International Education Studies; Vol. 8, No.

5; 2015
ISSN 1913-9020 E-ISSN 1913-9039
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education

Higher Education Drop-Out in Spain—Particular Case of Universities

in Galicia
Maria Elena Arce1, Barbara Crespo2 & Carla Míguez-Álvarez2
1
Defense University Center at Spanish Naval Academy, Marín, Spain
2
University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
Correspondence: Maria Elena Arce, Defense University Center at Spanish Naval Academy, Escuela Naval
Militar, Plaza de España, 2, 36920 Marín, Spain. Tel: 34-986-804-900. E-mail: [email protected]

Received: December 23, 2014 Accepted: January 23, 2015 Online Published: April 29, 2015
doi:10.5539/ies.v8n5p247 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ies.v8n5p247

Abstract
The existence of a high university dropout rate in Spain is undeniable. Data shows that approximately one out of
five students drop out from college. During the economic expansion period (2001-2007) more students
abandoned their studies than during the crisis period (2007-2011). This situation also affects unemployment rates
due to the fact that higher education leads to lower unemployment rates. Galicia presented slightly higher
dropout rates than Spain from 2006 to 2009; nevertheless during the 2009/2010 academic year this rate was
lower. The reasons for dropout can be divided into six distinct factors: psycho educational, evolutionary, family,
economic, institutional and social factors. The main drop-out motives are related, among others, to
incompatibility with work, economy, university (environment, teachers and difficulties) and so on. According to
the BBVA research, the dropout rate imposes a great cost on the entire economy reaching the sum of 5,772 euros
per year and per student and exceeding the amount of 1,500 million euros if the student drops out during the first
cycle. Due to the urgent need of reducing the dropout rate, the Ministry of Education developed an action plan to
increase the number of young people enrolled in a higher education course; so that, consequently, Spain can
redirect its economic growth model.
Keywords: dropout, students, higher education, socio-economic environment
1. Introduction
Education is one of the five priority objectives in the new European strategy, becoming one of the engines for
economic growth and employment. The European Council has quantified a series of goals in order to improve
the education levels in the year 2020. These goals pretend to reduce the dropout rate as well as to increment the
population percentage between 30 and 34 years that complete third level education. In the case of Spain, the
dropout reduction has been fixed at 15% for 2020 and it was established a 2020 national target of 44% for the
tertiary attainment rate.
Several indicators try to study the causes of academic failure in Spain, especially in higher education at
universities. Nowadays, this topic acquires an important relevance due to the high dropout rates that should be
studied in order to reduce them. The dropout phenomenon is a parameter difficult to assess because of the lack of
information and data from the students after they have left their studies. However, the study of this topic is
currently being introduced in different reports that allow us to extract important conclusions that must be taken
into account in the decision making of the university policy. In addition, the provisional data shows that the
percentage of students that drop out from college is smaller compared to previous years and a slight decline is
expected in coming years (fact that is directly related to the reduction of the population between 18 and 24 years
old.) This trend is more prevalent in engineering and architecture students, degrees that in the last ten years have
lost one out of four students. It is also significant and alarming the decrease in the science branch. Particularly, in
Galicia the rate of students that enroll in higher education during the last ten years presents was reduced to
almost 30%. The evaluation of certain university indicators frequently used, such as performance, success and
evaluation rates, are linked to enrolled, presented and passed credits. Therefore, the analysis of these available
data is relative simple because it only takes into account those students who continue or have finished their
studies. However, from recent years it has been considered important to study other indicators that take into
account those students who start but who do not continue their academic career. This has led to the current

247
www.ccsenet.org/ies International Education Studies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

