An Examination of Multidimensional Poverty Among University Students in Terms of Sociodemographic Variables

Abstract

This study aims to make a faculty-specific and multivariate contribution to the literature on student poverty by determining the multidimensional poverty levels of students enrolled in the Faculties of Social and Humanities Sciences and by revealing how these levels vary according to socio-demographic variables. Accordingly, 563 university students—334 women and 229 men—enrolled at the Faculties of Social and Human Sciences at Akdeniz University’s Seydikemer and Manavgat campuses participated in the study. Data were collected during face-to-face interviews using questionnaires containing statements from the Multidimensional Student Poverty Scale and a demographic information form developed by the researchers. According to the findings, it was determined that variables such as faculty, age, year of study, gender, family monthly income, adequacy of monthly income, number of siblings, and place of residence significantly differentiated levels of multidimensional poverty. Consequently, it was concluded that policies aimed at reducing multidimensional poverty among students in the Faculty of Social and Humanities Sciences should not be limited to income support alone, but should be structured to also encompass students’ conditions regarding accommodation, transport, access to educational resources, and the use of campus facilities.