Channeling remittances to education: A field experiment among migrants from El Salvador

Kate Ambler, Diego Aycinena, Dean Yang

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch Articlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

We implement a randomized experiment offering Salvadoran migrants matching funds for educational remittances, which are channeled directly to a beneficiary student in El Salvador chosen by the migrant. The matches lead to increased educational expenditures, higher private school attendance, and lower labor supply of youths in El Salvador households connected to migrant study participants. We find substantial "crowd-in" of educational investments: for each $1 received by beneficiaries, educational expenditures increase by $3.72. We find no shifting of expenditures away from other students, and no effect on remittances.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)207-232
Number of pages26
JournalAmerican Economic Journal: Applied Economics
Volume7
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Economics, Econometrics and Finance(all)

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