IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-04548121.html

Study abroad programmes and student outcomes: Evidence from Erasmus

Author

Listed:
  • Silvia Granato

    (JRC - European Commission - Joint Research Centre [Ispra])

  • Enkelejda Havari

    (LEM - Lille économie management - UMR 9221 - UA - Université d'Artois - UCL - Université catholique de Lille - ULCO - Université du Littoral Côte d'Opale - Université de Lille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Gianluca Mazzarella

    (JRC - European Commission - Joint Research Centre [Ispra])

  • Sylke Schnepf

    (JRC - European Commission - Joint Research Centre [Ispra])

Abstract

Exploiting admission thresholds for participating in Erasmus, the most popular higher education study abroad programme in Europe, we implement a regression discontinuity design and show that student mobility does not delay graduation and, in addition, has a positive and significant impact on the final graduation marks of undergraduate students. We find that Erasmus mobility improves graduation results for undergraduate students enrolled in scientific and technical fields and for those who apply in the first year of their studies, especially when enrolled in more demanding degree courses. Investigating plausible mechanisms, we find that the positive impact on performance at graduation is stronger for students who visit foreign universities of relatively lower quality compared to their home university. Finally, we do not find statistically significant effects of Erasmus mobility on postgraduate educational choices and labour market outcomes one year after graduation.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvia Granato & Enkelejda Havari & Gianluca Mazzarella & Sylke Schnepf, 2024. "Study abroad programmes and student outcomes: Evidence from Erasmus," Post-Print hal-04548121, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04548121
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econedurev.2024.102510
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04548121v1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://hal.science/hal-04548121v1/document
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.econedurev.2024.102510?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Giorgio Di Pietro, 2015. "Do Study Abroad Programs Enhance the Employability of Graduates?," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 10(2), pages 223-243, March.
    2. Arteaga, Carolina, 2018. "The effect of human capital on earnings: Evidence from a reform at Colombia's top university," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 212-225.
    3. Sebastian Calonico & Matias D. Cattaneo & Rocio Titiunik, 2014. "Robust Nonparametric Confidence Intervals for Regression‐Discontinuity Designs," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 82, pages 2295-2326, November.
    4. Atila Abdulkadroǧlu & Joshua D. Angrist & Yusuke Narita & Parag A. Pathak & Roman A. Zarate, 2017. "Regression Discontinuity in Serial Dictatorship: Achievement Effects at Chicago's Exam Schools," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 240-245, May.
    5. Freier, Ronny & Schumann, Mathias & Siedler, Thomas, 2015. "The earnings returns to graduating with honors — Evidence from law graduates," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 39-50.
    6. Matthias Parey & Fabian Waldinger, 2011. "Studying Abroad and the Effect on International Labour Market Mobility: Evidence from the Introduction of ERASMUS," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 121(551), pages 194-222, March.
    7. Margherita Fort & Andrea Ichino & Enrico Rettore & Giulio Zanella, 2022. "Multicutoff RD designs with observations located at each cutoff: problems and solutions," FBK-IRVAPP Working Papers 2022-01, Research Institute for the Evaluation of Public Policies (IRVAPP), Bruno Kessler Foundation.
    8. Carmen Aina & Francesco Pastore, 2020. "Delayed Graduation and Overeducation in Italy: A Test of the Human Capital Model Versus the Screening Hypothesis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 152(2), pages 533-553, November.
    9. John Cullinan & Darragh Flannery & Donal Palcic, 2022. "Study abroad programme participation and subsequent academic performance: evidence from administrative data," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(3), pages 251-269, May.
    10. Hessel Oosterbeek & Dinand Webbink, 2011. "Does Studying Abroad Induce a Brain Drain?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 78(310), pages 347-366, April.
    11. Sorrenti, Giuseppe, 2017. "The Spanish or the German apartment? Study abroad and the acquisition of permanent skills," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 142-158.
    12. Naylor, Robin & Smith, Jeremy & McKnight, Abigail, "undated". "Sheer class? The impact of degree performance on graduate labour market outcomes," Economic Research Papers 269472, University of Warwick - Department of Economics.
    13. Luca Favero & Andreina Fucci, 2017. "The Erasmus effect on earnings: a panel analysis from Siena," Department of Economics University of Siena 762, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    14. Robin Naylor & Jeremy Smith & Shqiponja Telhaj, 2016. "Graduate returns, degree class premia and higher education expansion in the UK," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 68(2), pages 525-545.
    15. Feng, Andy & Graetz, Georg, 2017. "A question of degree: The effects of degree class on labor market outcomes," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 140-161.
    16. Margherita Fort & Andrea Ichino & Giulio Zanella, 2020. "Cognitive and Noncognitive Costs of Day Care at Age 0–2 for Children in Advantaged Families," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(1), pages 158-205.
    17. Aina, Carmen & Casalone, Giorgia, 2020. "Early labor market outcomes of university graduates: Does time to degree matter?," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    18. McCrary, Justin, 2008. "Manipulation of the running variable in the regression discontinuity design: A density test," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 698-714, February.
