Tax knowledge and tax perception by students at the University of Szczecin

Purpose: The aim of the study is to evaluate the level of tax knowledge and analyze the perception of taxes by students at the University of Szczecin. To achieve the goal, the sources of this knowledge and the respondents’ approach to tax avoidance are investigated. It also presents the differences in the perception of taxes between male and female students. Research method/approach: The research was conducted in the form of interviews using a paper questionnaire Paper & Pen Personal Interview (PAPI) on a sample of 927 students at the University of Szczecin between April and June 2020. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and are presented as tables and figures. To the best of the author’s knowledge, research in this area is still very limited, which was confirmed by a systematic literature review conducted from April to December 2021. Findings: The research results made it possible to achieve the goal and answer the questions posed in the introduction. The students were mostly characterized by an average or low level of knowledge about taxes. One in three respondents indicated that Poles pay higher taxes than other European countries. Women are more willing to pay taxes, treating it as an obligation (65%), while only 50% of the surveyed men think the same. Almost half of the respondents stated that failure to report income to pay lower taxes is an expression of the weakness of the tax system. Research limitations/implications: The analysis concerned only a single research group; therefore, the results should not be applied to a larger or the entire collective. However, they may contribute to further research. Originality/value: The article contains the results of primary research on tax knowledge and how young people from generation Z perceive taxes and the concept of tax morality. Most of the respondents were interested in tax subjects being introduced into the curriculum. Therefore, the results provide a basis for considering the introduction of tax issues in all fields of economic study. The paper is one of the few in the Polish literature that contains an analysis of university students’ perceptions of taxes.