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Title:
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How does aid matter? the effect of financial aid on university enrolment decisions
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Author:
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Vergolini, Loris; Zanini, Nadir
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Notes:
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Using a counterfactual approach, this paper empirically investigates the impact of an educational programme recently introduced in the Province of Trento (North-East of Italy). The aim of the policy is to foster university enrolment of students from low-income families and to reduce inequalities in access to higher education. The programme, known as Grant 5B, consists in generous incentives: it targets the university students from low-income families and is awarded upon both merit and demonstrated financial need. We exploit data from an ad hoc survey conducted on a sample of upper secondary graduates and employ a regression discontinuity design to estimate the impact of the intervention on the university enrolment decisions. We find that the programme has no significant effect on enrolment rates, but it exerts a positive effect on redirecting students already bound for university to enrol outside the place of residence. Relying on the relative risk aversion theory, we explain why a relaxation of the eligibility rules based on merit might be more effective in reducing social inequalities in access to university. |
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Subject(s):
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-Subvencions
-Matrícula d'alumnes
-Universitats
-Avaluació educativa
-Subsidies
-Student enrollment
-Universities
-Educational evaluation |
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Rights:
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cc-by-nc-nd, (c) Vergolini et al., 2012
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/es/
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Document type:
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Working Paper |
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Published by:
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Institut d’Economia de Barcelona
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