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Do Tuition Fees Affect the Mobility of University Applicants? Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Dwenger, Nadja

    (DIW Berlin)

  • Storck, Johanna

    (DIW Berlin)

  • Wrohlich, Katharina

    (DIW Berlin)

Abstract

Several German states recently introduced tuition fees for university education. We investigate whether these tuition fees influence the mobility of university applicants. Based on administrative data of applicants for medical schools in Germany, we estimate the effect of tuition fees on the probability of applying for a university in the home state. We find a small but significant reaction: The probability of applying for a university in the home state falls by 2 percentage points ( baseline: 69%) for high-school graduates who come from a state with tuition fees. Moreover, we find that students with lower high-school grades react more strongly to tuition fees. This might have important effects on the composition of students across states.

Suggested Citation

  • Dwenger, Nadja & Storck, Johanna & Wrohlich, Katharina, 2009. "Do Tuition Fees Affect the Mobility of University Applicants? Evidence from a Natural Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 4421, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4421
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    natural experiment; mobility of high-school graduates; tuition fees;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I22 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Educational Finance; Financial Aid
    • I28 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Government Policy
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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