Participation in higher education in Australia: Equity and access

Abstract

We study the relationship between university participation and socioeconomic status (SES) in Australia, focusing on eligibility to attend university. Participation among those with similar eligibility to attend university does not vary by SES. Conditional on their Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) scores, low SES students are as likely to attend university as high SES students. We find that possession and the quality of ENTER scores (eligibility) rises with SES. Our results suggest better understanding and policy targeting of the link between SES and school achievement, which is an important part of improving equity and access in Australian higher education. © 2009 The Economic Society of Australia.