This paper seeks to enhance understanding of how low-income students navigate financial stress by integrating the asset-based concept of financial well-being and including a focus on the institutional context. Data collected from 378 interviews with students from low-income backgrounds illustrate complex ways that students experience financial…

Community college students must navigate complex financial aid policies and procedures to obtain their aid award. In this study, I investigated how Students of Color at a community college experience financial aid disbursements. Through qualitative interviews, I found that community colleges disburse aid to students through a process I define as…

Unexpected and emergency expenses remain a persistent barrier to on-time college completion and student success. A staggering number of students, particularly those enrolled in public 2-year and most Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), report they would be unable to come up with $500 within a month. As the demographic of college students becomes…

Public higher education institutions in developing countries have faced a steady increase in student enrolment, driven by historical factors such as the expansion of access to education following the end of apartheid in South Africa and other policies aimed at addressing socio-economic inequalities. This increase, however, has led to challenges in…

The student loan payment pause ended two years ago as of September 2025, but borrowers were given a one-year "on-ramp" to resume payments. In April, the Department of Education announced that collections on student loans would start again. The California Policy Lab's prior work found that a large portion of borrowers were likely to…

Approximately one in five undergraduate students, including around a quarter of first-generation students, are parents. These learners are highly motivated in their pursuit of postsecondary education, but face many challenges including time poverty, financial insecurity, and a low sense of belonging with their institution. To better understand the…

This report shares Fall 2024 Student Financial Wellness survey (SFWS) results from more than 53,000 undergraduate students at 104 institutions across the country. It highlights student financial security, basic needs security, academic disruptions, personas as workers or parents, and perceptions of the return on investment. The findings presented…

This study explores the academic transition experiences of African international students at a U.S. community college, with a focus on institutional support and associated challenges. Using a qualitative single case study approach, in-depth interviews with eight students revealed three central themes: supportive academic environments, academic and…

We study the determinants of poor mental health among students at an elite private institution. Survey measures of well-being have declined significantly over the last decade for both high school students and those of college age. This is an international phenomenon that appears to have started in the US around 2013 and that was not caused by but…