Latest on the student financial aid reform

The task of Roope Uusitalo, Professor of Economics at the University of Jyväskylä, was to propose ways in which the student financial aid cuts will be implemented. These cuts are based on the current Government Programme. In his report 29 February 2016 Uusitalo has put forward eight-point program, whose main points are the reduction of student grants, the restriction of the eligible studying months, tightening the conditions for the progress of studies and student loan credit reduction and tightening its terms and conditions. Under the program, the loan proportion is increasing, but at the same time the interest rate hedging is proposed. The report in Finnish.

In their joint statement 3 March 2016 SYL and SAMOK conclude that the presentation, especially in this economic and social situation, is cutting the income of the already-low-income people and decreasing the faith in the future and criticized the increased loan component and lack of perseverance in student financial aid reforms in this proposal. The unions have doubts that the savings are based on erroneous calculations of the Ministry of Finance and require reconsidering of the cuts and listening to the students in the debate and decision-making on their financial aid. Finland’s Government addresses the reform during March.

Further information
Roni Sorsa
Member of the Board, Social Policy
sopo@jamko.fi