The Role of Pursuing Higher Education in Attaining Financial Security and Mobility among Refugees

• In Event: Newcomer Students' Pursuit of Higher Education in the United States: Examining Access and Returns

Abstract

In recent decades, the global increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers has spurred a growing interest in understanding where they settle and how they integrate into their new communities (Delgado-Gaitan 1994; Donato and Ferris 2020; Tran and Lara-García 2020). These scholars often note the limited access to tangible and social resources like government assistance, which further impedes opportunities for integration (Khuu and Bean 2022). Their job prospects and educational experiences are often influenced by the availability of resources and the level of accessibility already present in the communities where they first settle (Eckstein 2009; Portes and Stepick 1993; Rfat, Zeng, Yang, et al. 2023; Tran and Lara-García 2020). This work highlights the diversity of refugee experiences and calls for insights into the varied lived experiences of refugees within the US.  

Among these insights, pre and postmigration educational attainment has swelled as an area of interest for many scholars with work typically focusing on barriers to educational attainment and integration in the US (McBrien 2005; Morales 2022; Unangst and Crea 2020). Rfat, Zeng, & Trani, (2023) found that Refugees with disabilities face significant barriers to accessing education in the US, including stigma and prejudices that discourage them from pursuing academic goals. They often encounter institutional challenges, such as the refusal to recognize educational credentials from their home countries, and are frequently unaware of programs designed to support their educational aspirations due to poor communication from service providers. Additionally, misinformation from caseworkers and community members further discourages them, pushing them towards welfare rather than education, which limits their opportunities for upward mobility. 

Noting the importance of educational attainment on economic mobility in the US, we use the Annual Survey of Refugees (ASR) to analyze the types of recognition of one’s international degree/certificate across levels of educational attainment in one’s home country. We then explore how financial security (i.e., ability to pay family expenses) and financial mobility (i.e., household income) varies by whether one decides to pursue additional education.  These preliminary findings will shed light on barriers that refugees are experiencing to attain financial security and mobility in the US. Our findings will speak about the education opportunities (or lack thereof) that currently exist for refugees as they adjust to life within the US as well as their ability to obtain financial security and mobility. To further explore how pursuing higher educational attainment has or has not contributed to the financial security and mobility of refugees in the US, we will conduct a hierarchical regression model, which will control for household- and person-level characteristics (i.e., household size, educational attainment in the home country, age, gender, disability status, and occupation). These additional insights will detail the educational opportunities for refugees and the impact this may have on one’s ability to fully integrate into the US. 

Author

• Paola A Echave, Urban Institute
  Presenting Author