Providing in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants increases college enrollment

Undocumented youth are not likely to go to college. Usually they do not qualify for financial aid and often come from low-income families with little ability to pay college tuition. A new study in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management found that providing tuition subsidy in the form of in-state tuition increased the college enrollment and educational attainment of non-citizen, Mexican young adults, a group comprising a majority of undocumented individuals in the United States.

Results show that the in-state tuition policy was associated with a 31 percent increase in college enrollment and a 33 percent increase in the proportion of Mexican young adults with a college degree.

"Without opportunities for college education, the undocumented youth may be pushed into an underground economy and remain isolated from the mainstream American society," the author concludes. "Access to affordable higher education can potentially open new opportunities for these youth, which may improve their future economic prospects, productivity, and contributions to the U.S. economy."

This study is published in the Fall 2008 issue of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management.

Source: Wiley-Blackwell

Citation: Providing in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants increases college enrollment (2008, October 15) retrieved 28 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2008-10-in-state-tuition-undocumented-immigrants-college.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

Study presents new pathway for electrochemically controlling ion selectivity

0 shares

Feedback to editors