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Coming soon – Scottish LEO data for research

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Research Data Scotland | Average reading time 1 minutes

24 Jan 2025

For the first time, Scottish Government Longitudinal Education Outcomes - LEO University data will be made available to researchers through application to the Office for National Statistics.

Set to be available later this year, the first version of Scottish LEO data provides data on earnings, employment and benefits linked to the education records of students attending Scottish universities. Education outcomes will be available for tax years 2005/06 to 2021/22 on release, with more years of data to be included in future versions. 

The availability of this data for research creates opportunities to explore many different questions that could help to inform our public services, such as:  

  • Do outcomes vary between those who gain a PHD versus those who graduate with a Bachelor or Honours degree? 
  • Are some learners more likely than others to move into an industry related to their education?  
  • What was the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on earnings, employment and qualifications for different demographics? 

This first iteration of Scottish Government LEO data will be available in the new Integrated Data Service alongside the second iteration of LEO data for England. More information, including how to apply to use this data for research, will be announced in spring 2025.

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