Socioeconomic Factors Associated with University Persistence: An Analysis from Student Welfare Policies

Abstract

Justification: Student persistence remains a major challenge for public higher education in Ecuador. For many students, gaining access to university does not necessarily mean completing their studies, particularly when economic hardship threatens academic continuity. Objectives: To examine the relationship between perceptions of institutional financial aid, knowledge of the regulations governing it, socioeconomic conditions, and perceived student persistence. Methodology: A quantitative secondary data analysis with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational design was conducted. The sample consisted of 139 students receiving financial aid at an Ecuadorian public university. The data came from a previously validated 48-item questionnaire and were analyzed using Spearman correlations, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and multiple linear regression. Results: More favorable perceptions of financial aid were significantly associated with higher perceived student persistence (r_s = 0.59; p < 0.001). A model including perceptions of financial aid and knowledge of institutional regulations explained 39.8% of the variance, whereas socioeconomic conditions did not reach statistical significance. Aid covered academic and institutional expenses better than subsistence-related needs, and 86.8% agreed that financial reasons influenced thoughts of withdrawal. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of understanding financial aid not only as economic support but also as a key strategy for promoting student persistence within higher education welfare policies.