Internal migration for education: Profiles of young people arriving at the Universidad Veracruzana

Abstract

Access to education has become one of the main drivers of intermunicipal and interstate migration in Mexico. In the specific case of the southeastern region of the country, it is evident how a public university–specifically, the Universidad Veracruzana and its main campus in Xalapa–annually receives students from across the State of Veracruz. The objective of this research is to understand who these young people are that migrate for educational purposes, analyzing specific characteristics such as family composition, the role of families in career choice and the formation of migratory networks. To achieve this, a qualitative study was conducted, employing semi-structured interviews with 16 students who migrated for educational purposes from various cities. The findings reveal the significant diversity within the university, the crucial role of families as both financial and emotional support for students, and the importance of migratory networks in facilitating their arrival and stay in the host city. The study concludes that universities must recognize and understand the profiles of their students to develop strategies aligned with their needs, thereby supporting the construction of successful academic trajectories.