Government policies in the areas of education and health have deeply important and far reaching consequences for individuals. It is therefore imperative that such policies are informed by evidence coming from careful and detailed scientific research.
This thesis aims to provide such evidence for two important subtopics underneath the broad umbrella of health and education.
The first of these subtopics is the study of a crucial part of students’ educational experiences: their peers.
The second of these subtopics is the phenomenon of income related health inequalities, which describe the pervasive difference in health by income.
Specifically, the chapters of this thesis aim to shed light on how and why the ability of one’s peers can affect academic performance, the patterns of interaction between native and foreign students at university, and the relationship between income related health inequalities and economic conditions.