Abstract:

In the Brazilian context, a significant expansion of undergraduate programs offered through Distance Education (EaD) was observed between 2014 and 2024. According to data from the National Institute for Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira (INEP), the body responsible for collecting data on Brazilian education, there were 1,365 undergraduate distance education programs in 2014, and by 2024 this number had reached 11,297, representing an increase of 827.6%. In light of this expansion and with the aim of organizing the educational system, the Ministry of Education (MEC) established new regulatory rules for program offerings through the Distance Education Regulatory Framework (Ordinance No. 381/2025 and Decree No. 12,456/2025).

This growth brings challenges not only related to access to higher education but also to student retention. In the national literature, there are studies addressing student dropout in higher education and its possible causes; however, investigations specifically focused on students enrolled in distance education programs remain relatively scarce.

Studies indicate that dropout in distance education courses is multifactorial and can be understood as resulting from two main dimensions:
(i) external factors related to the institution, referring to students’ profiles and contextual conditions prior to entering higher education (such as age, gender, and previous schooling); and
(ii) internal factors related to the institution, associated with characteristics of course provision, such as the virtual learning environment used, the training of tutors, and academic monitoring strategies.

In this context, the present study aims to present the profile of students entering the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS) through the Distance Education modality between 2022 and 2025 and to analyze how the sociodemographic and educational characteristics of these incoming students may contribute to understanding factors associated with access to and retention in higher education within the distance education modality. Studies of this nature are relevant for supporting the formulation of institutional policies aimed at expanding access to and ensuring student retention in higher education.

During the analyzed period, a growth trend in the number of students entering this modality at UFMS was observed, increasing from 1,075 in the second semester of 2022 to 7,378 in the second semester of 2025. This study presents the profile of these students, considering contextual variables at the time of admission to the institution. The analysis of the profile of students entering distance education programs at UFMS contributes to a better understanding of the characteristics of this population in a context of expansion of distance education in Brazil, providing elements for the development of institutional policies aimed at expanding access and strengthening retention strategies in higher education.

Keywords:

Distance Education, access and retention, student profile.