The University of Dhaka (DU), as the country’s premier public university, has a long-standing institutional commitment to addressing poverty-related barriers to higher education. Admission policies, fee structures, student support mechanisms, and welfare programs are deliberately designed to ensure access, retention, and successful completion of studies for students from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds.
In Bangladesh, public universities play a critical role in enabling social mobility. At the University of Dhaka, admission fees and tuition are set at a highly subsidized level, taking into account the socio-economic realities of the country. As a result, a significant proportion of admitted students every year come from rural and economically disadvantaged households. These students, despite financial hardship, gain admission through a merit-based national competitive process, ensuring equity without compromising academic standards.
This approach effectively enables students from the bottom income segments—including those from the lowest household income quintile—to access higher education at a nationally and internationally recognized institution.
Recognizing that admission alone is insufficient without continued support, the University of Dhaka provides multiple forms of financial assistance to mitigate poverty-related risks after enrolment. In 2024, the university introduced a monthly allowance of BDT 5,000 for first-year students, particularly targeting students from rural areas who face immediate accommodation and living-cost challenges upon entering university life. This initiative was introduced in response to documented housing shortages affecting newly admitted students and reflects an adaptive, need-based policy response.
In addition, the university administers regular scholarships and stipends through multiple trust funds, which are awarded on both merit and financial-need criteria. Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds may also receive special scholarships upon application, ensuring flexibility and responsiveness to individual hardship cases.
To further reduce the cost burden on low-income students, the University of Dhaka maintains a highly subsidized student welfare infrastructure. Residential hall accommodation fees are kept minimal, and hall dining facilities receive regular subsidies to ensure affordable meals. University-operated bus services provide free or low-cost transportation, significantly reducing daily commuting expenses for students who cannot afford private transport.
Together, these measures address not only tuition-related poverty but also the broader cost-of-living challenges that often prevent students from the lowest income groups from continuing their studies.
The university also facilitates part-time employment opportunities within academic departments, libraries, halls, and administrative units. These opportunities allow financially vulnerable students to support themselves with dignity while remaining engaged in the academic environment, without adversely affecting their studies.
In line with its broader social responsibility and global engagement, the University of Dhaka extends anti-poverty support beyond national boundaries. In 2024, the university provided scholarships and financial assistance to students from low-income and conflict-affected countries, including Palestinian students. International students residing in the university’s international halls are also provided with affordable, quality meals, ensuring that economic hardship does not become a barrier to education or well-being.
Through a combination of low-cost admission, targeted financial aid, subsidized living facilities, part-time work opportunities, and international student support, the University of Dhaka effectively addresses multidimensional student poverty. These initiatives collectively demonstrate the university’s commitment to ensure access to higher education for students from the bottom segments of household income distribution and supporting their successful academic progression.
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