Abstract
This research aims to compare the effect of higher education on some Upper Egyptian women's practice of self autonomy at both work and home. The most important revelation this research makes is the fact that although no one can deny the importance and significance of higher education to Upper Egyptian women, yet it failed to challenge the traditional gender division of work. Hence, it affected negatively Upper Egyptian women's perceptions of self-autonomy. The empirical evidence laid down in this research emphasizes that the relationship between women's higher education and their self-autonomy, empowerment, and gender equality yields consistently positive effects of education on some aspects, especially on their participation in decision-making at home. However, women seem to be unaware of their possession of such power. For other aspects of women's life, the empirical evidence suggests that a range of underlying social, cultural and especially economic conditions need to be more favourable in order for women's higher education to have a beneficial effect on gender equality and women's mastery of self-autonomy.