The government yesterday agreed on terms for the reform of the state-allocated student allowance, SU. Here are the central themes:
- SU for up to a maximum of 12 months beyond the standard amount of time required to finish an education limit will be granted to students who begin their higher education studies within two years of graduating from upper-secondary school
- Tightened demands on students to progress within their studies
- Students will only be able to take a maximum of five vocational training programmes while on SU.
- The basic SU amount for students who live with their parents is reduced to 898 kroner per month. Some students will be able to receive up to 1,586 kroner per month, depending on the income of their parents.
- Annual increases in the amount of SU will decline.
- The amount of income that an SU recipient can earn on top of their SU is increased by 1,500 kroner a month in 2014, and by 2,500 kroner a month from 2015.
- To encourage students to quickly complete their studies a 2,877 kroner grant will be paid every month to students who finish earlier than the standard limit time.
- Increased funds for the mileage allowance initiative (befordringsgodtgørelse). It will become easier to obtain a befordringsgodtgørelse if a student lives further than 24 kilometres from their place of education and there is no public transport available. The mileage amount is raised from 13.59 kroner per kilometre to 17.22 kroner per kilometre
- The implications of the recent EU Commission decision concerning the right of foreign students to receive SU will be further examined
