The effects of free tuition on the persistence of university students in Chile

This article assesses the impact of free university tuition on the persistence of students from low-income families in Chile. Drawing from 10 universities, a sample of students receiving free tuition was compared, using a discrete time survival model, to one of students without free tuition. The results show that students receiving free tuition were less likely to remain at the end of the first two years than were those who had merit scholarships and a loan that covered all tuition costs. On the other hand, free tuition students were more likely to remain at the end of the third year.