As more people decide professionalize your skillsthe number of students pursuing some type of higher education – such as technical or undergraduate degrees, specialties, master’s degrees or doctorates – increases, which in turn causes many to evaluate how they will finance their training.
For him 2024the universities reported that 538,518 students -355,670 women and 182,848 men- were studying one of these studies, a number that would already exceed 600,000 enrollments as of June of this year, according to data from the Ministry of Higher EducationScience and Technology (Mescyt).
Faced with this reality, the student loans are becoming an increasingly popular option among youths to finance their academic training.
The Apec Educational Credit Foundation (Fundapec), a leading entity in granting these facilities in the country, managed a loan portfolio of 2,900 million pesos as of October of this year, for a growth of 9.4% compared to last year.
80% of the credits were formalized young adults between 21 and 34 years of age, being the segment that requested them the most, granted at a rate of 15% annually.
Most studied areas
The economic scienceslegal sciences, medicine and the education They concentrate the majority of the beneficiaries of this credit portfolio. This coincides with the fact that these same areas are among the most studied by researchers. youths in the country’s universities.
The data of the Mescyt –available in 2024 because the academies make the reports once the year of studies ends– shows that the medicine –with 57,313 registered– education –with 54,618–, accounting –with 36,557– and right –with 35,425– were the undergraduate degrees most studied by future professionals.
Commercial banking
How much has the commercial banking to the students of education superior to finance their careers?
The exact answer is difficult to specify, because financial intermediation entities register them as part of the consumer loanswhich only in September of this year reached 643,124 million pesosaccording to the most recent data published by the Superintendency of Banks (SB).
As of November 13, the rate average active for consumer loans was 19.48%, according to the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD).
Entities consulted such as People’s Bank indicate having carried out 13,690 disbursements until October of this year to clients with student profiles, defined as youths between 18 and 29 years old with consumption linked to universities, for a cumulative amount of 971.9 million pesos.
“These disbursements have been channeled through general credit products such as business loansmortgages, revolving, consumer and vehicle, without there being an exclusive line for educational purposes“said the financial institution.
He BHDfor its part, facilitates personal loans which they can access youths students between 18 and 30 years old through the young segment known as “Now”.
Data provided in October show that the bank’s consumer portfolio in 2025 amounted to 50,040.7 million pesosof which 10% were acquired by youths between these ages -about 5,004.7 million pesos.
Financial entities have also designed special programs aimed at this population and in alliance with educational and public institutions.
Since June 2021, the Popular Savings and Loan Association (APAP) has offered loans for students admitted to Barna Management School, who can count on a 0% rate during the first 36 months of the loan.
Banreservas, meanwhile, has granted more than 1,000 loans this year to young people employed in public and private entities through the Education and Culture with Banreservas program, intended to finance language courses, temporary jobs abroad, educational exchanges, internships, diplomas and master’s degrees.
