Religion
This refers to the religion that people identify with, whether they believe in the religion or practice it.
The Office for National Statistics list 58 categories of religion, while the OfS list nine categories, including ‘Other’ and ‘No religion’.
Studies referred to in the EORR typically use a more limited number of categories than the Office for National Statistics detailed list, with most using between five and nine categories.
Key statistics
Continuation – Progression:
The Education and Skills Funding Agency’s (ESFA’s) individualised learner record (ILR), The Student Return, collected by the Designated Data Body (DDB) and The Student Alternative (SA) record, collected by the Designated Data Body (DDB).
On a provider level:
UCAS provide information on the religion that a student identifies with after the application process has finished. This can then be matched to Individual Learner records by a provider for internal database purposes.
On a national level:
The student characteristics data: Outcomes data dashboard has information on the profile, continuation, completion, attainment and progression rates of students by religion (9 groups).
Note: Definitions and the quality of each study vary.
Advance HE (2018) ‘Research insight: Religion and Belief in UK Higher Education’. (Accessed 12/01/2024)
Department for Education (2023) ‘Alternative Student Finance’. (Accessed 12/01/2024)
‘Levelling Up Unequal Access to University Education’ (muslimcensus.co.uk). (Accessed 11/01/2024)
‘National Union of Students (2012) No Place for Hate: Hate crimes and incidents in further and higher education: religion or belief’, London: National Union of Students, p.19
NUS (2018) ‘The Experience of Muslim Students in 2017-18, London: National Union of Students’ pp.18-20
P. Weller, T. Hooley & N. Moore (2011) ‘Religion and Belief in Higher Education: The experiences of staff and students’, London: Equality Challenge Unit, pp. 76-80
Parliamentary Taskforce on Antisemitisim in Higher Education (2023) ‘Understanding Jewish Experience in Higher Education’. (Accessed 11/01/2023)
Samatar, A., Sardar, Z., TheAziz Foundation (2023) ‘Transitions: Brisith Muslims between undergraduate and PGT studies’. (Accessed 11/01/2024)
Social Mobility Commission (2017) ‘The Social Mobility Challenges Faced by Young Muslims’. (Accessed 12/01/2024)
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