Dropping out: A Study of the Sources of University Dropout in Iran

University students’ dropout has always been a crucial and key problem in academic institutions all over the world which can give rise to far-reaching consequences at various levels. Currently, this social phenomenon is enhancing dramatically and governments are forming policies to address it. In line with this argument, few studies have identified this issue in the context of Iranian universities. To this end, the present study was undertaken to investigate the sources of dropout of undergraduate students. To investigate the sources of dropout at university level, 105 cases of undergraduate students who dropped out from a university, were analyzed through interview and content analysis. The results were thematically coded under four dominant categories: academic, disinterest in the field, not liking the university or country, and family reasons which will be discussed in paper. This article opens up new research directions for students who have dropped out and have implications for university authorities and parents to prevent this issue