WORLD Policy Analysis Center

Does the constitution explicitly guarantee citizens’ right to free higher education?

Map reflects constitutions in place as of May 2017.

Right to free higher education means the constitution explicitly mentions a right to a right to free higher education or a right to free education at all levels.

No specific provision means that the constitution does not explicitly mention free higher education. This does not mean that the constitution denies the right to free higher education, but that it does not explicitly include this right.

Aspirational provision means that the constitution protects the right to free higher education, but does not use language strong enough to be considered a guarantee. For example, constitutions in this category might make it a state policy to promote free higher education.

To be progressively realized means that the constitution specifies that the right to free higher education will be realized progressively or that free higher education will be implemented within a certain time period.

Scholarships guaranteed means that the constitution guarantees scholarships to students generally, means-tested scholarships, or scholarships to make access possible for talented or deserving students.

Guaranteed right means that the constitution protects the right to free higher education in authoritative language. For example, constitutions in this category might guarantee citizens’ right to free higher education or make it the State’s responsibility to provide free higher education.

Countries

Afghanistan - No specific provision

Niger - No specific provision

Morocco - No specific provision

Mozambique - No specific provision

Myanmar - No specific provision

Namibia - No specific provision

Nauru - No specific provision

The Netherlands - No specific provision

New Zealand - No specific provision

Nicaragua - No specific provision

Norway - No specific provision

Mongolia - No specific provision

Oman - No specific provision

Pakistan - No specific provision

Palau - No specific provision

Papua New Guinea - No specific provision

Peru - No specific provision

Poland - No specific provision

Portugal - No specific provision

Qatar - No specific provision

Montenegro - No specific provision

Monaco - No specific provision

Rwanda - No specific provision

Madagascar - No specific provision

Kyrgyzstan - No specific provision

Laos - No specific provision

Latvia - No specific provision

Lebanon - No specific provision

Albania - No specific provision

Libya - No specific provision

Luxembourg - No specific provision

North Macedonia - No specific provision

Malawi - No specific provision

Moldova - No specific provision

Malaysia - No specific provision

Maldives - No specific provision

Mali - No specific provision

Malta - No specific provision

Marshall Islands - No specific provision

Mauritania - No specific provision

Mauritius - No specific provision

Mexico - No specific provision

Federated States of Micronesia - No specific provision

Romania - No specific provision

Samoa - No specific provision

Republic of Korea - No specific provision

Turkmenistan - No specific provision

Tanzania - No specific provision

Thailand - No specific provision

Timor-Leste - No specific provision

Togo - No specific provision

Tonga - No specific provision

Trinidad and Tobago - No specific provision

Tunisia - No specific provision

Turkey - No specific provision

Tuvalu - No specific provision

Syria - No specific provision

Uganda - No specific provision

United Arab Emirates - No specific provision

United Kingdom - No specific provision

United States of America - No specific provision

Uzbekistan - No specific provision

Vanuatu - No specific provision

Yemen - No specific provision

Zambia - No specific provision

Tajikistan - No specific provision

Switzerland - No specific provision

San Marino - No specific provision

Somalia - No specific provision

Sao Tome and Principe - No specific provision

Saudi Arabia - No specific provision

Senegal - No specific provision

- No specific provision

Sierra Leone - No specific provision

Singapore - No specific provision

Slovenia - No specific provision

Solomon Islands - No specific provision

South Africa - No specific provision

Sweden - No specific provision

South Sudan - No specific provision

Spain - No specific provision

Sri Lanka - No specific provision

St. Kitts and Nevis - No specific provision

St. Lucia - No specific provision

St. Vincent and the Grenadines - No specific provision

Sudan - No specific provision

Suriname - No specific provision

Eswatini - No specific provision

Kuwait - No specific provision

Liberia - No specific provision

Zimbabwe - No specific provision

Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Central African Republic - No specific provision

Chad - No specific provision

Chile - No specific provision

China - No specific provision

Colombia - No specific provision

Comoros - No specific provision

Democratic Republic of the Congo - No specific provision

Costa Rica - No specific provision

Canada - No specific provision

Cote d'Ivoire - No specific provision

Croatia - No specific provision

Cyprus - No specific provision

Kiribati - No specific provision

Denmark - No specific provision

Djibouti - No specific provision

Dominica - No specific provision

Argentina - No specific provision

Cabo Verde - No specific provision

Cameroon - No specific provision

El Salvador - No specific provision

Belize - No specific provision

Austria - No specific provision

Bahamas - No specific provision

Bahrain - No specific provision

Bangladesh - No specific provision

Barbados - No specific provision

Antigua and Barbuda - No specific provision

Belgium - No specific provision

Benin - No specific provision

Cambodia - No specific provision

Bhutan - No specific provision

Angola - No specific provision

Bosnia and Herzegovina - No specific provision

Botswana - No specific provision

Brazil - No specific provision

Brunei - No specific provision

Burkina Faso - No specific provision

Burundi - No specific provision

Andorra - No specific provision

Australia - No specific provision

Equatorial Guinea - No specific provision

Indonesia - No specific provision

Guatemala - No specific provision

Guinea-Bissau - No specific provision

Haiti - No specific provision

Honduras - No specific provision

Hungary - No specific provision

Iceland - No specific provision

India - No specific provision

Iraq - No specific provision

Greenland - No specific provision

Ireland - No specific provision

Israel - No specific provision

Algeria - No specific provision

Jamaica - No specific provision

Japan - No specific provision

Jordan - No specific provision

Kazakhstan - No specific provision

Kenya - No specific provision

Grenada - No specific provision

Guinea - No specific provision

France - No specific provision

Germany - No specific provision

Georgia - No specific provision

Eritrea - No specific provision

Estonia - No specific provision

Ethiopia - No specific provision

Gabon - No specific provision

Finland - No specific provision

Slovakia - Aspirational provision

Uruguay - Aspirational provision

Nigeria - Aspirational provision

Czech Republic - Aspirational provision

Iran - Aspirational provision

Guyana - Aspirational provision

Nepal - Aspirational provision

Ghana - To be progressively realized

Fiji - To be progressively realized

The Gambia - To be progressively realized

Lesotho - To be progressively realized

Bulgaria - Scholarships guaranteed

Vietnam - Scholarships guaranteed

Panama - Scholarships guaranteed

Azerbaijan - Scholarships guaranteed

Paraguay - Scholarships guaranteed

The Philippines - Scholarships guaranteed

Serbia - Scholarships guaranteed

Cuba - Scholarships guaranteed

Italy - Scholarships guaranteed

Liechtenstein - Scholarships guaranteed

Greece - Scholarships guaranteed

Venezuela - Guaranteed right

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - Guaranteed right

Armenia - Guaranteed right

Ukraine - Guaranteed right

Belarus - Guaranteed right

Bolivia - Guaranteed right

Dominican Republic - Guaranteed right

Ecuador - Guaranteed right

Egypt - Guaranteed right

Lithuania - Guaranteed right

Russian Federation - Guaranteed right