Financing for equity in higher education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students
4. Support for students' living costs
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
The gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for both sexes was 3.20 in 2016, the most recent year for which UIS data is available. The initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita was 565.88 in 2004, the most recent year for which UIS data is available. Data on the initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita is not available from UIS.
Tuition-free status
The 2018-2022 Education Sector Plan states that all levels of education, including higher education, are tuition-free at public institutions in Eritrea.
Governance
Eritrea’s only university, the University of Asmara, was closed in 2006 after being decentralised into seven specialized tertiary institutions: the Eritrean Institute of Technology (including the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Technology, and the College of Science), Hamelmalo Agricultural College, Asmara College of Health, Orotta School of Medicine and Dental Medicine, the College of Marine Sciences and Technology, Halhale College of Business and Economics, and the College of Arts and Social Sciences.
The Ministry of Education leads policy, planning, and the preparation of budget proposals for the education sector, including higher education, within the national planning and budgeting framework.
The Ministry of Finance provides and executes the overall budget. The National Board for Higher Education oversees the governing bodies of the institutions, coordinates their activities, and advises on their use of public funds.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Funding for public higher education in Eritrea is centralized, with the recurrent and capital budgets of higher education institutions financed from the central government budget. Allocations are controlled and disbursed by the Ministry of Finance within the national Medium-Term Expenditure Framework.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
As of 2026, no private universities operate in Eritrea. There is no established public funding scheme specifically for private universities in places without a public institution.
Allocation and equity
Eritrea’s higher education institutions are financed largely through annual budget allocations from the central government, complemented by modest own-source revenues. No information was found on funding formulas or grants targeting specific equity groups.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
Admission policies for vulnerable groups in higher education in Eritrea have primarily focused on increasing female participation, reflecting the country’s broader commitment to achieving gender parity in education. This commitment is articulated in key national policy frameworks, including the 2004 National Gender Policy in Education and the Strategic Framework of Action and subsequent education sector plans. The 2018-2022 Education Sector Plan reaffirms the Ministry of Education’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities for women and explicitly states that women are granted “preferential treatment for admission to higher education” as part of affirmative action measures aimed at reducing gender disparities.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
No information was found on a government-run system of scholarships, grants or student loans for specific groups at the higher education level. Financial support is mainly provided in the form of universal free tuition.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation
No information was found on support for student transportation at the higher education level.
Accommodation
No information was found on support for student accommodation at the higher education level.
Textbooks
No information was found on support for purchasing student textbooks at the higher education level.
