The Precarious Financial Lives of College Students in Sub-Saharan Africa

Investment in tertiary education in Africa, unlike richer settings, is often portrayed as inequitable and inefficient. Yet, though Africa will produce much of the world’s future workforce, there is little information on college students’ financial constraints. Novel data from a Zambian flagship university show that students are highly financially vulnerable and food insecure, on par with the "ultra-poor.'' Because universities are typically urban, cash poor rural students struggle with high urban costs of living. Being allocated on-campus housing leads to less financial vulnerability and better academic outcomes. Financially supporting African university students could promote both equity and efficiency.