Costs of study, student income, and study behaviour in Denmark.
5. Other direct and indirect economic support for students
5.1. Support of health and other insurances
5.3. Provision of cheaper accommodation in halls of residence
5.4. Discount for the use of public transport
5.5. Living costs
5.6. Culture and leisure
6. The role of the higher education institutions in the economic support of students
7. Support of students by parents and relatives
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As already mentioned in chapter 4, the state educational grant and loan scheme is the
only source of economic support of any significance for students in higher education in
Denmark. However a few indirect types of economic support are available. Some practical
details must first be mentioned: When students are enrolled at a higher education
institution, they are provided with an identity card. The card differs from one
institution to another, but has the same function, namely being a proof that the student
is enrolled on a particular course. At the same time, the card gives access to discounts
in different situations. In the following paragraphs, the card will be referred to as
"study card".
As stated earlier (chapter 3), students can take out an advantageous insurance on liability and household effects if they are members of the student section of their future trade union. Students who live with their parents are covered by the parents' insurance(s) regardless of age. Students who live on their own, are covered by their parents’ insurance(s) until they reach the age of 21 years.
The more important and fundamental health insurance is, as mentioned in chapter 3, covered by the collective, tax-financed public health insurance.
The universities have book shops that specialise in scientific literature. By showing
their "study card" students will obtain a 10 - 15 per cent discount on books and
offices supplies. With reference to computers, students must pay ordinary market prices.
In 1978, the building of residence halls reserved for students stopped. New subsidised youth housing units have since then, been integrated in existing neighbourhoods and normal housing projects, to achieve a greater distribution. These youth housing units are no longer reserved for students, but can be rented to other young people with special needs. It is up to the individual municipality to determine if there is a need for youth housing in the area, and to observe the rules for renting these units.
About half of the 50.000 existing youth housing units are located in student residence halls, while the remaining half are integrated into normal housing projects.
To be offered a room in a student hall, the individual student must always hold a valid study card, that is to say they must be current students. Furthermore they must once a year get a certificate from their educational institution stating that they are actively studying.
Students are not provided with cheaper accommodation elsewhere, but can as any other Danish citizen with a poor economy, obtain a public rent subsidy if they live in a rented flat.
Since January 1st 1997 students in higher education entitled to grants or finalisation loans are also entitled to reductions in the price of their monthly season-tickets for trains and buses in Denmark. The reduction is 65 per cent of the costs exceeding DKK 300 pr. month, with a maximum reduction of DKK 500 pr. month.
The students are free to buy monthly season-tickets that costs more than DKK 300 at a reduced price for any distance and any 30-days period according to personal preference, and are free to use them 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The price for a monthly season-ticket for the Greater Copenhagen area is, for example, reduced by DKK 227 i.e. 35 per cent, from DKK 650 to DKK 423 for students entitled to a reduction.
Students will twice a year - in June and December - receive a letter from the SUstyrelsen confirming for which months in the following 6-months period they are entitled to buy monthly season-tickets at a reduced price. The reduction is obtained by presenting this letter together with normal photo-identification at any ticket sales office.
The annual income loss for the transport companies is estimated to be DKK 33 million in 1997, of which 90 per cent - or DKK 30 million- will be refunded by the state.
As this scheme is quite new, there are not yet any statistics available concerning the extent to which students make use of their right to these reductions.
The students will, in most cases, pay the market price for different kinds of everyday goods.
Students but also other low-income groups in Denmark may have reduced admission rates at museums, while expenses as charges for telephone, television and radio are the same price no matter economic ability.
Most travel agencies offer cheap travels for students, however most of the time they get the reduction not so much because of being students as because of young age.
The "study card" also allows the students discounts when taking out a subscription for newspapers, scientific or ordinary magazines.
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In Denmark higher education institutions play no direct role in the financial support of students. Students are employed in all kinds of public and private institutions, where they carry out tasks more or less relevant to their area of study. There will, therefore, be a number of student-employees within the higher education institutions. The tasks taken care of by students are found within administration, teaching and scientific work (assistants).
A few student halls are owned by higher education institutions, and are compared to other student halls, very cheap. Whereas the price per month at "ordinary" student halls in general is between DKK 1.300 - 2.100, the cost at e.g. the University of Copenhagen students’ hall is just below DKK 1.000. As the number of places at these halls is very limited, this has very little impact on the overall student economy.
As far as the management of the support scheme is concerned the approx. 195 educational institutions with support recipients in higher education have an important role as the link between students and SUstyrelsen in Copenhagen.
The institutions offer general and personal guidance to students, distribute and receive application forms, check them and pass them on to SUstyrelsen.
They also have to check that students observe study requirements and to pass information on changes that affect their eligibility for support of their support amount to SUstyrelsen, i.e. when students
- drop out, graduates before prescribed or take leave from the institution,
- start paid trainee service as part of their education or become part-time students,
- become "inactive" and "active" again, and
- change their residence status from living on their own to living with their parents.
A group of major institutions have been authorised by SUstyrelsen to decide on certain matters in the support scheme, i.e. on granting exemptions on different grounds.
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As mentioned earlier, The State Education Grant and Loan Scheme in Denmark is available to students at higher education institutions, regardless of the economic situation of their parents, other relatives and/or partners. Therefore there are no legal regulations requiring parents or others to support students economically.
Parents can however, because of the Danish taxation system, give their children a certain amount annually without being taxed. This can be done whether the children are studying or not. In this way, the system neither expects nor encourages parental support of students.
The survey among students at the University of Copenhagen (See Appendix B) , however, showed that nearly half the students were supported to some extent. 47 per cent of the respondents answered that they received some kind of economic support from their parents, only 11 per cent were given a fixed monthly amount, while the rest got "a penny" now and then.
Table 13 shows how age is a strong factor in the question of parental support. The younger the students, the more common it is to be supported economically. While almost every fifth student at the age of 24 or younger received a fixed amount each month, only 3 per cent of 30 year-olds did so. The older students on the other hand, more often had a partner from whom they received economic support in a more indirect manner, for example, by paying less towards household expenses.
Table 16. Economic support from parents
| Age |
Fixed amount |
Now and then |
No support |
No answer |
---------------per cent horizontal---------------- |
||||
| < 24 years | 19 |
47 |
31 |
3 |
| 24 - 29 years | 10 |
39 |
49 |
1 |
| >= 30 years | 3 |
19 |
75 |
3 |
| Total | 11 |
36 |
51 |
2 |
Source: "Statens Uddannelsesstøtte - et effektivt uddannelsespolitisk styringsinstrument?", speciale 1997.
As the survey didn't deal with the size of the amounts received, we have no exact knowledge of how significant this support is, however we judge it to be of little importance.
The survey did not deal with indirect economic support e.g. meals at home. However, as the State Education Grant and Loan Scheme distinguishes between students living at home and students living by themselves i.e. without their parents, it can be said that only 6 per cent of students at higher education institutions receiving grants live at the same place as their parents, which makes it reasonable to estimate this possible source of support as rather insignificant
The other source of information on parental support, the survey on user satisfaction among support recipients (See Appendix B), showed that about half of all support recipients in higher education living on their own, were supported by their parents to some extent. 17 per cent of those replying answered that they were given a fixed amount, 25 per cent received support now and then, 10 per cent very seldom, and 48 per cent that they never received any economic support from their parents.
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