research on the dropout rate. Spanish institutions and researchers try to quantify this rate as well as to investigate
about the possible causes of this phenomenon.
One of the first definitions of dropout is given in 1982 by Tinto (1982): “a student voluntary drop out is anyone
who withdraws from the institution without completing the academic program in which the student was
enrolled”. During these years, diverse investigations related to dropout rates have been carried out. The first
Spanish studies addressing this topic date from 1968. In another paper, Tinto (Tinto & Asociación Nacional de
Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior (México), 1987) developed a statistical research which
reflects the difference between enrolled students and graduated students since 1963 to 1965 in technical colleges
from Madrid. Other works from 1970 to 1992 continue this trend of study, such as (Bendito & Altamira, 1970;
Escandell, Marrero, & Rubio, 1999; Latiesa, 1986; Latiesa, 1992; Salvador & García-Valcárcel, 1989). More
recent studies conducted in different Spanish universities search and analyze the main dropout causes in the
University of Sevilla (Guerrero-Casas, Hinojosa-Ramos, Hiraldo, del Carmen, & Ordaz-Sanz, 2014). Cabrera,
Bethencourt, Pérez, and Afonso (2006) make a general analysis of this problematic phenomenon. Consejero,
García, Ibañez, and Ortega (2008) aim to identify and describe some psychosocial causes that affect the process
of permanence at the University of Cadiz. There are other several studies in Spain regarding this topic (Araque,
Roldán, & Salguero, 2009; Cabrera, Bethencourt, González, & Álvarez, 2006; Cobo, 2010; Corominas-Rovira,
2001; González, Álvarez, Bethencourth, & Cabrera, 2005; Lassibille & Navarro-Gómez, 2008; Rodríguez-Marín,
2004; Ruè-Domingo, 2014; Sposetti & Echeverría, 2000).
The study of this trend has extended beyond Spain. A European study made by the European Commission in
2013 (Quinn, 2013) reflects how dropout rates affect different European countries as well as which students do
not continue their higher education and why. A study in Copenhagen in 2013 by Rode et al. (Larsen, Sommersel,
& Larsen, 2013) evaluate the dropout phenomena at universities, its consequences and the politic and economic
context of university dropout. Many other studies related to this topic can be found in (Arulampalam, Naylor, &
Smith, 2004; Chen, 2008; Davies, Elias, & Britain, 2003; Glaesser, 2006; Heublein, 2014; Hovdhaugen &
Aamodt, 2009; Van den Berg & Hofman, 2005; Wolter, Diem, & Messer, 2014).
The aim of this article is to show the values of the dropout rates in Spain from different sources as well as to
identify the different variables which influence this indicator. Futhermore, we will present some experimental
cases from different Spanish universities and we will study the causes of this phenomenon. Finally, we will
explain the measures implemented in order to face the growth of this worrying rate.
2. Dropout Rate Definition
The dropout rate appears as a quality indicator in many models of university assessment (MEC: Catalogue of the
Spanish public university system indicators). The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (Spanish
Government. Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte., 2013) explains that when considering this indicator,
we must make a distinction between study dropout rate, study exchange rate and university system dropout rate.
These terms frequently lead to confusion or contradiction in some studies as its definition must be clearly
formalized. The study dropout refers to those students who have quit a particular teaching program. This
includes those students who have left the university system, who have changed their studies or who have left
Spain to further studies. The study exchange rate represents the percentage of students whose study has changed.
This percentage is also included in the dropout rate. Finally, the Spanish university system (SUE) dropout rate
measures the percentage of students that have left the university system before graduation.
3. Dropout Rate Value in Spain and Main Influence Factors
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport collects in its report “Basic data of the Spanish university system”
(Spanish Government. Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte., 2013) different data about the dropout rate
and the study exchange rate. The first indicator is calculated as the percentage of students that do not matriculate
at a university during the two following years. The second rate is computed as the percentage of students that
enroll in other studies in the next two years. For the 2009-2010 academic course, the dropout rate in Spain was
19% (one out of five students abandoned their studies that year) while 7.1% of students decided to change the
career they have started. The figures in the case of Galicia are not so alarming, the dropout rate and the study
exchange rate stayed at 13.6% and 6.2% respectively, this means than one out of seven undergraduates do not
continue their higher studies. The same study reflects that some factors affect this indicator such as whether the
institution is public or private and the modality each university offers. This last factor is decisive. The students
who choose to take distance courses are usually older than those who study at universities that do not offer this
type of learning, and they usually possess another degree or diploma. The dropout rate in distant learning is
much higher than in the other modality. The figure below shows the difference between indicators in these cases

248
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

(Figure 1)..

Figure 1. Dropout and sstudy exchange rates dependding on public, private and th
he modality of the universitiees in
Spaiin in 2009/10

As we cann see, the droppout rate is slightly lower inn private univeersities in com
mparison with public
p universsities,
whereas a clear differennce in this peercentage is sshown dependding on the modality.
m One out three disttance
learning sttudents does nnot continue th
heir courses veersus one out of fourteen faace-to-face leaarning studentss. On
the other hand,
h the studyy exchange ratee does not experience large variations
v wheen these factorss are studied.
Accordingg to the paper ““Basic data off the Spanish uuniversity systeem” when anaalysing each accademic discippline,
it is observved that in Arts and Humanitties the dropouut rate is muchh higher, compaared to the othher disciplines. This
value variees between 177% and 18.3% % in most studdies whereas inn this category y this percentaage rises to 288.8%.
Figure 2 shows
s these values. The diffferences in thhe study changge rate are not so significannt, however inn this
particular rate the influeence of vocation becomes vvery importantt. Vocational degrees
d such asa Health Sciennces,
Engineerinng and Architeecture present the
t lower ratess while, on the contrary, these values are hiigher in Sciencces.

Figurre 2. Drop-out and study exchange rates deepending on diifferent fields of

o study in Spaain in 2009/10

249
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

The regionns with lower dropout rate ini Spain are N Navarre, Castile and Cantabrria. On the conntrary, the Ballearic
Islands andd La Rioja havve the higher rates.
r As it waas mentioned before,
b the drop
pout rate and the
t study exchhange
rate in Gaalicia both stayy at 13.6% and
d 6.2% respecctively. This figures are bothh lower than thhe average rattes in
Spain. Seee Figure 3.
The reporrt published byy the Ministry y of Educatioon, Culture annd Sport (Span nish Governm ment. Ministeriio de
Educaciónn, Cultura y D Deporte., 2013 3) also providdes informationn about how the admissionn score affectss the
dropout raate. Students w
with higher adm
mission scores have low droppout rates and vice
v versa. Thee grading systeem is
Spain is raanked from 0 tto 10 points, being
b 5 the minnimum qualifiication to passs a subject. Quualifications froom 5
to 10 are considered
c mission scores between 5 and 5.5
passsed, being 10 the best possible mark. Studdents with adm
have a droopout rate of 19.8%. This peercentage is redduced to 7.3%
% for those stud dents with thee highest admission
marks. Thee same trend ccan be seen in the
t study exchhange rate.

