Financially healthy
The National Student Union (LSVb) has mixed feelings about the basic grant. Chairman of the LSVb Elisa Weehuizen explains: “Of course we are very pleased that the government has decided that the basic grant should be returned, but it is not enough yet.”
According to her, the amount of the scholarship is not enough. “Nibud has researched what the minimum monthly amount should be to keep a student financially healthy. That amount is around 400 euros and that is not what students get with the basic grant. And it is very annoying that students who, for for whatever reason, having studied for four years, getting nothing at all.”
Weehuizen is particularly disturbed by the attitude of the Ministry of Education. “We have spoken out about the level of the grant at the ministry, but they have shown that we should be happy that the basic grant is back at all. But it’s not enough for us, we want students to be financially healthy and that studying is financially accessible to everyone. Reintroducing the basic grant is the first step, but we are not there yet.”