CBS: total student debt doubled since introduction of loan system

The total study debt of (former) students has risen to 28.2 billion euros. That is 1.7 billion more than last year and more than twice as much as before the introduction of the loan system in 2015. And interest rates are rising.

Study debts have increased substantially in recent years, reports statistics agency CBS. Moreover, the interest rate on study debts is quintupling, as study finance provider DUO confirms today.

Over 1.6 million people had study debt at the beginning of 2023. Since the introduction of the loan system in 2015, the average debt has increased by 4,700 euros to 17.1 thousand euros.

Aantal mensen

Over 330,000 (former) students had a study debt of more than 30,000 euros in 2023. This is 26,000 more students than in 2022 and 215,000 more than before the loan system. Almost two thousand students have more than 100,000 euros of debt.

But there are also (former) students with lower debts, if only because they have already repaid part of it. For half of them, the debt is less than 10,000 euros.

25- to 30-year-olds

People between the ages of 25 and 30, the so-called ‘unlucky generation’, have benefited little or not at all from the basic grant and could only borrow. They have also had little time to repay. In that age group, debt is highest: 22,900 euros on average.

Young students up to 20 years old apparently borrowed a little less. Now that the basic grant is back, that will be even less.

Even higher figures

Social Affairs Minister Van Gennip reported yesterday to the House of Representatives a higher total study debt: 29.2 billion euros. In her calculations, in addition to student loans, she included the ‘Lifelong Learning Credit’ for working people who retrain.