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Tuition fees and equality of university enrolment

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  • Michael B. Coelli

Abstract

The relationship between tuition fee changes and the university enrolment of youth by parental income group in Canada is investigated. Comparisons between youth from Canadian provinces that increased tuition fees sharply in the 1990s and youth from provinces that instituted fee freezes were integral to identifying the relationship. Tuition fee increases coincided with reductions in the university enrolment of low‐income youth, but with significantly smaller changes in the university enrolment of other youth. The relationships between government funding of universities and cohort size and university enrolments are also analyzed. On examine la relation entre les changements dans les frais de scolarité et l'inscription à l'université des jeunes selon la catégorie de revenus des parents au Canada. Les comparaisons entre les jeunes des provinces canadiennes qui ont fortement augmenté les frais de scolarité dans les années 90, et les jeunes des provinces qui ont gelé les frais de scolarité sont au cœur de cette relation. Les accroissements de frais de scolarité coincident avec des réductions dans les inscriptions à l'université pour les jeunes dont les revenus parentaux sont bas, mais ces réductions sont significativement plus faibles pour les autres jeunes. On analyse aussi les relations entre le financement gouvernemental des universités, la taille des cohortes et les inscriptions à l'université.

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  • Michael B. Coelli, 2009. "Tuition fees and equality of university enrolment," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(3), pages 1072-1099, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:42:y:2009:i:3:p:1072-1099
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5982.2009.01539.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Damon, Amy & Glewwe, Paul, 2011. "Valuing the benefits of the education provided by public universities: A case study of Minnesota," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6), pages 1242-1261.
    2. Christine Neill, 2015. "Rising student employment: the role of tuition fees," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(1), pages 101-121, February.
    3. Martin D. Dooley & A. Abigail Payne & A. Leslie Robb, 2012. "The impact of cost on the choice of university: evidence from Ontario," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 45(2), pages 755-783, May.
    4. Serge Nadeau, 2013. "The Immigrant Wage Gap in Canada: Differences between the Public and the Private Sector," Working Papers 1303E, University of Ottawa, Department of Economics.
    5. Denny, Kevin, 2014. "The effect of abolishing university tuition costs: Evidence from Ireland," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 26-33.
    6. Watson, Barry & Kong, Nancy & Phipps, Shelley, 2022. "Dreaming of a Brighter Future? The Impact of Economic Vulnerability on University Aspirations," IZA Discussion Papers 15539, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Sylvain Dessy & Safa Ragued, 2013. "Whither the Progressive Tax?," Cahiers de recherche 1340, CIRPEE.
    8. Michael Bahrs & Thomas Siedler, 2019. "University Tuition Fees and High School Students’ Educational Intentions," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 40(2), pages 117-147, June.
    9. Duerrenberger, Nicole & Warning, Susanne, 2018. "Corruption and education in developing countries: The role of public vs. private funding of higher education," International Journal of Educational Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 217-225.
    10. Christine Neill, 2013. "What You Don't Know Can't Help You: Lessons of Behavioural Economics for Tax-Based Student Aid," C.D. Howe Institute Commentary, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 393, November.
    11. Coelli, Michael B., 2011. "Parental job loss and the education enrollment of youth," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 25-35, January.
    12. Warning, Susanne & Dürrenberger, Nicole, 2015. "Corruption and education: Does public financing of higher education matter?," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112836, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    13. Finnie, Ross, 2012. "Access to post-secondary education: The importance of culture," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(6), pages 1161-1170.
    14. Bonin, Holger, 2017. "The Potential Economic Benefits of Education of Migrants in the EU," IZA Research Reports 75, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Ralf Minor, 2023. "How tuition fees affected student enrollment at higher education institutions: the aftermath of a German quasi-experiment," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 57(1), pages 1-19, December.
    16. Havranek, Tomas & Irsova, Zuzana & Zeynalova, Olesia, 2017. "Tuition Reduces Enrollment Less Than Commonly Thought," MPRA Paper 78813, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Paul Contoyannis & Martin Dooley, 2010. "The role of child health and economic status in educational, health, and labour market outcomes in young adulthood," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 323-346, February.
    18. Kristof Witte & Lenka Hudrlikova, 2013. "What about excellence in teaching? A benevolent ranking of universities," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 96(1), pages 337-364, July.

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    JEL classification:

    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • I29 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Other

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