You continue to be in the red, economically. According to the budget made by the Swedish National Union of Students (SFS), you have a deficit of 285 SEK – each month.
Photo: Christina Zhou
In January, the loan-part of the study allowances was increased by 1,000 SEK. Despite this increase, students continue to have an economical deficit, according to this year’s student budget, compiled by the Swedish National Union of Students.
At the same time, the burden of debt for students who have received study allowances for three years has increased severely in the last five years. Each student is about 40,000 SEK deeper in debt today, compared with in 2010.
“This has a negative effect on the widened recruitment to the universities. It shuts the door on groups that are not inclined to put themselves in debt, and thus, taking the step to study at a higher level becomes bigger. At the same time, responsibility is shifted from the state onto the individual,” Rebecka Stenkvist, the chairperson of the Swedish National Union of Students, says.
Why do politicians want to have things this way?
“For many of them, it seems that it does not matter whether it is the loan-part or the grants that is increased, but for the students, it does. It is less costly for the state to increase the loan-part of the allowances, but more expensive for the student,” she says.
High spending-rate
But the Ministry of Education and Research does not want to comment on the students’ budget deficit.
“We decline commenting in this matter,” says Sofie Rudh, press officer for the Minister for Upper Secondary School and Adult Education and Training, Aida Hadzialic, who is responsible for matters concerning the study allowance.
“The students’ spending-rate was quite high only in 2013,” she says.
The Swedish Green Party, among others, went to the polls promising an increase in the study-grants. When will this promise become reality?
“There is no tangible proposition at the moment, and that is not a high priority. There are many other reforms within the education-sector that needs to be implemented first,” Sofie Rudh says.
Expected a positive result
SFS’s student budget is based on official statistics from the Swedish Consumer Agency (KO) and Studentbostadsföretagen. But there is a concealed problem – the budget does not contain data concerning those months in the summer when it is not possible to pay study allowances.
“It is yet another strain, not receiving study allowances during the summer. It is hard getting a summer job, and not all municipalities can provide financial support for those students who do not find a job during the summer months. This situation is not at all a good one, but SFS has no solution to the problem at the moment,” Rebecka Stenkvist says.
Last year, the students’ deficit amounted to 849 SEK, and this year, it is 285 SEK. In the time period between these two compilations, the study allowance has been increased by 1,000 SEK. Should the students not be in the black with 151 SEK now?
“Yes, we expected a positive or a precisely balanced result ending on zero. But this year, we have included the price for electricity in the cost for students’ living quarters, which Studentbostadsföretagen have not included before. Additionally, we have managed to get rid of the lagging data for the rents, and have thus included last year’s rent statistics, instead of that of 2013.
“Moreover, a few other costs have increased, according to the Swedish Consumer Agency,” Rebecka Stenkvist says.
Text: Carl-Johan Kullving
Translator: Richard Helander
