DROP-OUT AND COMPLETION AMONG PORTUGUESE STUDENTS

Abstract

This study aims to explore whether drop-out and completion rates among Portuguese higher education students are influenced by the socioeconomic background, operationalised here through the following three variables: parents’ educational level, existence of financial support and student working status. Information was collected from four public universities, about the students who enrolled in the academic year 2009/10 (N=14.039) and the analysis was done 5 years later. Drawing on previous literature, the hypothesis to be tested is that the higher the students’ socioeconomic background, the lower the chance of dropout and the higher the completion. Findings highlight that parents’ educational level is a determinant factor, since students whose parents have lower educational attainment have a higher tendency to complete their studies on time. The working student status seems to benefit completion rates because students holding this status, despite their multiple demands, have a similar behaviour in terms of study success to the other students. Finally, students with financial support tend to drop out less. Political measures with social and financial positive impact can therefore counteract the negative effects of a poor economic background.