The proportion of young people in higher education has risen steadily

The government has a target of getting 50% of all under-30s into higher education by 2010.

However, the proportion of females at university - 47% - remained higher than that of males, at 40%, the Office for National Statistics said.

The overall figure, for the year 2002-3, is up from 41% in 1999-2000.

Arbitrary targets?

In the same period, female particpation rose by four percentage points, compared with just two percentage points for males.

The figures for 2002-3 describe the number of first-time students who have spent six months or more in higher education.

Previously, they were calculated according to the number starting a course.

The change was recommended by an independent review.

The percentages also only refer to students from England who study at English universities - 96% of all English students.

The government's 50% participation target has been criticised as arbitrary by opponents.

It has also been said that plans to let universities charge variable tuition fees of up to �3,000 a year from 2006 may have a deterrent effect.

Comparisons

The overall participation figure rose by one percentage point in each of the years from 1999-2000 to 2002-3.

There are no directly comparable figures available for the rest of the UK.

The Scottish Executive found that 51.9% of 17 to 21 year olds were in higher education in 2001-2.

A spokesman for the Northern Ireland Higher Education Council said 50% of those aged 18 to 30 had entered higher education.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Welsh Assembly Government said it did not share the 50% target with Westminster and so did not produce equivalent participation figures.

An international comparison of education systems last year showed there were many countries where considerably more than 50% of young people entered university.

In New Zealand, the participation rate for university is 76%, in Australia it is 65%, in Finland it is 72%, in Hungary it is 56% and in the Netherlands it is 54%.

Outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Argentina has a higher education entry rate of 59% and the Philippines has 52%.