Students borrowing more
According to the recently published study ‘ Effect Wet studievoorschot op toegankelijkheid en leengedrag’, the abolition of the basic grant in 2015 had hardly any effect on student behaviour. They only borrow more. The study was carried out by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) in collaboration with DUO.
Since the abolition of the basic grant, students have been borrowing more often (and more) from DUO. For university students, this share rose from 18 to 57 percent with one of 600 euros per month. Abolition of the basic grant cost them 125 euros, while they went on borrowing an extra 280 euros.
Board member Eline van Hove (Interstedelijk Studentenoverleg, ISO) thinks it is logical that students borrow more nowadays. “Life has just become more expensive”, she states. She still thinks it’s a bad idea to let young people with high debts start their working life. They are less likely to get a permanent contract or a mortgage than previous generations. “We are afraid that the corona crisis will add to this.” (HOP, Hein Cuppen)
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