Residential environment and academic performance in Bangladeshi public universities

This study examines how undergraduate students’ residential environments relate to academic performance in Bangladeshi public universities. Using cross-sectional survey data from 500 students across 15 universities, we estimate regression models to assess differences in cumulative grade point average (CGPA) by residential status and explore the mediating roles of sleep duration, class attendance, and internet quality. The results show that students living in university halls and private mess accommodation have significantly lower CGPA than those residing with their families. These disadvantages are partially explained by shorter sleep duration, reduced class attendance, and poorer internet access. By framing residential status as an institutional learning condition rather than a purely individual choice, this study provides new quantitative evidence from Bangladesh and highlights the importance of improving residential and digital infrastructure to reduce academic inequality in public higher education.