Over 24,000 Norwegian school pupils have received a resident grant from Lånekassen during the past year. The very youngest people who will now be moving away from home are only 15 years old. While students have arrangements that make it possible to obtain student housing at most universities, many of the youngest students have to go to the private rental market. School pupils receive NOK 4,979 when they have to move to go to school. There are no expats in Norway who can live off the money they receive today, according to the Student Association. Mathilde Mortensen (17) from Kabelvåg believes that many people living away are stressed about the economy. – I still wonder where the money goes. That 16-17-year-olds should go around stressing like this is completely idiotic. The 17-year-old comes from Lofoten and has moved to Bodø to attend sports. She is now in her second year here. The dream is the Armed Forces and the hunting troop. Nordland is the county with the most non-resident pupils between the ages of 16 and 18. Here, many residents have to deal with high housing prices, high electricity prices and, in addition, they have to set aside money to be able to buy food. Mathilde says that she would not have managed without financial support from her parents. This is not the case for everyone. – Not everyone has parents or someone at home who can support them in the same way as I do. I know that some have taken out loans or have to work to make ends meet. A 16-year-old should not have that kind of responsibility, she believes. Will increase the stipend Figures from Lånekassen show that the stipends have not developed in line with the prices elsewhere in society. Previously, news has told that, according to the Education Act, the county councils have a duty to help students find a place to live, and if necessary they must build student homes. Nevertheless, only 4 of the 100 largest schools in this country have accommodation for their students. The student organization believes that the county municipalities should take that bill. The county council for education and competence, Elin Dahlseng Eide (Ap), has previously rejected a proposal from the Liberal Party to build student homes in Bodø. She believes that increased stipends will equalize the difference between those with good and those with less good advice. Now she has asked the government to allocate money from the national budget. What scholarships can I get? You get the Borteboer stipend… if you live 40 km away from school (about a 40-minute drive one way), if you spend more than three hours a day traveling to and from school, when there are special conditions at home that make you can’t live there. Parental support (income-dependent grant) If your parents have a very low income, you may be entitled to more grant. If your parents earn more than NOK 724,998 a year in total, you will not receive an income-related grant regardless of the family situation. If you have fewer than three siblings, or if one of your parents has a new partner or spouse, the limit is lower. Equipment grant NOK 1,096 is paid at the start of school. The equipment grant will help to cover what you need in terms of equipment for the line you are taking, such as a PC or chef’s clothes. How much you get depends on which line you take. Scholarships are money you receive and do not have to pay back. The exception is if you are paid more scholarship than you are entitled to. Then you have to pay back what you have received too much. This can happen, for example, if you quit in the middle of the school year. Source: Lånekassen as of 3 November 2021 – The reason is that everything has become more expensive. I am concerned about the high costs students have for accommodation and food. Many are experiencing particularly tough conditions, says the county councillor. And adds: – The financial situation of the residents away from home is a particularly important issue in our county, says county councilor Elin Dahlseng Eide. Photo: Bente H. Johansen / news – Nordland has more than 1,800 rural residents in Nordland, and has pupils at 28 schools in the county. This means that this is a particularly important problem in our county. Therefore, I hope and believe we will see a boost in the state budget. But how much more each student gets to mess with, she does not dare to predict. We will get that answer on 6 October when the national budget is presented. – Everything cannot be done in one state budget. But that you continue on the path you have started on. Hoping for more The fact that the resident grant will increase is good news for Mathilde Mortensen. Every month she sits down and makes a budget. – Everything is getting more expensive, while the resident grant has been virtually stagnant in recent years, says Mathilde Mortensen. Photo: Bente H. Johansen / news – I set aside NOK 2,000 a month for food – so 500 a week. Then I spend NOK 800 on a fitness center and a travel card, which enables me to travel home to Lofoten at the weekends. Now she hopes that the increase in the resident grant will pay off properly. – Pupils do not move voluntarily. It is not right that you should not have the extra expenses you incur by going to school covered. Secondary education must be free in Norway. It is not today.
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– The non-resident stipend must increase, says the county council for education – news Nordland
