Scientific literature shows that the percentage of university graduates is positively associated with the economic development of a country. At the individual level, the possession of a university degree guarantees better opportunities on the labour market and brings positive effects in terms of health and the social sphere.

Even though the last 20 years have seen a considerable growth in the number of graduates in advanced economies (the percentage in the 25-34 age group has risen from 27% in 2000 to 48% in 2021), Italy, with its 28% of graduates, is still behind the OECD average and that of the other EU countries. And considerable social inequalities remain in terms of both access to and completion of tertiary education.

Many regions provide scholarships to ensure that students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds have access to universities. But how much, and to what extent do they work? The evaluation of Scholarship 5B, active in Trentino from 2009 to 2012, provides very useful policy indications.