Higher education as barriers without limits in Colombia

Introduction: Higher education in Colombia faces multiple challenges that limit access and educational quality. From its colonial roots to the present, socioeconomic and structural barriers persist that restrict educational equity. Methods: An exhaustive bibliographic review was carried out based on relevant academic sources obtained from databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to select documents relevant to the Colombian context. Results: Economic, social and educational barriers that affect access to higher education were identified. Socioeconomic inequality influences students' academic achievement, while public policies have attempted to mitigate these problems without achieving equitable access. Likewise, the high dropout rates reflect the insufficiency of strategies to guarantee student permanence. Conclusions: Higher education in Colombia continues to be inaccessible to large sectors of the population due to structural and socioeconomic factors. Despite advances in coverage, equity and educational quality remain pending challenges. More effective public policies and greater investment in educational inclusion programs are required to overcome these barriers.