»Public Use Files (PUF)

Public Use Files containing individual unit record data in SAS, SPSS and CSV format are available for downloading for each of the countries participating in the Survey of Adult Skills.

Download the datasets (Public Use Files)

Download the do-file to import CSV PUF into STATA

» List of missing variables in the PUF Files

In some countries, data protection laws mean that some variables cannot be included in the PUF for that country. This table provides a list of variables that are coded as “missing” in the PUF files, by country.

Download the list of missing variables

To access the Australian Public Use File please write to: microdata.access@abs.gov.au.

»PIAAC Log Files

The PIAAC Log Files contain a record of the interactions between respondents and the PIAAC computer testing application during the course of the PIAAC assessment

»Country Specific PUFs

• German PIAAC Scientific Use File and its User Guide. Please note that access to some data is subject to prior authorisation. Please see 'data and documents' tab on the Research Data Center PIAAC at GESIS. 
• U.S. PIAAC Synthetic Restricted Use File for the combined 2012/2014 sample (SAS® / SPSS / Codebook / User Guide). The U.S. PIAAC synthetic restricted use file (S-RUF) is available to researchers outside the U.S. to prepare computer code for the analysis of PIAAC data on the U.S. restricted use file (RUF). The U.S. RUF contains some variables that are not included in the US international PUF. As the data on the S-RUF is synthetic, no conclusions can be drawn from the output generated. Researchers wishing to run analysis on the actual U.S. RUF are able to submit their SAS, SPSS, or Stata code to piaac@air.org.
• Combined 2012/2014 U.S. International PUF (SAS® / SPSS / CSV / Compendium): 
  The combined 2012/2014 U.S. international public use file (PUF) contains data from the internationally comparable sample of adults aged 16-65 from the first and second rounds of PIAAC data collection in the United States and is formatted to conform to the OECD standards. The second round of U.S. PIAAC data collection was conducted from August 2013 through April 2014. The expanded national sample supports more accurate and reliable national estimates for some subgroups. The original 2012 data have been updated, reweighted, and revised with the release of this 2012/2014 dataset, so the updated U.S. dataset should be used for analyses instead of this original 2012 version unless you are seeking to reproduce historic analyses.

» IALS and ALL data

Public use microdata files containing data from the International Adult Literacy Skills Survey (IALS) and the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL) can be accessed from Statistics Canada using the following links:

International Adult Literacy Skills Survey (IALS) (Canada)
Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL)

As the full documentation contains information regarding non-released items, individuals who wish to access the documentation must apply to the OECD and sign a confidentiality agreement before being granted access.  Documentation that relates only to released items can be accessed here.

In addition to documentation of the content of the PIAAC log-files, information concerning the methodology, design and implementation of PIAAC can be found in the Technical Report on the study and the Survey of Adult Skills: Reader’s Companion.

»Background Questionnaires

Download the International Master Questionnaire or from the links below, all the versions available, by country and by language.

 » Codebooks

International codebook
Derived variables codebook

» Data compendia

These are sets of tables that provide categorical percentages for both cognitive and background items aiming to support PUF users gaining knowledge of the contents  and checking they are performing PUF analyses correctly.
Download the data compendia - Background variables (2013 - Round 1)
Download the data compendia - Background variables (2016 - Round 2)
Download the data compendia - Background variables (2019 - Round 3)
Download the data compendia - Background variables (USA) (2019 - Round 3)
Download the data compendia - Cognitive variables (2013 - Round 1)
Download the data compendia - Cognitive variables (2016 - Round 2)
Download the data compendia - Cognitive variables (2019 - Round 3)
Download the data compendia - Cognitive variables (USA) (2019 - Round 3)

» International Technical Report of the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC)

The report gives in details the technicalities of the Survey, including: the Assessment and Instrument Design, the Platform Development, the Field Operations and Quality Control, the Sampling and Weighting, the Data Analysis and Data Products.

Access the Technical Report

The PIAAC Survey collects data using complex sample and psychometric designs making it necessary to use advanced statistical procedures to estimate sampling and measurements variances. The following tools have been designed to help SAS, Stata or SPSS users to explore the data and compute statistics.

• SAS® Macro and its User Guide
• STATA® Repest Macro
• International Database Analyzer (SPSS). The tool facilitates the analysis of data from the Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC). It creates SPSS code that can be used with SPSS to conduct statistical analyses, taking into account the complex sample structure of the databases.

The Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (GESIS) has created a set of open access resources to help users of these tools analyzing PIAAC data:

• Analysis Scripts in Large-Scale Assessments in Education
• PIAAC scripts digital platform

» International Data Explorer (IDE)

The IDE allows you to create statistical tables and charts to explore adults' performance in literacy, numeracy, and problem solving in technology-rich environments. Data can be analysed by country as well as in relation to demographic characteristics, social and linguistic background, education, use of skills and employment status. 

Access the IDE
Watch the IDE Training

» OECD Education GPS

The Education GPS will allow you to keep up to date with the latest OECD data and research on education and skills. 

Access the OECD Education GPS