University Students With Migrant Background in Italy. Which Factors Affect Opportunities?

The paper reflects on the access of students of migrant origin to Italian universities, focusing on the choices and opportunities that these students encounter and the factors that can affect this transition. At the beginning, it presents a brief review of the international literature on this topic. Then, mainly based on a qualitative case study, the article highlights the influence of limited economic resources, social and cultural capital, type of secondary school diploma and information bias on these students’ opportunities. The analysis highlights the positive impact of the permeability of Italian school system and the negative one of the weak school guidance policies. The policy implications are discussed at the end.