Figure 3. Droop-out and stu

udy exchange rrates dependingg on the region
n in Spain in 2009/10
2

Until the 2011/12 acaddemic course, there was not a minimum g scholarshipps. Nowadays, the
m grade to get
requiremennts to receive a study grantt in Spain are increasing, duue to this fact,, more studentts were not abble to
obtain a sccholarship. Thhis fact also aff
ffects the dropoout rates. Droppout rates are slightly lowerr for those studdents
who get a grant. Duringg the academicc course 20099/2010, the perrcentage of sccholarship studdents who abaandon
their educcation or who choose anoth her degree is llower than thhe total percen ntage. Accordiing to the Spaanish
Ministry of
o Education, Culture and Sport,
S in this yyear the dropoout rate and th
he study exchaange rate for tthese
students were
w 13.5% andd 7% respectiv vely (19% and 7.1% for all thhe students enrrolled in the saame course).
Other highher studies, suuch as masterrs, have also hhigh dropout rates. The repport “Basic daata of the Spaanish
university system” (Spannish Governm ment. Ministerioo de Educacióón, Cultura y Deporte.,
D 20133) states that inn this
kind of higgher educationn the dropout rate
r stands at 15.6% while the t study exch hange rate stannds at 3.5% foor the

250
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

2009/20100 academic coourse (Figure 4), both valuues are lower than the degrree dropout raate. It can alsso be
observed that
t the study eexchange rate is halved. Folllowing this crriteria, for the same course, private
p universities
have a higgher dropout tthan public un niversities. As in degree stuudies, the distaance modalityy experiments have
again the greater
g dropouut rates. The stuudy exchange rrates remains constant
c for th
he most part buut it experimennts an
increase when
w the univerrsity offers disstance learningg courses.

Figuree 4. Masters drropout and stud

dy exchange raates dependingg on public, prrivate and the modality
m of thee
universities in Spain in 20009/10

Masters inn Engineering, Architecture and Arts and Humanities shhow the higheer dropout ratees. On the conttrary,
the best values
v are fouund in Social and Legal Scciences duringg the same yeear, both for dropout
d and sstudy
exchange rates.
r Masters in Health Scieences show thee greatest studyy exchange rattes (Figure 5)

Figure 5.
5 Master dropoout and study exchange
e ratess depending onn different field
ds of study in Spain in 2009//10

In additionn, the Spanishh Ministry of Education,

E Cuulture and Sporrt presents in its report (Spaanish Governm
ment.
Ministerioo de Educaciónn, Cultura y Deporte,
D 2013) a study aboutt how the age of students ennrolled in a mmaster
affects to both dropout rate and study y exchange raate (Figure 6). The dropout rate increasess as the age oof the

251
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

master students does whhile the study exchange rate is not affected by this factor.

Figure 6. Master dropouut and study ex

xchange rates ddepending on different
d ages of the enrolledd students in Spain
inn 2009/10

The crisis in Spain is anoother decisive factor that afffects the educattion system. Based
B on the daata that appearred in
the CYD report
r (Fundacción CYD, 201 13), a report thhat analyses diifferent sourcees like Eurostaat, the Organizzation
for Econoomic Cooperattion and Dev velopment OE ECD, and Eduucation at Glaance 2013; Spain, unlike oother
developingg countries, haas barely regisstered a growthh in higher eduucation enrolm ment between the t years 20011 and
2011. Durring the years correspondin ng to the crisis period (2007-2011) the numbern of Spaanish studentss that
enrolled inn a university course increassed due to jobllessness. Before this period,, between 2001 and 2007, duuring
the econom mic expansionn period the job j creation rrate was greatter than the average
a emplooyment rate of the
European Union.
U Dropouut rates duringg this period inncreased becauuse higher education was nott essential to ffind a
job. The rise
r in the pricce of tuition asa well as the crisis provokeed once more a fall in the number n of Spaanish
university students durinng the 2012/20013 academic ccourse accordinng to the CYD D report (Fundaación CYD, 20013).
We must also
a take into account that in i Spain the uunemploymentt rate peaked since
s 2007 duue to the crisiss that
affected thhe country. UUniversity edu ucation directlly influences the unemplo oyment rate. However,
H reseearch
undertakenn by the Spaniish Ministry of Education, C Culture and Spport shows thaat this influencce has been unneven
dependingg on the level oof education reeached. In its report “Basic data
d of the Spaanish universityy system” (Spaanish
Governmeent. Ministerio de Educación n, Cultura y Deeporte., 2013) total values fo
or this rate froom 8.3% in 20007 to
25% in 20012 are presentted. This growwth has been loower for peoplle with higher education, froom 5.4% in 20007 to
15.2% in 2012,
2 and evenn lower in the case of the population with doctorate, from m 2.7% in 20007 to 4.7% in 22012.
Figure 7 shhows the correelation between n unemploymeent rates and education levells.

