Intersecting inequalities: socioeconomic and gender disparities in access to higher education in Tanzania

This study investigates how socioeconomic status (SES) and gender intersect to influence access to higher education in Tanzania. Using a mixed-methods approach – comprising surveys of 180 students, 20 semi-structured interviews and policy document analysis – the research explores persistent structural disparities across four universities selected for their institutional and geographic diversity. Grounded in Bourdieu’s theory of capital and Crenshaw’s intersectionality framework, the study finds that students from low-income and rural backgrounds face major obstacles to university access, including poor secondary education, limited financial aid and resource-deficient environments. These barriers are compounded for female students, especially in STEM fields, where cultural expectations, safety concerns and lack of mentorship restrict participation. Although affirmative action and scholarships exist, their implementation is uneven, particularly in rural and private institutions. Disparities in digital infrastructure further exacerbate inequities. The study underscores how socioeconomic and gender disadvantages converge to entrench exclusion and calls for targeted, intersectional reforms – such as income-sensitive tuition policies, rural digital investment and gender-responsive support structures – to enhance equity in Tanzanian higher education.