– I have to borrow money from my parents every month, says Sofia Willoughby (22). She studies political science at the University of Stavanger. For over a year, she has worked in a shop alongside her studies. She has to in order to make it work. – I couldn’t live on loans and grants from Lånekassen because of the high prices today, she says. 86 per cent in work An analysis carried out by Lånekassen shows that almost nine out of ten full-time students had a job alongside their studies. The analysis is recent, but the figures go back a little in time. From 2016 to 2019, the proportion of working full-time students was flat at 86 per cent, while the proportion fell to 84 per cent in the corona year 2020. The analysis applies to those students who received a full loan. – There is great variation in how much the students work. Approximately one in four students works for all twelve months of the year, says Beate Ellingsen, head of the analysis section at Lånekassen. Beate Ellingsen is head of the analysis section at Lånekassen. She says there can be several reasons why students work. Some work to gain income – others work to gain work experience. Photo: Karianne Nygård Lånekassen has not had access to more recent figures than 2020, and therefore does not want to speculate on what the situation is like for the 2023 students. – Support must be increased The Norwegian Student Organization (NSO) says it is no wonder that so many students work. – Students lose NOK 6,407 per month if they only have to live on student aid, says head of NSO, Oline Sæther. This is a large deficit, and the leader of the organization says it is the reason why almost all students in the country are in work. – Student aid must be increased significantly, she says. Leader of the Norwegian Student Organization, Oline Sæther. Photo: Skjalg Bøhmer Vold And: – Students today spend less and less time on their studies – and increasingly more time at work. It is worrying, says Sæther. – It’s healthy that they work But Research and Higher Education Minister Sandra Borch (Sp) says it’s healthy that so many students work. – It gives students a big advantage on the job market afterwards. Working is a value in itself, she says. Minister for Research and Higher Education Sandra Borch (Sp). She says it is good that students work while they study. She believes it will give them an advantage on the job market after their studies. Photo: Morten Andersen / news Students are prioritized She mentions that the government has increased student aid this year by seven per cent. It is the biggest increase in 15 years. – We prioritize students. The figures also show that the job does not go beyond the studies either, says Borch. Here she talks about another analysis Lånekassen has done, where they have looked at whether there is a connection between income and study progression. The survey shows that there are not that great differences in completed study credits based on income level. – Goes beyond learning But the students news has spoken to do not recognize this. – The job goes beyond learning and the whole university experience in general, says Noah Andersen. Fellow student Ørjan Westre agrees. Noah Andersen and Ørjan Westre study economics at the University of Stavanger. They say it would not have been possible not to work alongside the studies. Photo: Stella Marie Brevik / news According to Lånekassen’s analysis, students work an average of ten hours a week. Noah and Ørjan both work ten hours a week. – It would have been impossible for me not to work. If I had eaten noodles every day, it wouldn’t have gone around anyway, says Ørjan.
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9 out of 10 students have a job alongside their studies – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