252
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

Figuure 7. Correlattion between unemployment

u rates and educcation levels in
n Spain from 2007
2 to 2012

Underempployment, undeerstood as a worker

w with unniversity studiees who works in a lower proofessional cateegory
to which it would corresspond, can be seen as a factoor that favourss the universitty dropout. Acccording to a reeport
from the BBVA
B researchh (García, 20111), around 35% of graduatees in Spain sin nce 1992 to 20010 are workinng in
jobs that require low qqualification. InI comparisonn with other countries, Spaain presents thhe highest ratte of
underemplloyment. Figuure 8 shows th hese data from
m the BBVA reesearch report. The same repport notes thatt this
fact is moore prominent among the po opulation betwween 25 and 29 years of agee. Once againn, this rate is m much
higher in Spain
S than in oother countries and reaches aalmost 45% of the populationn. Figure 9 shoows these data..

Figure 8. Underemploym
U ment percentagee from 1992 to
o 2010

253
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

Figure 9. Undderemploymen
nt percentage in population between
b 25 and
d 29 years old in 2007

Despite thhe low volume of data on dro opout rates in Spain, the Spanish University Rectors’ Conference
C (CR
RUE)
t dropout raates of public Spanish univversities for thhe academic years
provided the y 2006/20007, 2008/20099 and
2010/20111 (Hernández,, 2008; Mich havila, 2013). In order to analyze the progression that t this indicator
experimennts over the tim me, below wee present som me graphs that compare the data from thee years 2006/22007,
2008/20099 and 2009/2010. Figure 10 shows the diff fference in droppout rates in face-to-face
f leaarning universsities,
distance leearning universsities and publlic universitiess in Spain in thhe mentioned years.
y As obseerved, this indiicator
has decreaased although its value con ntinues being considerably high. h In face--to-face learninng universities the
dropout raate was 22.67% % during the academic
a courrse 2006/2007,, 18.77% for the t course 20008/2009 and 133.8%
for the couurse 2009/20110. In the casee of distance llearning univeersities these values
v were 55.2%, 51.36% % and
37.4% durring 2006/20007, 2008/2009 and 2009/20010 respectivelly. The total dropout rate for f Spanish public
universitiees stayed at 38..93% (2006/20007), 35.07% ((2008/2009) annd 19.6% (200 09/2010).

Figure 100. Progression oof dropout ratees for Spanish public universsities in 2006/2
2007, 2008/20009 and 2009/22010

254
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

A compariison between the different fields

f of studyy during this period
p of timee is also analyysed. In Sociall and
Legal Scieences as well aas in Sciencess and Engineerring and Archiitecture, accorrding to the daata provided byy the
Spanish University
U Reectors’ Conferrence (CRUE E) for the 20006/2007 and d 2008/2009 academic couurses
(Hernándeez, 2008) and the Spanish Ministry
M of EEducation, Cullture and Sporrt for academ mic year 2009//2010
(Spanish Government.
G M
Ministerio de Educación,
E Culltura y Deportee., 2013), the dropout
d rates have
h decreasedd. On
the other hand,
h in the caase of Arts an
nd Humanities and Health Sciences,
S this indicator
i has decreased
d from
m the
academic year
y 2006/20007 to 2008/200 09 whereas forr the course 20009/2010 its value
v has increeased again. Fiigure
11 represennts these rates.

Figure 11. Progression oof dropout ratees depending oon different fields of study in
n Spain in 20066/2007, 2008/22009
andd 2009/2010

In most off the Spanish aautonomous co ommunities, thhe dropout rattes have slighttly decreased as
a shown in Fiigure
12. Only inn La Rioja, Caastilla-la-Manccha and Balearric Islands this trend is not met.
m

255
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

Figurre 12. Progresssion of dropou

ut rates dependiing on the regiion in Spain in
n 2006/2007, 2008/2009
2 and
22009/2010

256
www.ccsenet.org/ies International Education Studies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

It should also be noted the great economic impact of university failure. A study by BBVA research (de la Fuente
Moreno, & Serrano, 2013) shows that the dropout rates generates a cost of 5,772 euros per year and per student.
This research notes that this impact is even greater if the student drops out in the first cycle. In this case the
figure rose to 7,120 euros per year and per student. These data are taken from a report authored by (de la Fuente
Moreno & Serrano, 2013) in which the economic impact of the educational failure is analysed. In order to
calculate these costs, de la Fuente et al. compute the total costs of a school place with and without failure. In this
way, the cost of the school failure is calculated as the difference. According to this report, university failure costs
twice than in both FP I and FP II studies (the first and second phases of vocational training), and this amount is
even higher in comparison with secondary studies. As mentioned before, these costs will vary depending on the
university course. Costs decrease as the student progress in his studies. As we have mentioned above, this
explains the figure of 7,120 euros per year and per student for the first cycle. This figure is reduced to 6,224
euros per year and per student in the case of the second cycle and to 3,974 euros per year and per student in a
doctorate (Figure 13).

