Students' perception of financial aid service quality at a selected University of Technology

Abstract

This study investigates students' perceptions of service quality in the Financial Aid Office at a selected University of Technology in the era of fee-free education and the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to know if students' expectations and wants are being met by the services they receive from the financial aid office of the selected university. The gap between customers’ expectations of service and perceived service quality will determine student perceptions. Within the higher education structure, service quality is crucial because of its link to student satisfaction, competitive edge, student retention and satisfying government requirements. Despite being tasked by the government agency – the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) – with the overseeing of donations from both public and private donors, the Financial Aid Office (FAO) is also a vessel for funding students from poor backgrounds. The provision of service quality to students contributes to the university’s positive reputation. The best judges of service quality are students, given that they are both the university's primary customers and its bursary beneficiaries. This quantitative study was conducted using a SERVQUAL model structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions that was administered to 237 NSFAS bursary/loan recipients selected by means of convenience sampling at the chosen university of technology (UoT). Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. The findings revealed that students have a negative perception of service quality across the tested dimensions (assurance, empathy, responsiveness, and reliability). They encounter a lower level of service quality than expected, thus, indicating their dissatisfaction with the service. However, the tangibility dimension was scored high, meaning that students’ interests are related to tangible factors. A recommendation of this study is for the participating UoT FAO to conduct constant evaluations along the five dimensions of service quality as part of their quality assurance program. Using the results of this evaluation, staff, and management can understand what adjustments they need to make to improve student service quality. In addition, changes in the higher education context require universities and policymakers to be proactive and innovative by reviewing students' needs and prioritising them in order to provide personalized support. As a result, student satisfaction barriers will be identified and eliminated, and high-quality service will be continuously delivered.