The effects of need‐based financial aid on educational decisions and outcomes: Evidence from Canada
利用加拿大行政数据和断点回归设计，研究基于需求的助学金对本科生院校选择、专业选择、持续就读及学位完成的影响，发现助学金资格对这些决策几乎没有影响。
Abstract Using administrative data from Canada, this paper presents new evidence on the causal effects of a large‐scale need‐based financial aid program on undergraduate students' educational decisions and outcomes, including the understudied institution and major choices. The program results in a significant difference in the composition of aid—students below the income thresholds receive more grants than loans compared to those above the threshold. Employing a regression discontinuity design, we find little evidence that grant eligibility influences students' initial choice of institution or major, persistence, major switching or degree completion.