A Growing Force in Global Education

September, 2025

20-Minute Read

Higher education is expanding at an unprecedented pace. By 2030, global enrollment is expected to reach 380 million students (World Bank), with the fastest growth in regions that currently have low participation rates. Sub-saharan Africa (SSA) is leading this shift. By the end of the decade, 42% of the world’s youth will be African, and enrollment in SSA is set to double (PRB, 2024).

In these rapidly growing systems, many students will be categorized as “First in Family” (FiF) – the first in their household to attend university. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), FiF students already make up a large share of enrollments, including 69% of public university students in Costa Rica, around 70% at Mexico’s UNAM, 43% of incoming students in Chile, and between 48–68% of students in Argentina (Demre, 2025; UNAM-DGCS, 2019; Marina & Corti, 2024).

The IFC Vitae survey covers 18,000+ graduates in 25 emerging market countries with a focus on over 15,000 graduates from 56 institutions in 20 countries across Africa and LAC.

Key Insights from the IFC Vitae Survey

1. Persistence and Completion: The Financial Balancing Act

FiF students often face greater challenges staying in school. The existing body of literature shows they are more likely to drop out due to financial strain, work obligations, and caregiving responsibilities.

The Vitae survey reveals funding differences between regions:

In LAC, half of graduates relied on personal income to pay for studies often meaning full-time work alongside classes.
In Africa, students were more likely to receive bursaries or government subsidies.

2. Employment Outcomes: Quantity and Quality Gaps

After graduation, FiF students are more likely to be unemployed and less likely to work in jobs related to their field of study.

These patterns reflect not just job access issues but also limited professional networks and career guidance.

3. Expectations vs. Reality: A Hidden Gap

Additional analysis comparing current student expectations with alumni outcomes shows that post-graduation results are more varied than students anticipate.

Optimism Bias: All students tend to underestimate the likelihood of ending up in low-paying jobs and overestimate their chances of landing in high-paying ones.
FiF vs. Non-FiF Gap: FiF students expect to be closer to their non-FiF peers in outcomes than they are. In other words, the gaps at both the low and high ends of the salary spectrum are wider than they anticipated.

4. Career Support: A Missed Opportunity

Career services can make a difference, but only 22% of all Vitae respondents acknowledged assistance from career services. OECD reports that FiF students are 2-3 times less likely to receive career mentorship from family or personal networks compared to peers with college educated parents and this leaves them less prepared to navigate labor markets.

5. Resilience: A Generation Determined to Succeed.

Despite these challenges, FiF graduates remain deeply committed to education.

This resilience underscores the transformative potential of higher education if the right support is in place.

Closing the Gap

The data tells a strong story: FiF students are a growing share of the higher education population in emerging markets, but they face systemic barriers to persistence, employment, and career advancement.

What can universities do?

Targeted financial aid: bursaries, grants, and campus work opportunities provide the necessary financial support that can help students continue their studies.

Flexible learning options: Evening classes, modular courses, and online or hybrid formats are essential to address the varied needs of first-in-family (FiF) students.

Stronger career services: job placement support, employer connections, internships and access to mentorship networks can help bridge the guidance gap that contributes to employment disparities.

Policy interventions also has the potential to make a difference. In Australia, strategic government funding increased FiF undergraduate enrolment by 51% proof that change is possible (O’Shea et al, 2021).

Final Thoughts.
First-in-Family students are determined, ambitious, and essential to the future workforce. With the right support, they can not only succeed in higher education but also thrive in the labor market, unlocking opportunity for themselves, their families, and their communities.

EVALUATE THE PRACTICES OF YOUR INSTITUTION WITH OUR BENCHMARKING TOOL AT https://www.vitaeready.org/benchmarking/