Governments all over the world and especially in developing third world countries are pushing educational institutions to extend their outreach. They have been focusing on supporting colleges for low-income students. As a result, many colleges and universities have recently begun to initiate educational programmes that empower low-income students and help towards the goal of increased human resource capabilities of their countries. Even more so, newer privately-run universities and colleges that are providing quality higher education have cropped up. They have thus been identified as some of the most affordable colleges and University for low-income students. Let us, in this article, look at the challenges faced by low-income students in gaining access to colleges. Also, we will identify some of the prominent institution for low-income students.
Challenges of low-income students
One of the major challenges faced by low-income students is the obvious issue of economic and financial incapacity. Most of the students from third world developing countries of Asia and Africa often have the lack of access to proper healthcare, hygiene, and even food, making it difficult for them to gain access to the colleges for low-income students in the first place. Not just these intrinsic factors but also certain external factors within the socio-cultural milieu of such places have affected the ability of low-income students to reach out to colleges. Particularly, in African countries, these challenges also include political instabilities that have further reduced the number of enrollment in higher education institutions even in the institution for low-income students.
The higher education diaspora
The higher education diaspora is particularly relevant for African countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Congo, where getting quality education often conflicts with the need to establish a minimum source of income first. Even if the governments of such countries work towards the infiltration of higher education among the most economically downtrodden groups and encourage them to seek admission in Institutions for low-income students, this problem will likely be left unresolved. Although several partnerships with international agencies have helped countries like Nigeria achieve higher enrollments in colleges, this number has remained stagnant for quite some time pointing to deeper social and political issues. Nevertheless, several ambitious, aspiring, and meritorious students from countries like Nigeria have sought admission into institution for low-income students overseas to secure a higher quality of education on a budget.
Best colleges for low-income students
In western countries like the United States, the University of Florida and the University of California have been known to be some of the best institutions for low-income students. However, the tuition fees even after scholarship waivers of such colleges in western countries still amount to a lot. The mere cost of living in such countries often defeats the purpose of enrollment into such institutions for low-income students. Moving to a more affordable option, India has some of the most budget range of colleges/University for low-income students. One of the most prominent is Sharda University that offers courses in almost all the fields of academics and allows students to avail affordable accommodation in campus hostels.
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