8000
7120
7000
Cost per year and per student (euros)

6224
6000 5772

5000 First cycle
3974 Second cycle
4000
Doctorate
3000 Average cost

2000

1000

Figure 13. University dropout cost per year and per student

4. Particular Case of Universities in Galicia

The particulate case of the universities in the Autonomous Community of Galicia is also analysed in this report.
According to the SIIU (Integrated University Information System), 66,594 students between 18 and 24 years of
age were registered in a degree, a 1º and 2º cycle or in a master in Galicia for the 2012/2013 academic course.
This value represents a net enrolment ratio in higher education of 25.8% computed as the number of enrolled
students between 18 and 24 in higher education divided by the total population in the same interval of age.
Compared to the total value of 28.6% in Spain, Galicia is slightly below the Spanish average. Figure 14 shows
how these 66,594 students are divided.

257
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

Figuree 14. Number oof students enrrolled in a degrree, a 1º and 2º cycle or a maaster in Galiciaa in 2012/20133

Galicia haas three universities: Universsity of A Coruuña, Universityy of Santiago de

d Compostelaa and Universiity of
Vigo. The University off A Coruña was created in 19989 and it is sttructured in tw wo campus: A Coruña and Feerrol.
The Univeersity of Santiaago de Compo ostela is one oof the ancient universities
u in Europe. It is organized intoo two
campuses: Compostela aand Lugo. Thee University off Vigo’s campuus is campus spread s over thrree cities: Ourense,
Pontevedraa and Vigo.
The latest data providedd by the Span nish Ministry of Education,, Culture and Sport for the course 2009//2010
indicates a dropout rate in Galicia of 13.6% and a sstudy exchange rate of 6.2%
%. Both values are lower thann the
total valuees achieved in Spain, 19% an
nd 7.1% respecctively (Figuree 15).

Figure 15. Degreee dropout and

d study exchannge rate in Galicia and Spain
n in the course 2009/2010

In the casee of Master stuudies, both thee dropout rate aand the study exchange rate are also lower in Galicia thhan in
me year is 10.77% whereas in Spain this vallue stayed at 155.6%.
Spain. Thee Master dropoout rate in Galiicia for the sam
The exchaage rate is loweer in master stuudies: 1.6% in Galicia and 3.5% in Spain (Figure
( 16).

258
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

d study exchannge rate in Galiicia and Spain in the course 2009/2010

Fiigure 16. Master dropout and

The data presented by the Spanish University

U Rectors’ Confereence (CRUE) for the coursses 2006/20077 and
2008/20099 (Hernández, 2008) allowss us to study more closely the dropout rates in publiic and face-to-face
universitiees of Galicia, particularly for oruña, Santiaggo and Vigo. The
f each of thhe three univversities: A Co
following figures (Figuree 17 and Figurre 18) represennt these data.
In the course 2006/20077, the total dropout rate (25.44%) in Galiciaa was higher th
han in Spain (22.67%).
( Thiss rate
was higheer in all the fieelds of study except
e in Enggineering and Architecture.
A The
T three univversities of Gaalicia
present sim
milar values, aalthough the University
U of Vigo has the best results (tthat is, the low
wer dropout raates),
A and Humaanities in which Vigo has thee highest dropoout rate.
except in Arts
In the acaademic course 2008/2009, th he dropout rattes in Galicia and in Spain have
h decreaseed compared too the
course 20006/2007. Galiccia still has a higher value ((18.91%) thann Spain (18.77
7%), although the differencee was
close to zero.
z In this accademic year, the Universitty of A Coruñña presents th he best resultss, except in H
Health
Sciences inn which the Unniversity of Viigo has the low
west dropout raate.

Figure 177. Dropout ratees in A Coruña, Santiago, Viggo, Galicia andd Spain depend
ding on the fieeld of study forr the
course 2006/2007

259
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

Figure 18. Dropout ratess in A Coruña, Santiago, Vigoo, Galicia and Spain dependiing on the fieldd of study FOR
R the
course 2008/2009

