The UG has created an emergency fund for students who’ve run into financial issues because of the war in Ukraine. Until at least September, they’ll be able to borrow 900 euros a month from the university.
Aart Korten, head of the bureau of General Administrative and Legal Affairs and member of the Ukraine task force, announced this to the university council last Thursday. The university is limited in its efforts to help students because it can’t use public funds. But support for Ukrainian and Russian students, among others, are a public issue.
The university is now exploring the option to use the private Ubbo Emmius Fund to supply further support. The UG is also trying to ‘pressure The Hague’ to change tuition fees, among other things.
‘One option would be to label Ukrainian students as EU citizens next year, allowing them to pay normal tuition fees rather than the higher fees’, said Korten.
Programmes
The university is also trying to help refugee students in ways other than financial. ‘If they were students in Ukraine and they fled here, we’ll try to help them whenever we can by offering them specific programmes here, or by providing them facilities to take online classes from Ukraine.’
The university is also exploring housing options. But just like financial aid, that’s difficult to realise without The Hague’s approval.