No long-term energy support for students via basic grant
Starting in September, students will receive a basic grant again. In the first year, it is €164 higher, due to inflation. There was a plan to provide such financial support in later years as well, but the Spring Memorandum shows that this will not go through. Why?
What is a basic scholarship?
A monthly loan with DUO that is waived if you graduate on time.
How high will the basic scholarship be in September?
The basic scholarship is €110.30 for students who still live with their parents. If they are out of the house, it’s €274.90. For students living away from home, €164.30 will be added to that from September, due to high inflation.
And will that €164.30 disappear after a year?
Yes, according to the new Spring Memorandum. There was a plan by CDA and D66 to provide three more years of support (but a little less). There would be enough money for that increase because, as of September 2024, the halving of tuition fees for first-year and second-year teacher education students will end.
That amounts to €450 million. But the cabinet has a gap in the budget. The Spring Memorandum shows that the money will be used to close this gap. The cabinet is thus breaking a “direct promise” to students, argues the National Union of Students.
But wasn’t that money promised to students?
Not quite. Dijkgraaf did promise that any money taken away from students (by ending tuition remission) “should flow back to students.” In the long run, this will happen: it is intended for the supplementary grant.
But for the money already freed up in the next few years, the cabinet and the governing parties have come up with all sorts of different purposes. Part of it goes to MBO (secondary vocational education), and part is intended for knowledge security in higher education and research.
Indeed, another substantial portion should go to students living away from home as support for increased energy costs. A broad parliamentary majority seemed to be in favor of it. But the cabinet was never keen on this, and the ruling parties ultimately did not introduce their motion along these lines.
Is there anything left that can be done?
The plans probably won’t go through now, but in principle, the House of Representatives could push back on the cabinet, for example, if the ruling parties still put forward that motion. Even the Senate could still make trouble if the senators think this issue is important enough. There, the cabinet does not have a majority.
What do students think?
They are not happy. The cabinet is breaking a “direct promise” to students, according to the National Student Union. President Joram van Velzen says: “It is one thing to make cuts when there are unexpected setbacks, but it is incomprehensible to then start cutting back on students. The Lower House really needs to pull the emergency brake.”