5. Causes of Student Drropout

The analyssis of the reasoons that lead sttudents to abanndon their highher education studies is esseential to undersstand
and to be able to deal wwith this pheno omenon. Theree have been maany studies thaat investigate the t causes of tthese
high dropoout rates.
Cabrera ett al. (2006) ideentify six main
n variables of ddropping out (F Figure 19). Thhe first refers too factors of pssycho
educationaal nature. Thesse factors are considered
c thee most significant and they have
h been idenntified in numeerous
studies. Thhe university eenvironment an nd the academ mic self-efficaccy also are ammong the causes for droppingg out.
In turn, Kirton (2003) inndicated the following
fo factss as variables that
t lead to a student droppping out of colllege:
academic self-efficacy, educational vaalues, and perrception of thee college enviironment, univversity supportt and
attachmentt to peers. Thee second causee identified by Cabrera et al. is related to th he evolutionaryy adaptation period.
During thoose years, youung people exp perience a vasst amount of changes
c in theiir physical, em
motional and ssocial
maturity: immaturity, iddentity establiishment, emottions, personaal conflicts…T The third poinnt refers to faamily
variables. The strong prressure that many
m parents pput on studentts regarding th heir vocationall choices and their
qualificatioons leads in m
most cases to drropping out. Inn relation with this last variab
ble, family bussinesses and faamily
responsibilities are anotther major ob bstacle. The foourth point cooncerned the economic variables. Due too the
current economic crisis in Spain man ny families facce financial difficulties. How wever, this isssue is not the main
problem. InI Spain, grantts are factors that
t help the sttudents to avoiid dropping ou ut from collegee. If a student does
not receivee a scholarshipp, he may be forced
fo to work to pay his studdies, a situatio
on that may leaad to abandonm ment.
Another im mportant pointt is the institu
utional variablee. A great respponsibility is attached
a to teaachers, not onnly to
their teachhing methods bbut also to theiir evaluation mmethods. Otherr features that may causes thhis situation arre the
characterisstics of the stuudies and the academic resoources; severaal investigation ns show that active
a learningg has
beneficial effects on thee students’ perrsistence versuus passive learnning. Finally, the social variables also plaay an
important role. Despite tthe lack of research on the relation that theese variables have
h with droppout rates, it iss also
worth takiing into accounnt some circum mstances as thhe emergence of o educational institutions which
w offer servvices
in a much more suitablee way and acceessible to jobs, a close relatiion between th he economic activity and whhat to
teach and the
t high rates of unemploym ment among graaduates which cause demotiv vation.

260
www.ccsenet.org/ies Internationnal Education Stuudies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

EEvolutionary 
factors

Psychoeducat
Social facttors
ional facto
ors

D
DROP‐OUT 
V
VARIABLES

Institutio
onal 
Family facttors
factorss

Economic 
factors

Figure 19
9. Main variabbles responsible of dropout raates

a 2003) carried out in diffferent universsities,

Some experimental studdies (Consejerro et al., 20088; Davies et al.,
investigateed the dropoutt causes of stu
udents who hadd abandoned their
t studies. Based
B on thesee data, some oof the
specific reasons for droppping out are sh
hown in the taable below (Tabble 1).
 
Table 1. Soome dropout m
motives of stud
dents who havee abandoned thheir studies
Dropout motiv
ves
Entering the labor market
Incompatibilitty with work
Economic mo
otives
Too theoreticaal studies
Dissatisfaction with teachinng
oring
Lack of mento
Insufficient prrior knowledgee or difficulty of overcoming
g studies
University env
vironment
Failure to adaapt to college liife
Health problems
Lack of vocattion
Language diffficulties
Family difficu
ulties
Uncertain pro
ofessional futurre
Change of min
nd
Change of ressidence
 
A report from
f the Spannish Ministry of Education in 2010 (Cobbo, 2010), stattes that the reeasons for studdents
dropping out
o of their sstudies can bee grouped intoo three categoories: social, economic
e andd educational. This

261
www.ccsenet.org/ies International Education Studies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

document refers, on the one hand, to individual circumstances and characteristics of students such as learning
disabilities, health problems, low self-esteem…On the other hand, there are reasons related to the educational
environment of the student. An unsatisfactory learning environment as well as a negative interaction with
teachers influences the dropout rates. An inadequate support to students with educational or behavioral problems
can lead into a premature dropout. Another factor indicated in this report is the effect of friends and classmates.
The European Commission also notes that social reasons can favor this phenomenon. The family attitude plays a
crucial role among the social reasons. Finally, this document refers to economic causes. As already mentioned,
the high employment offer that did not require high levels of education until 2007 caused that many students
decided not to continue with their education.
6. Conclusions
The existence of a high university dropout rate in Spain is undeniable. Data shows that approximately one out of
five students drop out from college. On the other hand, study exchange rates have lower values. Public
universities register greater dropout rates than private universities. A considerable difference is found depending
on the learning modality: this indicator is much higher in distance learning universities than in face-to-face
learning universities. The influence of vocation is also a factor that influences this rate, vocational degrees
present lower rates. A study per region is also presented. Masters also have dropout rates although the values are
lower compared to a degree. This rate increases at the same pace than the age of the enrolled students. The
economic crisis is another that must be taken into account. During the economic expansion period (2001-2007)
more students abandoned their studies than during the crisis period (2007-2011). This situation also affects
unemployment rates due to the fact that higher education leads to lower unemployment rates. Galicia presented
slightly higher dropout rates than Spain from 2006 to 2009; nevertheless during the 2009/2010 academic year
this rate was lower. The reasons for dropout can be divided into six distinct factors: psycho educational,
evolutionary, family, economic, institutional and social factors. The main drop-out motives are related, among
others, to incompatibility with work, economy, university (environment, teachers and difficulties) and so on.
According to the BBVA research, the dropout rate imposes a great cost on the entire economy reaching the sum
of 5,772 euros per year and per student and exceeding the amount of 1,500 million Euros.
Due to the urgent need of reducing the dropout rate, the Ministry of Education developed an action plan to
increase the number of young people enrolled in a higher education course; so that, consequently, Spain can
redirect its economic growth model. In this way, a series of educational objectives were created for the decade
2010-2020. The action plan 2010/2011 is the starting point and it is based on some crucial programs such as
improving the academic performance of students, modernization and flexibility of the education system,
modernization and internationalization of universities, enhancing foreign languages learning, performing a
strategic plan of Vocational Training, information and evaluation as factors to improve the education quality,
teacher training and social dimension of education at all levels.
As it was already discussed above, in the case of Spain, for 2020 the dropout reduction has been fixed at 15% in
the case of Spain and it is committed to increment by 44% the population between 30 and 34 years that complete
higher education. In accordance with some international studies, it is expected that in the coming years only 15%
of jobs will require people with no qualifications. This fact makes even more necessary the need to modernize
our education system. The action plan developed seeks to create a flexible system that ensures excellence and
equity. Research together with innovation will be some key points that should be enhanced during these years.
The new education system should promote continuity in studies for most young people transferring them
knowledge and will ensure that no student is excluded.
Universities also try to deal with this problematic phenomenon carrying out programs and strategies in order to
increase the students’ persistence. In order to achieve this, in Spain pre-university information and orientation
actions, as well as educational and psychological support actions are conducted.
References
Araque, F., Roldán, C., & Salguero, A. (2009). Factors influencing university drop out rates. Computers &
Education, 53(3), 563-574. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.03.013
Arulampalam, W., Naylor, R. A., & Smith, J. P. (2004). A hazard model of the probability of medical school
drop-out in the UK. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (Statistics in Society), 167(1), 157-178.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.0964-1998.2003.00717.x
Bendito, V. V., & Altamira, A. I. (1970). Estudio sobre las tasas de abandono en la universidad central de
barcelona. ICE De La Universidad De Barcelona.

