Medium-run effects of COVID-19 induced distant learning on students’ academic performance

Administrative data on bachelor students for 2014/15 to 2022/23 academic years are used to analyze their performance before, during, and – what is new in the literature – after the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis reveals that both low- and high-ability students of all affected cohorts received better grades during the semesters when teaching and examinations were delivered online, with the effect on low-ability students continuing through the first after-COVID academic year. However, improved grades contrast with lower graduation rates, especially among high-ability students. Detailed analysis of graduation patterns coupled with ECTS credits take-up analysis suggests that high-ability students were often discouraged from studying during the pandemic. For low-ability students, the negative influence of COVID-19 was compensated by the lenient grading policy that allowed them to pass the compulsory exams and continue studying.