Equity in school and higher education

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Equity in school and higher education

Last update: 04 September 2025

Equity in schooling is one of the priority areas for European cooperation in education. Equity refers to the attainment of educational achievements and qualifications, irrespective of the learner’s socioeconomic, cultural, racial or other background.

Eurydice collects data from the authorities of 38 European education systems, to construct system-level indicators reflecting the conditions conducive to equity in primary and secondary education (ISCED 1, 24 and 34).

These indicators support the analysis in the Education and Training Monitor, which is the European Commission’s annual report on EU education and training systems.

Additional financial support from national or EU budget for schools enrolling disadvantaged students

Additional financial support to schools with many disadvantaged students is necessary to meet the increased needs for providing quality education. For example, to be able to offer targeted pedagogical and/or psychological support to disadvantaged students, it may be necessary to hire additional personnel.

The indicator shows which countries provide financial support, in addition to the usual funding, to schools with disadvantaged students, such as students with immigrant background or from poorer families. It also shows whether the additional funding comes from national or EU sources.

According to the latest Eurydice data, most educational systems make additional funding available to schools with disadvantaged students. Specifically, 32 provide extra financial support whereas 6 do not. In most cases, the extra funding comes from the national budget. That is, 32 education systems source the money from the national budget while 14 from the EU budget. Thirteen education systems draw from both sources.

Financial support to teachers who work in schools with disadvantaged students

The second equity indicator is about the financial incentives offered to teachers to work in schools with many disadvantaged students. The indicator focuses on the payment of an increased basic salary or additional allowance(s).

This indicator offers a mixed picture. Slightly more than half (that is, 21) of the education systems do not offer teachers any financial incentives to work in schools with disadvantaged students. Thirteen offer additional allowance(s), five increased basic salary and only one offers both.

Non-financial support to teachers who work in schools with disadvantaged students

Another way of motivating teachers to work in schools with many disadvantages students is to deploy non-financial measures. Figure 3 depicts which education systems provide teachers working in such schools with better working conditions, the possibility of preferential next assignment or with faster career progression.

Compared to financial incentives, education authorities are more likely to offer non-financial incentives to attract or reward teachers working in disadvantaged students. In particular, 22 education systems try to offer teachers with better working conditions, three a preferential next assignment and two a faster career track. Three education systems offer more than one non-financial incentive. As many as 15 education systems offer no non-financial incentives to teachers.

Funding for higher education institutions linked to equity targets

This figure represents the first indicator dealing with equity in higher education. The indicator reflects whether funding towards higher education institutions (HEIs) is linked to targets related to widening the access or the study completion of students with certain characteristics who are underrepresented (e.g. with immigrant background or from single parent households etc.). The underlying assumption is that funding linked to specific and measurable targets will incentivise HEIs to work on their equity performance.

As the figure suggests, linking HEI funding to equity targets is the exception rather than the norm. Twenty-nine education systems do not make funding dependent on either access widening or study completion or on other equity targets. Two education systems link funding only to widening access, another two only on the completion of and five on both widening access and study completion.

Financial support for student accommodation, meals and transport

The figure shows how many and which education systems subsidise accommodation, meals and public transport for higher education students at the undergraduate level (ISCED 6). Although all three types of financial support are common, they are not universal. Thus, while only two education systems do not subsidise student accommodation, meals or transport, the rest subsidise at least one of the three and many education systems subsidise all of them.

In particular, 29 education systems subsidise students’ public transport, 26 subsidise student meals and 25 subsidise student accommodation in all higher education institutions. Twenty education systems subsidise all three types of support, six subsidise two and two only one.

Financial support to HEIs for training staff on diversity

Equity in higher education can also be promoted by helping HEI staff become aware of challenges and opportunities related to having a diverse student body. As Figure 6 illustrates, only 11 education systems make available financial support to HEIs to help them train their academic staff on diversity or inclusion. The great majority (27 education systems) do not have any relevant provisions.