Citizenship, Math and Gender: Exploring Immigrant Students' Choice of Majors

This study examines the impact of host-country citizenship on immigrant students' choice of academic majors, using data from an Italian university and incorporating characteristics of students' countries of origin. The analysis focuses on enrolment in fields of study categorized by mathematical content. The findings reveal three main points: First, obtaining citizenship reduces the likelihood of choosing math-related disciplines; second, this effect is more pronounced among women, further widening the gender gap in math-intensive fields; and third, these gaps are larger among students from more gender-equal countries but are less affected by the acquisition of citizenship. These results are supported by matching techniques, two-stage least squares, and robustness and sensitivity analyses. Given that math-intensive fields are linked to higher earning potential, the findings suggest that investment in mathematical skills may serve as a safeguard against labour market risks—a necessity that lessens upon acquiring citizenship, especially for women. Although this shift could adversely affect future earnings, it also contributes to a more even distribution of students across disciplines, potentially enhancing diversity in occupations where immigrants are traditionally under-represented.