A Systematic Review of Pathways of Indigenous Students in Higher Education: Biographical Dimension, Barriers, and Facilitators

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-73782026000100101

Keywords:

academic pathway, indigenous, higher education, systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review analyzes the academic trajectories of Indigenous students in higher education. Its objectives are to identify temporal emphases on educational trajectories, examine the biographical dimension, and analyze the barriers and facilitators that shape these pathways. The PRISMA method was used to search for studies published between 2016 and 2024 in the WoS, SciELO, and Scopus databases. The results reveal a concentration of research on student persistence, while graduation has been comparatively underexplored. Academic trajectories are configured as non-linear processes, shaped by structural inequalities, insufficiently inclusive institutional models, and the limited incorporation of Indigenous epistemologies. Key facilitators identified include support networks, institutional programs, and the mobilization of community cultural resources by students. From an analytical perspective and drawing on Bourdieu and Yosso, the study proposes an interpretation that articulates structural reproduction and agency, moving beyond deficit-oriented approaches. It concludes that a comprehensive understanding of academic trajectories requires strengthening longitudinal, comparative, and intersectional approaches, as well as promoting institutional and pedagogical transformations oriented toward recognition, participation, and cultural relevance in higher education.

Author Biographies

Daniela Paz Pérez.Ossa, Universidad de Tarapacá

English–Spanish translator from Universidad Arturo Prat (Iquique), Master’s Degree in English Language Teaching from Universidad de Tarapacá (Arica), and MBA in Integrated Quality Management from Universidad de Viña del Mar. She is currently a doctoral candidate in Education at Universidad de Tarapacá, Chile. She has taught in undergraduate translation and English teacher education programs, as well as Spanish in intercultural border contexts, with an emphasis on linguistic and cultural diversity. She is a member of the Núcleo de Educación Intercultural, Migraciones y Fronteras of Universidad de Tarapacá and Universidad Privada de Tacna. Her doctoral research focuses on the trajectories and cultural wealth of Indigenous students enrolled in English degree programs in Chile.

Denisse Sepúlveda, Centro de Economía y Políticas Sociales (CEAS), Universidad Mayor

Sociologist from Universidad de la Frontera. She earned a Master’s Degree in Gender and Culture, specializing in Social Sciences, from Universidad de Chile. She subsequently completed her doctorate at the University of Manchester, England. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland. She was also a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Social Conflict and Cohesion Studies (COES). She is currently an associate researcher on the project “Successful trajectories of social mobility in contemporary Chile,” funded by the Julius Baer Foundation. She is also an adjunct researcher at the Núcleo Milenio de Investigación sobre Educación Antirracista Chilena (MRACE).

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Published

2026-07-25

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Pérez.Ossa, D. P., & Sepúlveda, D. (2026). A Systematic Review of Pathways of Indigenous Students in Higher Education: Biographical Dimension, Barriers, and Facilitators. Revista Latinoamericana De Educación Inclusiva, 20(1), 101–117. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-73782026000100101

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Vol. 20 No. 1 (2026)

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Temática Libre

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