Policy options for student loan schemes: lessons from five Asian case studies

Abstract

This [report] is part of a series of in-depth studies on student loan schemes. It makes a comparative review of five case studies undertaken in Asia, including [People's Republic of] PR China, Hong Kong [Special Administrative Region] SAR China, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines and Thailand. At a time when most Asian countries are experiencing both a dramatic increase in demand for higher education and severe public budgetary restraints, loan schemes are increasingly on the policy agenda. This synthesis study provides a broad canvas of practices and experiences, looking at aspects such as organization, funding, financial viability and targeting. It also provides an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each scheme studied, drawing valuable lessons for policy makers.