The Free college tuition policies: comparison of Turkey and Chile experiences

• In Event: Higher Education: Peer, Critical, and International Orientations

Abstract

Chile (2016) and Turkey (2012) recently implemented free-tuition policies. This study is a comparison of these two free-tuition initiatives. Three themes have emerged from our analysis: (1) As the governments have not increased (or have decreased) the allocation per student to each institution since free-tuition policies were initiated, resource constraints on institution budgets have affected their services and practices and consequently students’ experiences and outcomes. (2) Without changing admission systems based on high-stakes college admissions tests, the free-tuition policies do not adequately address access inequality. (3) Free-tuition alone does not guarantee equity and quality in higher education. Policy implications and recommendations are discussed.

Authors

• Ximena Canelo-Pino, University of Texas at Austin

• Ibrahim Bicak, University of Texas at Austin