University of Glasgow HESA Student Data

HESA is the Higher Education Statistics Agency. The University returns data to HESA every year. 

HESA data provides much of the source information for League Tables and HESA Performance Indicators which are published each year. Trend data up to 2021-22 is available.  The University and other universities in the UK have been undertaking a major change from the old HESA Student Return to the new HESA Data Futures Return and this process is still ongoing.  

Please note that the HESA population and the UofG Standard population for student headcounts cannot be compared. 

  • HESA headcounts are for reporting, i.e. all students, including dormant, withdrawn, online learning etc.
  • UofG Standard population student headcounts are for operational use i.e. actual students physically at the university, not including withdrawn. 

UofG Standard population headcounts are less than HESA headcounts because they exclude various categories of students.  To follow is an example for one year (rounded to the nearest 100):

  • Withdrawn (~700)
  • Staff Learning (~200)

In summary, if you require operational numbers, i.e. who is physically here, then use the UofG Standard population student headcounts.  If you require the headcount of all students, or to compare against other UK institutions, then use the HESA data. The UofG Standard population student headcount contains students who are physically on campus.  The HESA data contains students who we actually reported to HESA,  for which we are bound by HESA guidelines and coverage rules.

Students in the JMS building