Having rich parents gets you a diploma faster
In higher education, it matters where you were born. Students from poorer families have a tougher time studying. And now they are also more likely to run into financial problems.
Some students stand a better chance in higher education than others, again according to the annual Policy Monitor that Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf sent to the House of Representatives on Tuesday.
In the report, the research firm ResearchNed highlights several different trends in higher education, as indicated by the figures. For example, what is the study success of different groups of students?
Income of parents
The income of parents plays a major role. Students are still less likely to complete their studies smoothly if their parents have a limited income, particularly in college.
The authors of the Monitor distinguished among five income groups. In HBO, the spread is large: between students from families with the lowest and highest incomes, there is a gap of over 15 percentage points in study success.
At universities, students from the poorest families in particular lag behind the rest, but otherwise the differences are smaller than in HBO.
Student income
On top of this, students are experiencing financial problems more often. Last college year, that share rose from 17 to 22 percent. This fate particularly affects groups that are already struggling.
Among students from low-income families, one in three now has financial problems. The same goes for students from families without a college-educated parent. These groups will obviously overlap.
Financial problems can affect study careers. Students from poorer families are less on track, even though they spend more time studying, according to the Monitor. They drop out sooner and also switch programs more often.
Men and women
The difference between men and women also still stands out. In HBO, about 40 percent of the men graduate within five years (with at most one year’s delay), compared to 60 percent of the women.
In three-year university bachelor’s programs, more than 80 percent of women graduate within four years. Their male peers remain just below 70 percent.
Dijkgraaf
Minister Dijkgraaf has not yet commented on the results of the monitor because a major review of the system is coming up, to which he will respond after the summer. Then he will also revisit this monitor.
In September, the basic scholarship will return. Also, in the next academic year, students living away from home will receive €164 as an extra basic grant due to high inflation. On top of that comes a one-time energy allowance of €400 for students living away from home with a supplementary grant.
