Motherhood and Persistence in Higher Education: The Experiences of Student Mothers at a Public University in the Brazilian Amazon

This article examines the challenges to persistence experienced by student mothers at a public university in the Brazilian Amazon, focusing on their academic trajectories and perceptions of institutional support and student retention policies. It adopts a mixed-methods case-study design with qualitative emphasis. The participants were 32 students who identified as mothers and remained affiliated with the Federal University of Pará, including those temporarily absent from their studies or with suspended enrolment. Data was collected between September 2025 and March 2026 through an online questionnaire distributed via the university’s social media channels and posters displayed on campus. Closed-ended responses were analysed using descriptive statistics, while open-ended responses were examined through thematic analysis. The findings point to inequalities in support networks; the overlap between care, domestic work, paid employment and study; financial and transport difficulties; constraints on participation in academic activities; and varied experiences of support from teaching staff. Twenty-eight participants (87.5%) reported having considered suspending or leaving their course. At the same time, some accounts presented motherhood as a source of motivation to persist and seek better living conditions. The article concludes that persistence cannot be attributed solely to individual resilience: it requires institutional measures that recognise caring responsibilities, including financial support, provision for childcare, academic flexibility and the promotion of gender equality.