262
www.ccsenet.org/ies International Education Studies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

Cabrera, L., Bethencourt, J. T., González, M., & Álvarez, P. (2006). Un estudio transversal retrospectivo sobre
prolongación y abandono de estudios universitarios. RELIEVE, 12(1), 105-127. Retrieved from
http://www.uv.es/RELIEVE/v12n1/RELIEVEv12n1_1.pdf
Cabrera, L., Bethencourt, J. T., Pérez, P. A., & Afonso, M. G. (2006). El problema del abandono de los estudios
universitarios. RELIEVE, 12(1). Retrieved from
http://www.uv.es/RELIEVE/v12n2/RELIEVEv12n2_1.htm?iframe=true&width=80%&height=80%
Chen, R. (2008). Financial aid and student dropout in higher education: A heterogeneous research approach.
Higher education (pp. 209-239). Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6959-8_7
Cobo, R. (2010). El abandono temprano en la educación y la formación en españa. Revista De Educación,
Número Extraordinario, 12, 58-85. Retrieved from
http://www.mecd.gob.es/revista-cee/pdf/n15-roca-cobo.pdf
Consejero, E., García, C., Ibañez, C., & Ortega, F. (2008). Factores psicosociales relacionados con el abandono
temporal académico de estudiantes en la educación superior. International Journal of Developmental and
Educational Psychology, 2(1), 227-236. Retrieved from
http://infad.eu/RevistaINFAD/2008/n1/volumen2/INFAD_010220_227-236.pdf
Corominas-Rovira, E. (2001). La transición de los estudios universitarios. abandono o cambio en el primer año
de universidad. Revista De Investigación Educativa, 19(1).
Council of Ministers of Spain. (2010). Objetivos de la educación para la década 2010-2020. plan de acción
2010-2011. Retrieved from http://www.mecd.gob.es/dms-static/a792d6ac-55fc-474c-bc4f-8c5204e8953a/
2011-objetivos-educacion-decada-2010-pdf.pdf
Davies, R., Elias, P., & Britain, G. (2003). Dropping out: A study of early leavers from higher education.
Department for Education and Skills. Queens printer: London.
De la Fuente Moreno, A., & Serrano, J. F. J. (2013). La rentabilidad privada y fiscal de la educación en españa y
sus regiones. Moneda Y Crédito, 235, 179-246. Retrieved from
http://documentos.fedea.net/pubs/dt/2011/dt-2011-11.pdf
Escandell, O., Marrero, G., & Rubio, F. (1999). El abandono de los estudiantes en la universidad de las palmas
de gran canaria: Sus causas, propuestas de estrategias para su disminución. Revista Electrónica
Interuniversitaria De Formación Del Profesorado, 2(1), 369-399.
Fundación CYD. (2013). La universidad en españa.Oferta y demanda universitaria. Retrieved from
http://www.fundacioncyd.org/images/informeCyd/2012/Cap1_ICYD2012.pdf
García, J. R. (2011). Desempleo juvenil en españa: Causas y soluciones. Madrid: BBVA Research. Retrieved
from https://www.bbvaresearch.com/KETD/fbin/mult/WP_1130_tcm346-270043.pdf?ts=2152012
Glaesser, J. (2006). Dropping out of further education: A fresh start? findings from a german longitudinal study.
Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 58(1), 83-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13636820600591743
González, M., Álvarez, P., Bethencourth, J., & Cabrera, L. (2005). Incidencia de las variables del sujeto en el
abandono universitario: Un estudio en la universidad de la laguna. International Conference, Careers
Context: New Challenges and Tasks for Guidance and Counselling, Lisboa.
Guerrero-Casas, F. M., Hinojosa-Ramos, M. Á, Hiraldo, M., del Carmen, M., & Ordaz-Sanz, J. A. (2014).
Análisis de las causas de abandono académico de los estudios de una facultad de ciencias empresariales.
Retrieved from http://www.asepelt.org/ficheros/File/Anales/2003%20-%20Almeria/asepeltPDF/168.PDF
Hernández, J. (2008). La universidad española en cifras. Información académica, productiva y financiera de las
universidades españolas. Indicadores universitarios. Curso académico 2006/2007. Retrieved from
http://www.oei.es/salactsi/UEC2008.pdf
Heublein, U. (2014). Student drop‐out from german higher education institutions. European Journal of
Education, 49(4), 497-513. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12097
Hovdhaugen, E., & Aamodt, P. O. (2009). Learning environment: Relevant or not to students' decision to leave
university? Quality in Higher Education, 15(2), 177-189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13538320902995808
Kirton, M. J. (2003). Transitional factors influencing the academic persistence of first-semester undergraduate
freshmen. UMI.
Larsen, M. R., Sommersel, H. B., & Larsen, M. S. (2013). Evidence on Dropout Phenomena at Universities.

