Factors influencing dropout and academic performance: an Australian higher education equity perspective

There has been increasing access to higher education enrolment for disadvantaged individuals following the Bradley Review of Australian higher education. While progress has been made, students from equity groups are still found to lag behind their privileged counterparts in completing higher education. This study examines higher education academic outcomes for equity groups in Australia, specifically, students considering dropout, actual dropout, and marks. The influence of student satisfaction on those academic outcomes are also examined. Students from equity groups tend to have poorer academic marks and are more likely to consider dropout, with health and financial reasons found to be important determinants. These findings support the need for multi-faceted initiatives to support higher education students from equity backgrounds.