‘Students miss out on study benefit because of incorrect information’

Almost 300 municipalities have put inaccurate information on their website about the study benefit for students with an impairment. This can make a difference of 300 euros per month to students with an impairment, pressure group Ieder(in) warns.

Students can apply to their municipality for a tuition allowance if an impairment or chronic illness prevents them from taking a job alongside their study programme. Since 1 April that benefit has been the same everywhere: a minimum of 150 euros per month for students aged 18 to 20 and 300 euros for those aged 21 and older.

Incorrect

But are they able to find the information about the allowance? Earlier this year, a majority of the House of Representatives felt it would be better to set up a one-stop shop where students with an impairment can ask for all the available support.

Since then, Ieder(in) has not been sitting on its hands but has searched for the term ‘study benefit’ (‘studietoeslag’) on 345 municipal websites. It emerged from that search that only 63 municipalities are providing the right information. 154 municipalities are giving incomplete or incorrect information about the benefit and 128 municipalities are giving no information at all.

Additionally, the application sometimes takes a very long time and occasionally students are not permitted to make an objection if an application is rejected. Ieder(in) has set up a hotline where people affected can take their complaints.