    19. De Benedetto, Marco Alberto & De Paola, Maria & Scoppa, Vincenzo & Smirnova, Janna, 2025. "Erasmus program and labor market outcomes: Evidence from a fuzzy regression discontinuity design," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    20. Nicola Bianchi, 2020. "The Indirect Effects of Educational Expansions: Evidence from a Large Enrollment Increase in University Majors," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 38(3), pages 767-804.
    21. Atı̇la Abdulkadı̇roğlu & Joshua D. Angrist & Yusuke Narita & Parag Pathak, 2022. "Breaking Ties: Regression Discontinuity Design Meets Market Design," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(1), pages 117-151, January.
    22. Michela Braga & Marco Paccagnella & Michele Pellizzari, 2016. "The Impact of College Teaching on Students’ Academic and Labor Market Outcomes," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(3), pages 781-822.
    23. Guido Imbens & Karthik Kalyanaraman, 2012. "Optimal Bandwidth Choice for the Regression Discontinuity Estimator," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 79(3), pages 933-959.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. De Benedetto, Marco Alberto & De Paola, Maria & Scoppa, Vincenzo & Smirnova, Janna, 2025. "Erasmus program and labor market outcomes: Evidence from a fuzzy regression discontinuity design," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    2. Akindele Ogunleye, 2024. "Leveling up the Mission: HBCUs’ Potentials towards a Global U.S. Study Abroad," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(7), pages 1086-1096, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Granato, Silvia & Havari, Enkelejda & Mazzarella, Gianluca & Schnepf, Sylke V., 2021. "Study Abroad Programmes and Students' Academic Performance: Evidence from Erasmus Applications," IZA Discussion Papers 14651, IZA Network @ LISER.
    2. Higuchi, Yuki & Nakamuro, Makiko & Roever, Carsten & Sasaki, Miyuki & Yashima, Tomoko, 2023. "Impact of studying abroad on language skill development: Regression discontinuity evidence from Japanese university students," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    3. Salim Atay & Gunes A. Asik & Semih Tumen, 2024. "Impact of Graduating with Honours on Entry Wages of Economics Majors," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 86(3), pages 606-640, June.
    4. Giuseppe Croce & Emanuela Ghignoni, 2024. "The Multifaceted Impact of Erasmus Programme on the School-to-Work Transition: A Matching Sensitivity Analysis," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 65(4), pages 732-754, June.
    5. Naven, Matthew & Whalen, Daniel, 2022. "The signaling value of university rankings: Evidence from top 14 law schools," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    6. Minaya, Veronica & Agasisti, Tommaso & Bratti, Massimiliano, 2022. "When need meets merit: The effect of increasing merit requirements in need-based student aid," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    7. Pastore, Chiara & Jones, Andrew M., 2023. "Human capital consequences of missing out on a grammar school education," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    8. Ghazala Azmat & Jack Britton, 2024. "Labour Market Returns to Higher Education," Sciences Po Economics Publications (main) hal-04709561, HAL.
    9. Zhang, Haoyi, 2025. "Do Chinese courts apply the “Hand Formula”: Empirical evidence from cases related to the duty of safety protection," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    10. Di Pietro Giorgio & European Commission & IZA, 2022. "Studying abroad and earnings: A meta‐analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1096-1129, September.
    11. Giorgio Di Pietro, 2019. "University study abroad and graduates’ employability," World of Labour, LISER, pages 109-109, May.
    12. Rahul Singh & Moses Stewart, 2025. "Placebo Discontinuity Design," Papers 2507.12693, arXiv.org.
    13. DI PIETRO Giorgio, 2020. "Evidence on study abroad programmes: Data and indicators," JRC Research Reports JRC119964, Joint Research Centre.
    14. Chen, Yi & Zhao, Yi, 2022. "The timing of first marriage and subsequent life outcomes: Evidence from a natural experiment," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(3), pages 713-731.
    15. Ivan A Canay & Vishal Kamat, 2018. "Approximate Permutation Tests and Induced Order Statistics in the Regression Discontinuity Design," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 85(3), pages 1577-1608.
    16. Atı̇la Abdulkadı̇roğlu & Joshua D. Angrist & Yusuke Narita & Parag Pathak, 2022. "Breaking Ties: Regression Discontinuity Design Meets Market Design," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 90(1), pages 117-151, January.
    17. Christopher S. Carpenter & Carlos Dobkin & Casey Warman, 2016. "The Mechanisms of Alcohol Control," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 51(2), pages 328-356.
    18. Mellace, Giovanni & Ventura, Marco, 2019. "Intended and unintended effects of public incentives for innovation. Quasi-experimental evidence from Italy," Discussion Papers on Economics 9/2019, University of Southern Denmark, Department of Economics.
    19. Adam C. Sales & Ben B. Hansen, 2020. "Limitless Regression Discontinuity," Journal of Educational and Behavioral Statistics, , vol. 45(2), pages 143-174, April.
    20. Quaresima Federico & Santolini Raffaella & Fiorillo Fabio, 2020. "Political affiliation in post-parliamentary careers in Italian public enterprises," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 21(1), pages 35-64, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions
    • D04 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Policy: Formulation; Implementation; Evaluation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04548121. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.