Denmark Discontinues Its Student Grant for Studies in Russia & Belarus

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Denmark/April 23, 2022/Sourca: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/

Danish students and EU citizens who receive the state’s student grant will no longer be eligible for one if they are studying in Russia or Belarus, the Danish government has decided.

The measure exempts all students in Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in studies related to Russia and Belarus from receiving state grants, which the government allocates to students who attend full time higher education, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

However, the grant can be turned into a loan of €1,680 if the recommendation of the Reform Commission is approved. Moreover, the Commission wants to keep the grants for undergraduate students or those taking vocational qualifications. In addition, savings made by the state, as the head of the Commission, Nina Smith, says, should be invested in education.

“We are proposing more and better education. Not less education, if anyone should have the silly idea of interpreting this as such. This is an investment exercise, not a cost cutting exercise,” Smith said.

According to The Local, critics of the proposal believe the measure can discourage people who don’t earn as much from attending higher education as those with a master’s degree get paid more.

The Statens Uddannelsesstøtte (SU) grant was initially introduced in Denmark to help people with financial hardships to pursue higher education. The grant has been successful as the system has witnessed many people enrolling in universities over the year, increasing by nearly three per cent.

Previously, the Danish Education Ministry revealed that the number of people applying for higher education through Quota 2 has dipped to 48,801, which is significantly lower than in the previous year.

More specifically, the application rates were down by 19.6 per cent. The reason for such levels is believed to be the Coronavirus, as fewer options were available to students from unprivileged backgrounds.

“One reason for this [high applications records] was that the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the closure of institutions and numerous restrictions, made it difficult for people to take up jobs, to study abroad, or go on higher education placements abroad,” the Ministry’s press release read.

The total number of applications received by Danish authorities will be announced on July 5, which is also the deadline for applications via Quote 1, while applicants will receive a response regarding their application by July 28.

Source: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/denmark-discontinues-its-student-grant-for-studies-in-russia-belarus/