Higher Education The means for student admission to the higher education sector is the High School Entrance Examination taken at the end of Mattayom 6 (Grade 12). Recent reforms have increased the importance placed on Grade Point Averages (GPA) for final university entry. Higher education is predominantly provided at universities and colleges. The two distinct levels of educational attainment are the diploma level and graduate degrees. Over 2.2 million students are currently enrolled in the higher education sector and participation rates of university age students has increased significantly over the last few years from an average of 26% to the current average of 40%. In recent years, there has been a significant increase in higher education opportunities with 78 public universities and 89 private higher education institutions.