Theoretical models of dropout in higher education and notes on the national context

Abstract The dropout phenomenon is configured as a concern in undergraduate courses at Brazilian universities, causing some problems, among which we highlight the expenditure of public resources, resulting in a serious commitment to qualification of our young people, in the most varied areas of knowledge.Theoretical research on evasion in higher education, especially those related to evasion in Brazil, are very recent, but, despite being recent, they are very important so that we can situate ourselves in face of this phenomenon and better understand it, since they bring losses, both for institutions and for individual who evades.In this sense, this article presents important theoretical models on evasion, such as those elaborated by Tinto, Bean, Coulon, Astin and Cabrera, authors commonly used as a reference in studies on university dropout.We seek, therefore, to encourage and deepen that discussion, contextualizing the dropout phenomenon from our reality, with studies carried out by Brazilian researchers.So that solutions can be thought of, knowledge of reality is fundamental.