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)
UIS data indicate that the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education for both sexes was 107.10% in 2022. In the same year, the initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita was 12.05%. In 2019, the initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita was 2.48%.
Tuition-free status
Law N.24.521 of 1995 and Law N.27.204 of 2015 establish that public tertiary education is tuition-free.
Governance
Law N.24.521 of 1995 and Law N.27.204 of 2015 establish that the national government is responsible for financing, supervision, and oversight of national (public) and private universities. The provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires are responsible for the funding, supervision, and oversight of public higher education institutions and provincial universities, if any, within their respective jurisdictions. They are also responsible for subsidising private higher education institutions within their jurisdictions. Additionally, Article 7 of Law 27.204, which substitutes Article 59 of Law 24.521, establishes that national universities have economic and financial autonomy within the framework of Law 24.156 on public financial administration. They manage their own budgets, generate additional resources, and allocate them primarily to scholarships and academic support. However, the national government remains the primary funding source through the national budget, overseen by the Ministry of Human Capital via the Secretariat of Education.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
Non-Automatic Transfers from National Educational Programmes
Resources are transferred from the central government to provinces through non-automatic transfers from National Educational Programmes, which are funded by the national education budget and managed by the Ministry of Education. These transfers support specific policy goals and supplement provincial education budgets.
Equity-Based Funding under Law 26.075
Article 8 of Law 26.075 established an equity-based funding mechanism that allocates resources to provinces according to their share of the student population, socio-economic needs, and enrollment gaps, prioritising disadvantaged and rural areas.
The financing mechanism of the Law is important because it commits resources from both levels of government. Since the funding of National Universities depends on the National State, it is significant because these expenditures represent between 70% and 75% of the total budget of the Secretariat of Education within the Ministry of Human Capital of the Nation in Argentina.
Higher Education Funding
There is no specific funding line for higher education. National universities receive direct funding from the national government, while provincial higher education institutions are financed by the provinces using their general budgets.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
Law N. 27.204 establishes that the national government is always responsible for financing, supervision, and oversight of both private and public universities.
Allocation and equity
Government subsidies to public higher education institutions are regulated by Law No. 24.521, specifically Article 58, which governs the allocation of national funds to public universities. Funding is currently assigned directly through the national budget without a formula that explicitly incorporates equity-based criteria.
In 2024, a bill was proposed to amend Article 58 and introduce clear, equity-oriented allocation criteria, including the number of enrolled students, the types of degree programs offered, the number of graduates, and the scale of research, outreach, and institutional activities. The bill also specified that 85% of funds should go to salaries and 15% to operational costs, with regular adjustments based on inflation, currency fluctuations, and public service tariffs. However, the bill was vetoed and did not become law. As a result, public universities currently do not receive funding explicitly targeted at equity or specific disadvantaged groups through the core budget allocation.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
Under Law N. 24.521, admission to higher education is free and unrestricted. While some leveling and orientation processes exist, they are not selective, exclusionary, or discriminatory. To be admitted, individuals must have completed secondary education. Individuals over 25 years of age who have not completed secondary education may also access higher education if they can demonstrate the preparation, work experience, skills, and sufficient knowledge to pursue their chosen studies. Since admission is free and unrestricted, there are no specific admission criteria for vulnerable groups.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
Becas Estratégicas Manuel Belgrano
The Becas Estratégicas Manuel Belgrano scholarship programme provides monthly financial support of AR$ 81,685 (in 2025) to students from low-income households enrolled in or entering public national or provincial universities in Argentina. It targets disciplines considered strategic for national development, including Food, Environment, Computing, Energy, Oil & Gas, Logistics, Mining, Basic Sciences, and, as of 2025, Education. Eligible applicants must be Argentine citizens, aged 18–30 if entering, or up to 35 if currently enrolled, with exceptions for students with disabilities and single parents. Household income must not exceed three times the minimum wage (SMVM). The programme is capped at 36,000 scholarships, renewable annually, and cannot be combined with other national scholarships such as Progresar or YPF. Selection prioritises gender equality, regional balance, and inclusion of defined priority groups. The programme started in 2021 with 24,000 students benefiting and is regulated by Law No. 27.726 and administered by the Secretariat of Education under the Ministry of Human Capital.
The Progresar Superior scholarship programme provides monthly financial support to students from low-income households enrolled in or entering public universities, technical institutes, or teacher training institutes in Argentina. Eligible applicants must be Argentine citizens, naturalised, or legal residents for at least five years, with household income below three times the minimum wage (SMVM). Students must be between 17 and 24 years if entering, or up to 30 years if already enrolled, with exemptions for nursing students and specific groups including students with disabilities, Indigenous students, refugees, trans persons, Afro-Argentine students, and single parents with children under 18, who may apply up to age 35 or without age limits. Applicants must have completed secondary education without pending subjects and meet academic and vaccination requirements, and must demonstrate academic progress to retain eligibility. Scholarships last 12 months (or six months in a second call) and are incompatible with other similar scholarships from the Secretariat of Education. The programme is regulated by Decree 84/2014, Decree 90/2018, and Law 27.726, and is administered by the Secretariat of Education under the Ministry of Human Capital.
Dr. Gregorio Álvarez Scholarships – Province of Neuquén
During the 2024 school year, the Dr. Gregorio Álvarez Scholarship Programme, which is part of the Redistribute Opportunities Plan of the province of Neuquén, awarded a total of 19,232 scholarships. This consolidates it as a key State policy to help students continue and complete their studies at all levels. Created in 2023 by Law No. 3,418, the Program is based on the idea that education is a right. It seeks equity to reduce inequalities and offer full support to students, connecting education with the world of work. Its legal bases are found in provincial (Laws No. 2,945, No. 3,418) and national (Law No. 26,206) regulations, and it is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4. Its operation is detailed in Decree No. 151/2024 and in a Single Operational Manual (MOU), which specifies the types of scholarships (from Initial Level to Vocational Training, including Ordinary and Extraordinary scholarships).
By 2024, nearly 1,500 higher education students were awarded scholarships, representing about 6.0% of the total number of students at the level registered in the province of Neuquén. The value of the Student Scholarships in 2024 was ARS 160,000 per month for the Higher Level. By 2025, these amounts were doubled, and the scholarship for university students was set at $390,000.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation
The Ministry of Economy has established a programme that provides university students with a 20 per cent discount on standard fares for intercity passenger transport services throughout the year, without restrictions on routes.
Accommodation
Information was not found.
Textbooks
Information was not found.
This profile was reviewed by Agustin Claus, Researcher and consultant.
