Impactos da assistência estudantil na Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso: uma análise comparativa do índice de reprovação e o tempo de integralização curricular entre discentes beneficiários e não beneficiários

Abstract

This study investigated the impacts of the student assistance policy at the State University of Mato Grosso (UNEMAT) through a comparative analysis of the failure rate and the time taken to complete the curriculum among students who did and did not receive food and housing assistance. The study recognizes the importance of student assistance as a tool for promoting equity in higher education and addressing social inequalities that hinder the retention of students in situations of socioeconomic vulnerability. The general objective of the dissertation was to analyze the possible effects of this assistance on the academic performance of undergraduate students at UNEMAT, specifically between the academic periods of 2022/1 and 2024/2. The specific objectives were to map the students who received financial aid and compare the failure rate and time taken to complete the curriculum between the two groups analyzed. The methodology adopted is quantitative, descriptive, and applied, based on documentary analysis and case studies. The data were obtained from institutional records and academic reports. The results indicated that students receiving financial aid generally had a lower failure rate in 100% of the curricular components enrolled in comparison to those not receiving aid, suggesting that financial support contributes positively to academic retention and performance. Regarding the time taken to complete the curriculum, the results revealed a similarity between the groups. This similarity suggests that the student assistance policy promotes equity, as it fulfills the objective of neutralizing possible negative socioeconomic factors that could potentially lead vulnerable students to a prolonged completion time. The student assistance policy, although marked by budgetary and operational challenges, plays a fundamental role in the democratization of higher education. By mitigating financial barriers, financial aid has proven effective in promoting greater equity among students, and its continuity, improvement, and systematic evaluation are recommended. The results provide relevant insights for educational managers, reinforcing the need for public policies that ensure not only access but also retention and academic success in higher education.