Impact of Paid and Unpaid Tuition on Students' Academic Performance

Abstract

The rising cost of education has created a significant financial burden on students and families in Pakistan. The dichotomy between students who can secure tuition fees and those facing unpaid balances presents a critical yet under-researched determinant of academic achievement. This study empirically investigates the impact of paid and unpaid tuition on the academic performance of higher secondary school students in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Employing a quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive design, data were collected from a stratified random sample of 1,186 students (635 male, 551 female) drawn from public and private higher secondary institutions. A validated survey instrument measured tuition payment status (paid/unpaid) and academic performance (self-reported grades converted to a 5-point GPA scale). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent samples t-test, one-sample t-tests, chi-square test, and Cohen's d effect size. The sample comprised 682 students (57.5%) with paid tuition and 504 students (42.5%) with unpaid tuition. Students with paid tuition demonstrated significantly above-average performance (M=4.12, SD=0.48) compared to the benchmark of 3.50, t(681)=34.21, p<0.001. Students with unpaid tuition scored significantly lower than paid-tuition peers (M=3.72, SD=0.53), t(1184)=13.64, p<0.001, d=0.79 (medium-large effect). A significant association existed between gender and payment status, χ²(1)=30.42, p<0.001, with male students (64.9%) more likely to have paid tuition than female students (49.0%).Tuition payment status is a significant determinant of academic performance. Paid tuition enables academic success; unpaid tuition constitutes a substantial barrier operating through psychosocial stress, cognitive load depletion, institutional sanctions, and competing time demands. The medium-large effect size underscores meaningful real-world impact. Targeted scholarship programs, emergency grant aid, flexible payment plans, reform of punitive institutional policies, and targeted support for female students are urgently needed.

Keywords: Paid Tuition, Unpaid Tuition, Academic Performance, Financial Stress, Higher Secondary Education, Educational Equity, Gender Disparity, Pakistan