Denmark, Sweden and Finland are the three countries that now have universal free education

Denmark, Sweden and Finland are the three countries that now have universal free education in the university system. "These nations are mainly characterized by their high rates of income tax (exceeding 50% in the highest income brackets) and progressive collection structures, which subsequently results in free education and considerable benefits provided by the State at all educational levels .

Meanwhile, in the 12 countries that have a free state and a private system are Germany, Norway and Poland, among others. "Most of these countries have private institutions providing tertiary education and you are free to charge the amount they consider their students in tariffs," notes Action Educating analysis.

The third group, where no free education, in which Chile is next to countries like Korea, UK and US. The study shows that while there is no gratuity, tariffs in public universities in these countries are heavily subsidized by the state. "Your students need only pay small amounts of money. Such is the case in Belgium, France, Switzerland and Turkey. Several countries showing higher tariffs, which are in turn spend a larger share of its budget to subsidize the institutions, "says the study.

Chile, like Korea, US, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand and Canada, has an average annual fee in excess of $ 3,000 public universities, that is, something like $ 1.9 million. But despite the similarity in prices, the results of Chilean universities in international rankings are far from those countries. For example, in reviewing the Academic Ranking of World Universities -ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities), for its acronym in English, prepared by the Center for World-Class Universities of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China, shows that only two Chilean universities They appear in it.

But how to finance the tariffs ?
Foundation analysis reveals that there is heterogeneity in the in terms of the funding mechanisms of the state. Eight countries (Austria, Belgium, Slovenia, Greece, Italy, Ireland and the Czech Republic) only award scholarships or other household transfers. Meanwhile, in Japan and Iceland only deliver loans to students. The rest of the countries have a combination of both types of financial aid.

But what to do with debt then dragging the graduates of higher education? The first is to improve and extend scholarships to private universities on equal terms

Secondly, it is to improve credit systems so as to avoid over-indebtedness and provide students pay their loans without "means sacrificing much of his salary."

How many countries have free education?

Universal free: Denmark, Sweden and Finland
Gratuity only in state institutions: Germany, Slovenia, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovak Republic, Austria, Estonia, Iceland and Mexico.
No gratuity: Australia, Spain, France, Holland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, Turkey, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Korea, the United States, Israel, Japan, Portugal, United Kingdom.