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)
According to the UIS database, data on the gross enrolment ratio for tertiary education, initial government funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita, and initial household funding per tertiary student as a percentage of GDP per capita are unavailable.
Tuition-free status
According to the Constitution of Haiti, public tertiary education is tuition-free. Article 208 stipulates that higher education is free and provided by the University of the Haitian State, which is autonomous, as well as by public higher education institutions.
Governance
In Haiti, the governance and financing of higher education are situated within the broader education system overseen by the Ministère de l’Éducation nationale et de la Formation professionnelle (MENFP). The MENFP is responsible for sector planning, policy coordination, and regulatory oversight across all levels of education, including higher education and research. Within this framework, higher education institutions, including public universities and private higher education institutions, are subject to the same overarching governance and coordination mechanisms as other education levels. Public financing for higher education is channelled through the national budget process led by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, which allocates resources to the education sector and oversees budget execution. The Education Sector Plan (2020) provides an overarching framework for education policy and financing in Haiti and includes higher education as part of the national education system, setting out broad priorities and expenditure orientations alongside other education levels.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
There are no formal funding mechanisms that systematically transfer resources from the central government to local governments for the financing of public higher education. Public higher education financing remains highly centralised and is managed through the national budget. According to the financing chapters of the Education Sector Plan (2020), education expenditures are structured as sector and institution-specific budget lines within the state budget, with separate allocations for MENFP programmes, the State University of Haiti, and regional public universities. It indicates that operating and investment resources for higher education institutions are allocated directly through central government budget lines rather than through local government budgets.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for private universities in the absence of public institutions
No evidence was found of public funding mechanisms that support private universities in cases where no public university is available.
Allocation and equity
Public higher education institutions receive operating and investment funding through state budget transfers. This financing arrangement is anchored in the Constitution, which establishes the State’s obligation to finance the operation and development of the State University of Haiti and other public higher education institutions. However, no evidence was found of funding allocation formulas or targeted subsidies that explicitly incorporate equity considerations for specific groups within public higher education financing.
3. Education resources to students
Admission for vulnerable groups
No specific admission criteria for vulnerable groups were identified in public higher education. Admission is generally merit-based and organised through competitive entrance examinations (concours) conducted by individual faculties or institutions. The Constitution guarantees that access to higher education is open, in full equality, to all, while no evidence was found of admission-related financial support targeting specific vulnerable groups.
Scholarships, grants and loans for vulnerable groups
In Haiti, scholarships for higher education are provided through the National Education Fund (FNE), a public financing body operating under the authority of the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training. In 2020, the FNE launched a scholarship programme targeting students from socio-economically vulnerable backgrounds, selecting one thousand beneficiaries through a competitive national examination. The programme covers tuition fees for four years, primarily for studies in private universities, and represents a targeted grant mechanism for disadvantaged students.
4. Support for students’ living costs
Transportation, accommodation and textbooks
No government programmes were found that provide transportation, accommodation or textbook support for tertiary students.
