CHALLENGES TO STUDENT RETENTION AND SUCCESS FOR MOTHERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A LITERATURE REVIEW (2021–2026)

Abstract

This article aims to analyze, through a literature review covering the last five years (2021–2026), the main challenges student-mothers face in remaining in and completing their higher education in Brazil. It is based on the premise that motherhood, when experienced during undergraduate studies, imposes a layering of social roles on students that rarely receives adequate support within university institutional structures. The research is bibliographic in nature, employing a qualitative approach and an exploratory design; it draws on scientific articles, theses, dissertations, official documents, and Ministry of Education regulations published between 2021 and 2026, sourced primarily from databases such as SciELO, Google Scholar, and institutional repositories. The results highlight that the primary barriers faced by student-mothers include the heavy workload resulting from balancing motherhood, studies, and—in many cases—paid employment; a lack of on-campus childcare infrastructure, such as daycares and breastfeeding areas; rigid academic calendars and assessment schedules; and the absence or inadequacy of specific institutional policies to support student-mothers' retention. Combined, these factors contribute to physical and emotional health issues among these students, as well as high rates of academic suspension and dropout. The study concludes that, despite recent legal advances, the retention of student-mothers in higher education still relies largely on individual coping strategies, underscoring the urgent need to consolidate public and institutional policies that recognize motherhood as a structural condition to be factored into academic management.