| By: |
C. Katharina Spieß;
Katharina Wrohlich |
| Abstract: |
We analyze the role of distance from a university in the decision to attend
higher education in Germany. Students who live near a university can avoid
moving and the increased living expenses by commuting. Thus, transaction cost
arguments would suggest that the greater the distance to the nearest
university, the lower the participation in higher education. We analyse this
hypothesis by combining data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP)
with a database from the German Rectors¿ Conference on university postal
codes. Based on a discrete time hazard rate model we show that distance to the
next university at the time of completing high school significantly affects
the decision to enrol in tertiary education. Controlling for many other
socio-economic and regional variables, we find that 1 kilometre distance
decreases the probability to enrol in higher education by 0.2 ¿ 0.3 percentage
points |
| Keywords: |
Higher education, distance to university, competing risk model |
| JEL: |
I2 R1 |
| Date: |
2008 |
| URL: |
https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:diw:diwsop:diw_sp118 |