Learning loss due to university closures during the COVID-19 pandemic : evidence from Thailand’s largest public university

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all segments of the population, including college students in higher education institutions. This paper examines the survey of 400 undergraduate students at the largest public university in Thailand between March and June 2021 to identify the causal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on college students’ academic performance and expected labor market outcomes. The findings suggest a 0.27-point decline in semester-level GPA and a 2.5-hour decrease in weekly study hours. Additionally, students are found to delay graduation, withdraw from classes, and change their majors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the COVID-19 pandemic has lowered student’s reservation wages after graduation, such an impact is not statistically significant. In addition, students expect a significant decrease in their future financial assets at age 35. These significant negative impacts on academic performance and expectations for future employment are more pronounced among students from lower-income families. This paper provides evidence that the pandemic seems to worsen inequality in higher education.