelva with 11.591 enrolled.
The report also highlights that 10,1% of the 199.725 undergraduate students enrolled in the 2022/2023 academic year chose to study at universities in other regions. However, transfers within the region accounted for 34,9%, reflecting the diversity and attractiveness of the Andalusian university system.
Andalusia, an example of growth and a national reference
El Andalusian PP government, with Juanma Moreno At the helm, it continues to support the expansion and diversification of the university system as one of its main strategies for regional development. The number of places on offer, together with the increase in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, reinforce Andalusia's position as a benchmark in higher education at the national level.
