Economy, religion and educational institutions play an important role to a barrier for higher education. But culture is a main barrier, especially to female education. Male dominance and feudal system have also an impact of female higher education.

If the culture in a society is favorable to the kind of higher education pursued, it cannot be a barrier. But if the culture is against or opposed to the type of higher education sought, it is a barrier. Evidently, "western" culture is fit to the "western" kind of high ed

Decades ago, our society collectively believed and practiced that males must be prioritized in sending children to college because they will become the bread winners and the female "would just become plain housewives". It is fortunate that stage of our culture has vanished.