Four fridges with freezers, in a row in the narrow kitchen. Two bathrooms, both equipped with tumble dryer and washing machine. – And then I think we have at least ten panelists, says student Isak Røssevold Christensen (23). There will soon be ten people living in his collective on Nygårdshøyden in Bergen. Now Christensen is excited about how big their electricity bills will be over the autumn. – If the price trend continues, it will be expensive anyway. Straumstipend will help, if not I will be forced to work more than is desirable to cover the expenses and then it will go beyond the studies, says the 23-year-old. MUST WORK MORE: Isak Røssevold Christensen will start his third semester on similar policies at UiB. He expects to have to work more to get it going financially. Photo: Jon Bolstad / news No own stream support This spring, he was one of over 120,000 students who applied for and received NOK 3,000 in stream grants via the Lånekassen. The scheme from the government has cost over NOK 360 million. But electricity prices have continued to rise. The price range for South-West Norway has seen several records this summer. In the last week, the average price of electricity in Bergen has been just over three kroner per kilowatt hour. Students and politicians have asked whether the scheme with stream grants should not continue until the autumn. – For now, it’s not on the table, no. We are concerned that students are taking part in the support that all households receive and we have announced that we will strengthen it from 1 September, says Signe Bjotveit, political adviser to Minister Ola Borten Moe (Sp). ADVISER: Political advisor to Minister Ola Borten Moe (Sp), Signe Bjotveit. Photo: Ilja C. Hendel / Ilja C. Hendel Big differences He points out that the state must compensate 90 per cent of the price above 70 øre per kilowatt hour. The compensation is brought forward by one month. As is well known, there are large differences in electricity prices in Norway, but the government’s electricity grant did not take this into account. All students could apply for support of NOK 3,000. – We are busy with measures that hit those who actually have high bills. It is always better to end up in the large support scheme for the rest of society, than to have your own special schemes that do not hit as well. – As of today, it is more important for us to strengthen the general support that the households, and the students, receive, says Bjotveit. REACTS: Head of the Western Welfare Council, and deputy head of the Conservative Student Association in Bergen, Ida Steinsland Lutro. Photo: Jon Bolstad / news – Several people refuse to become students Student politician Ida Steinsland Lutro in the Western Welfare Council thinks it is “hair-raising” that the scholarship scheme has not been continued and is in place for the autumn semester. – The Straumstipendet is just as necessary this autumn, if not even more so in fact. They cannot wait until well into the autumn to put such an arrangement in place, she says. She herself received a electricity grant this spring, which according to her covered 1.5 electricity bills during the semester. Students with a full loan from Lånekassen receive a payment of just over NOK 23,000 at the start of the semester, after which they are paid NOK 8,788 per month. Lutro has heard of several people who refuse to start studying this autumn. – They cannot imagine how they are going to manage to make it work. Demand higher student support Student politicians are also reacting nationally. – We expect a quick solution to the critical situation. Then we have to consider that what will solve the students’ vulnerable financial situation in the long term is an increase in student aid, says leader Maika Godal Dam of the Norwegian Student Organisation. Both Dam and Lutro indicate that the consumer price index has increased by 6.8 per cent in one year, while student aid increased by 2 per cent in 2022. – High electricity prices are therefore hitting the students hard, says Dam. When asked what will make the government turn around and still give stream grants to the students this autumn, Bjotveit replies: – It is too early to say anything about now.
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The government is now cutting current grants to students of 3,000 kroner a month via the Lånekassen – news Vestland
