Science - April 7, 2005

EU students get grant after five years

Students from EU member countries who have been living in the Netherlands for at least five years will in future be eligible for a study grant, a student travel card and a loan

Secretary of State for Education Mark Rutte wrote this in reply to questions asked in the Dutch parliament. Until now EU students could only receive study finance if they worked at least 32 hours a month. This also entitled them to tuition fee compensation.

The new ruling is in response to a recent pronouncement by the European Court of Justice. A French student had taken the English authorities to court for refusing him a grant, while he had already been living in the UK for three years. The student won the case.

It is not known whether there are students in Wageningen who fulfil the requirement. / HOP, JH