Wednesday December 22, 2021
Rapid reform announced
More students should receive student loans
Studying in Germany is increasingly dependent on the budget, as the Bafög report shows: Not even every fifth student eligible to apply receives funding. Education Minister Stark-Watzinger announces a quick reform of student loans – including “start-up aid” for new students from poor families.
Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger from the FDP has announced a swift reform of the student loan. The FDP politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group that the training funding should become more flexible and better match the reality of the students. “The funding periods are getting longer, changing subjects should be easier, the age limits are being raised,” said the minister. In addition, the funding rates are to be increased and the tax exemptions increased so that more students are entitled to student loans.
Stark-Watzinger wants to encourage first-year students from poor families in particular: “In order to give students from socially disadvantaged families more support, we will introduce start-up packages of up to 1500 euros.” High costs for a laptop or other necessary purchases to start your studies shouldn’t be a hurdle for studying.
In a second step, the Bafög should become more parent-independent, said the minister. “The parents’ income should not be decisive in the future,” she told the Funke newspapers. Regardless of the family’s financial situation, students should in future receive basic child benefits paid out directly.
Only 1.75 million students are eligible to apply
This Wednesday, the federal cabinet will deal with the new student loan report. The report shows that the number of beneficiaries and the number of beneficiaries has continued to decrease, Stark-Watzinger told the newspapers. According to the report, of a total of 2.8 million students, only 321,000 received student loans. Only 1.75 million students were even eligible to apply, it said. The others have exceeded the standard period of study, are too old or are studying part-time.
“Most recently, only 18.5 percent of those entitled to benefits were funded, which is almost one in five,” said Stark-Watzinger. Considering the total number of students, that is bitter. According to “Handelsblatt” in 2010 it was more than 27 percent. Among the university of applied sciences students it is only 15 percent. “I would therefore like to give the student loan a boost as soon as possible,” said the minister.