Postgraduate numbers surge as Bahrain’s university enrolment hits 52,674

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Student enrolment in Bahrain’s higher education sector has risen to 52,674 in the 2024/2025 academic year, according to figures from the Higher Education Council (HEC), up 23.4 per cent from 42,690 students in 2016/2017.

The data show that overall enrolment has grown while the pattern of study has shifted.

Bachelor’s programmes in public and private institutions registered 45,649 students this year, compared with 46,828 last year, a fall of about 2.5 per cent.

Master’s degrees drew more students. Enrolment in these programmes reached 3,470 in 2024/2025, up from 3,258 in the previous academic year, an increase of 6.5 per cent.

Sharpest rise

Doctoral study recorded the sharpest rise. PhD enrolment climbed to 419 students this year, against 271 in 2023/2024, a growth rate of 54.6 per cent.

The figures point to higher numbers entering advanced postgraduate courses in higher education institutions in the kingdom.

Short-term higher education courses at diploma level saw little change. A total of 3,136 students were enrolled in diploma programmes in 2024/2025 across public and private providers.

The same set of data also lists the structure of the sector.

Private sector

In the current academic year, the private sector includes one institute, two colleges and 12 universities, while the public sector has one college and two universities, bringing the total to 18 higher education institutions.

In 2023/2024, the private sector had one institute, two colleges and 11 universities, while the public sector ran two colleges and two universities.

The total number of institutions in 2022/2023 stood at 18, after reaching 21 in 2021/2022.

According to the Higher Education Council figures, enrolment numbers and the make-up of institutions have both shifted over recent years, with more students registered on postgraduate programmes and changes in the balance between public and private providers.