Ancillary 9: National Effects of Free Higher Education in Norway

A possible topic I would like to explore is the effects of free higher education in a country. Numerous European nations (Germany, France, Finland, etc.) offer free university level education, allowing more people to pursue degrees, and multiple degrees at that. This is in stark contrast to the situation in the United States, where steep tuition costs deter students from attending prestigious universities. Instead, some students resort to public higher education (community college). I am curious about the effects of greater access to higher education on a national scale; aspects of society might include general mental and physical health, homelessness, average income, lifespan, crime, and number of children.

This free education offered in certain European countries attracts foreign students who find that moving for college makes more financial sense, despite the heightened cost of living in Europe. For instance, after high school some American students choose to attend college fully, or study abroad for a few years since it is cheaper than American universities.

I want to explore the unfair access to education that people have based on their geographical location. Do people in countries with free higher education generally have better lives? Does free education give people a competitive advantage against others who do not have such easy access to education? To answer this question requires research in many aspects of life which I listed earlier (health, income, etc.). To be more specific, my paper will focus on the effects of free higher education on financial state (income), and compare this data to the financial states of people in countries without free education. I will most likely focus on Finland, because it is also one of the safest (low crime & recidivism) and happiest (general wellbeing) countries in the world. If these topics are relevant, I can tie them into my paper and explore some other effects of free college on society.