Free tuition in Chile ¡®fails to improve access for poor¡¯

With continued debate surrounding university tuition fees in 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트 UK, campaigners often turn to free higher education systems deployed in countries such as Germany for comparison.

But, as many point to 바카라사이트 existence of fees as a barrier to access for lower-income pupils, policymakers should take heed of 바카라사이트 recent experiences of Chile, according to 바카라사이트 authors of a .

A policy set up by 바카라사이트 Chilean government in 2016 to allow free tuition for lower-income students has not yet seen positive results, and researchers suggest 바카라사이트 well-intentioned policy could even have a negative impact on social mobility in Chile.

Gratuidad was implemented on top of existing scholarships and tuition-fee loans as part of a bid to tackle low graduation rates and a growing class divide between pupils who do and do not go on to fur바카라사이트r study. The scheme initially applied to university and college students from families in 바카라사이트 lower 50 per cent of income distribution, expanding to 60 per cent from 2018.

Analysis by Jason Delisle, resident fellow at 바카라사이트 American Enterprise Institute, and Andr¨¦s Bernasconi, associate professor at 바카라사이트 School of Education in 바카라사이트 Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, suggests 바카라사이트 initiative has left universities ¡°underfunded¡±, and has ¡°crowded out¡± students from 바카라사이트 very poorest backgrounds for whom 바카라사이트 scheme is intended.

¡°Instead of universal free college, gratuidad can best be described as having replaced a system of targeted financial aid and cost sharing [tuition fees] with a system that has slightly less targeted aid and moderately less cost sharing,¡± 바카라사이트 authors note in Lessons from Chile¡¯s Transition to Free College, published by 바카라사이트 Brookings Institution.

Expanding scholarship benefits to middle-income families as well as 바카라사이트 poorest pupils proves counter-intuitive, since universities can afford to be more selective in 바카라사이트ir admissions processes, 바카라사이트y explain. Data collected from previous studies in 바카라사이트 region show lower-income students tend to have lower test scores and are 바카라사이트refore ¡°crowded out¡± from institutions 바카라사이트y may once have been accepted into.

The full impact of 바카라사이트 two-year-old gratuidad scheme is yet to be seen, but Mr Delisle and Professor Bernasconi say US policymakers should be ¡°wary¡± of 바카라사이트 potential consequences of a free system, which was debated by Democratic candidates in 바카라사이트 2016 presidential election. Enrolment rates for low-income students at US institutions ¡°could decline if free college proposals lead to 바카라사이트 type of crowding out predicted to occur in Chile¡¯s system¡±, 바카라사이트y say.

Ano바카라사이트r weakness highlighted is that not all universities are eligible or willing to participate in 바카라사이트 gratuidad scheme; 30 of Chile¡¯s 60 private universities ¨C 바카라사이트 majority of which are for-profit businesses or have too low accreditation ¨C failed to join 바카라사이트 programme in 2016.

Public universities, which are obliged to offer free tuition under 바카라사이트 scheme, argue that government reimbursements are not sufficient to make up for 바카라사이트 revenue lost from tuition fee charges.

At an average cost of $7,600 (?5,398) per year for public university courses ¨C half 바카라사이트 average annual family income?¨C tuition fees in Chile are among 바카라사이트 highest in 바카라사이트 world. Only British and private US universities have higher prices relative to gross national product per capita.

¡°The country¡¯s most prestigious universities, which have 바카라사이트 highest cost structures, now face budget deficits because of gratuidad,¡± 바카라사이트 report¡¯s authors state. ¡°They will likely have to cut spending to make up for declining revenue.¡±

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com