We propose a simple theoretical model which shows how the combined effect of wage uncertainty and risk aversion can modify the individual willingness to pay for a HE system financed by an ICL or a ML. We calibrate our model using real data from the 1970 British Cohort Survey together with the features of the English HE financing system. We allow…

There is significant irresolution in many countries concerning the design of student loan schemes. In no country recently has there been more uncertainty as to the form that loans should take than Thailand. The Student Loans Fund (SLF), a conventional approach to financing, was introduced in 1996, discontinued at the end of 2005, and re-introduced…

The Thai higher education sector has expanded quickly during the past decade, making a transition from an elitist to a mass institution. A driving force behind the expansion was believed to be the Student Loan Fund (SLF), introduced in 1996. During the first 10 years of its operation, the SLF has lent to more than 2.6 million students, with the…

Government student loan schemes typically have implicit interest rate subsidies which, while these are a cost to taxpayers, they have the benefit of diminishing repayment burdens for graduates. Our goal is to illustrate the extent of both interest rate subsidies and repayment burdens with respect to Thailand's Student Loans Fund (SLF), using…

Studies the impact of the loan burden of seniors at 27 colleges and universities in 1998 on their plans to pursue graduate and professional degrees. Finds no adverse impact of loan burdens on student postgraduate degree plans. (PKP)

Examines whether undergraduate students are incurring excessive debt to finance college attendance. Using data on debt levels for 1982-83 full-time college seniors in California, the study concludes that no more than four percent of dependent students and five percent of independent students have excessive debt. Includes six tables, seven notes,…

Examines student loan systems in both developed and developing countries to provide guidance on issues such as loan size, eligibility criteria, and repayment terms. Experience suggests that student loans in developing countries are feasible, but that benefits may be more modest than previously suggested. Includes two notes and 23 references. (MLH)

Economic analysis of the borrowing and repayment patterns of Canadian bachelor's-level university graduates using data from the National Graduate Survey of the class of 1990. Finds, for example, that overall women borrowed only slightly less than men, repaid as quickly as men (despite lower earnings), but reported significantly more difficulty in…

Following a brief critical review of the federally sponsored student loan system, this paper develops fundamental principles for overhauling the system and creating an Educational Credit Trust. This federally chartered corporation would determine lender eligibility requirements, monitor lenders' financial performance, and sanction student loan…