263
www.ccsenet.org/ies International Education Studies Vol. 8, No. 5; 2015

Retrieved from http://edu.au.dk/fileadmin/edu/Udgivelser/Clearinghouse/Review/Evidence_on_dropout_

from_universities_brief_version.pdf
Lassibille, G., & Navarro-Gómez, L. (2008). Why do higher education students drop out? Evidence from Spain.
Education Economics, 16(1), 89-105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09645290701523267
Latiesa, M. (1986). Demanda de educación superior y rendimiento académico en la universidad:
Comunicaciones presentadas a las jornadas internacionales sobre demanda de educación superior. Centro
Nacional de Investigación y Documentación Educativa.
Latiesa, M. (1992). La deserción universitaria. CIS, Madrid.GIROUX, H. (1992): Teoría y Resistencia en
Educación.Siglo XXI Editores, Madrid.
Michavila, F. (2013). La universidad española en cifras 2012. In Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades
Españolas (CRUE). Retrieved from http://www.crue.org/Publicaciones/Documents/UEC/LA_
UNIVERSIDAD_ESPANOLA_EN_CIFRAS.pdf
Quinn, J. (2013). Drop-out and completion in higher education in Europe among students from
under-represented groups. European commission. Retrieved from http://www.nesetweb.eu/sites/default/files
/HE%20Drop%20out%20AR%20Final.pdf
Rodríguez-Marín, J. (2004). Tasas de éxito y fracaso académico universitario: Identificación y análisis de
variables psicoeducativas relacionadas en una muestra de estudiantes españoles. Retrieved from
http://www.orienta.org.mx/docencia/Docs/Sesion-7-8/Rodri%CC%81guez.pdf
Ruè-Domingo, J. (2014). El abandono universitario: Variables, marcos de referencia y políticas de calidad.
REDU. Revista De Docencia Universitaria, 12(2), 281-306. Retrieved from
http://red-u.net/redu/index.php/REDU/article/view/506
Salvador, L., & García-Valcárcel, A. (1989). El rendimiento académico en la universidad de cantabria: Abandono
y retraso en los estudios. Madrid, CIDE. Retrieved from
http://redined.mecd.gob.es/xmlui/handle/11162/62223
Spanish Government. Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte. (2013). Datos básicos del sistema
universitario español. curso 2013-2014. Retrieved from http://www.mecd.gob.es/dms/mecd/educacion-
mecd/areas-educacion/universidades/estadisticas-informes/datos-cifras/DATOS_CIFRAS_13_14.pdf
Sposetti, A., & Echeverría, H. (2000). El factor educacional como causa potencial de la deserción en primer año
de la universidad. Documento De Trabajo. Retrieved from http://www.unrc.edu.ar/publicar/cde/h21.htm
Tinto, V. (1982). Defining dropout: A matter of perspective. New Directions for Institutional Research, 1982(36),
3-15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ir.37019823603
Tinto, V., & Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior (México). (1987). El
abandono de los estudios superiores: Una nueva perspectiva de las causas del abandono y sutratamiento.
UNAM; ANUIES.
Van den Berg, M., & Hofman, W. (2005). Student success in university education: A multi-measurement study of
the impact of student and faculty factors on study progress. Higher Education, 50(3), 413-446.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10734-004-6361-1
Wolter, S. C., Diem, A., & Messer, D. (2014). Drop‐outs from Swiss universities: An empirical analysis of data
on all students between 1975 and 2008. European Journal of Education, 49(4), 471-483.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12096

Copyrights
Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

264