Each year as tuition costs increase, more students rely on financial aid to attend institutions of higher education. Financial aid packages, which are created to encourage individual investments in education, consist of a variety of types of funding assistance and aid packages, and are highly tailored to individual students. In general, financial…

With the rising costs of tuition, many students may feel the need to work to keep up with the expense of their studies. Student work may lead to more on-the-job training and a larger professional network, but it can also divert time away from studying and reduce academic performance. For many students, Pell Grants defray a significant portion (if…

Using data from 27 European countries in the academic years 2005/06, 2010/11, and 2015/16, we investigate the association between student funding policies and student labour during term time -- a phenomenon often seen as detrimental for higher education outcomes. Income substitution effects between entitlements to different types of financial aid…

In December 2023, TICAS published new research on the College Affordability Gap--the gap between students' total cost of attendance and non-loan aid available to them--in California, Michigan, and New York, with a focus on students eligible for Pell Grants. Our new report builds on this research with data from nine additional states (Colorado,…

Social class on campus is omnipresent, with higher education institutions largely geared towards middle- and upper-class students. The social class contrast can be particularly poignant in the residence halls, where choice of hall and room type, personal possessions, and cocurricular involvement can all indicate one's class background.…

This study examines the root causes of student success and struggle in the first semester of a community college tuition-free promise program. The research is set within the context of the Gateway2NKU River Cities Promise Program (RCPP), a partnership between Gateway Community and Technical College (Gateway) and Northern Kentucky University (NKU)…

TICAS partnered with higher education researcher Dr. Donald E. Heller to examine the "affordability gap" that students are facing when paying for college. The report uses federal data to determine the so-called "college affordability gap" in three states--California, Michigan, and New York--with a focus on students who are…

This study examined the relationship between financial stress and student retention for post-secondary students. Data from 2014 collected at a Pacific Northwest University using The Ohio State's National Student Financial Wellness Study were used to examine the students' reported levels of stress related to finances. Students reported the most…

There is mounting evidence of increased international student financial and work precarity over the last decade in Australia. Yet, there has been a little scholarly analysis of which students are most affected by precarity and its sources. Drawing on two surveys of international students in Australia's two largest cities, conducted before and…

In January 2017, Trellis launched the Financial Security Study (FSS) to shed light on a broad set of questions related to students' basic needs and academic experiences. Working with 11 institutions in Texas and Florida from late January to October of 2017, researchers interviewed 72 students every 30 days or so to discuss their recent experiences…

Decades of research related to the experience of postsecondary students who are adults, work full-time, or have other life roles have not led to agreement in the field regarding who is a "nontraditional" college student. This study leverages nationally representative data to illuminate shifts in this student population in the 21st…

A collaboration between The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) and the Student Senate for California Community Colleges (SSCCC), this policy brief examines the costs of attending California Community Colleges (CCCs) for low-income students and the roles that financial aid resources, work hours, and student loan borrowing currently…

In four years of managing the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Student Service Center--a one stop shop--from concept to fruition, the author has collected some tips and tricks and a toolbox of key components for success. The NAU Service Center journey started in 2012, when university leadership came together for a two-year concept review that…

Each year, more than a million young people in the United States experience homelessness; some of these young people, known as unaccompanied homeless youth, will face the challenges of homelessness while living on their own without the support of a caring adult. Unaccompanied homeless youth face the same struggles as other young people: trying to…

Young people with foster care history need financial support to attain their educational goals. Are these young people getting the financial support they need for college? How do their financial aid packages compare with those of their peers? To answer these questions, the authors used data from the National Center for Education Statistics,…