Research project Student funding, welfare, and participation in higher education

Student funding policy determines to what extent the state, families and students are responsible for covering study costs, which include tuition fees and living costs. These policies vary greatly across countries, yet little is known about how differences in policy are related to actual outcomes with regard to participation in higher education, students’ living conditions, and study outcomes. Most importantly, there is a concern about the efficiency and effectiveness of different funding systems in supporting high enrolment and graduation rates – especially among low-income students. We investigate these issues using recently collected comparable information on how different countries have designed study grants, loans, and tuition fees (Student Support and Fees Dataset). Examples of questions we ask are if high levels of student funding improve participation and equity in access? Do students in countries providing more generous financial support experience less economic hardship? Are they less involved in paid employment?

Data will be analysed using quantitative methods that allow a combination of country-level indicators and individual-level variables, as well as analyses over time. The analysis concerns 32 affluent countries in years 2010-2022. Focus is on developments in the European countries, although other affluent countries will be included in parts of the project. The lion part of project costs is for salaries and office space.

Our analyses will open up a new research field within comparative welfare state research. We will also provide an improved knowledge base for educational policymaking. Analyses of the relationship between student funding, economic well-being, and paid work is essential for a more comprehensive understanding of equity in higher education. The social gradients in educational attainment have not declined in recent decades, but stabilised at levels that some observers believe are problematic. Developments in Sweden are no exception. The research that will be carried out in this proposal is vital for all countries that aim to invest in a knowledge economy, where investments in skills and knowledge is a core element.