Corona help for students after losing their jobs

Jens Richter is editor-in-chief at Since July 2020, the doctor and journalist has also been responsible as COO for business operations and the strategic development of

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For students who have lost their part-time job due to the corona pandemic and are not receiving student loans, all that remains is often to go to the job center. The Minister of Education wants to change that quickly. But there are still problems with the implementation.

Federal Education Minister Anja Karliczek (CDU) has announced additional unbureaucratic financial aid for students who are without work or income due to the Corona crisis. "Students who have lost their jobs should be able to apply for an interest-free loan as a bridging aid," Karliczek told the German Press Agency in Berlin on Sunday. "The support for the students concerned must be unbureaucratic, quick and effective."

Studentenwerk waves it away

In a letter to her ministerial colleagues in the federal states on Thursday, Karliczek announced this move. She is worried about those students who have got into financial distress due to the pandemic and are not entitled to student loans. For them, “only going to the job center and applying for a loan there,” says the letter.

According to information from the Ministry of Education, the main problem with supporting students who do not receive student loans is to find a carrier who can take over the implementation of the loan. The German Student Union was unable to do this. On the part of the federal states, there had been no initiative for a nationwide regulation by Thursday, it said.

Karliczek: Prevent study assignment due to a pandemic

Karliczek said: "My goal is that no student has to give up their studies for financial reasons because of the corona pandemic." Therefore, the student loan requirements have been adjusted at record speed. "But we also want to create short-term pandemic reinsurance for students who are in financial distress due to the pandemic but are still not eligible for student loans."

This loan should help to secure a living. The design of the project must, however, be considered. "The discussions are ongoing and should be brought to a conclusion as soon as possible."

FDP criticism: "Only short-term air to breathe"

Jens Brandenburg, university policy spokesman for the FDP in the Bundestag, welcomed the announcement of an interest-free loan for students in financial difficulties caused by the crisis. Karliczek must now finally inform the Bundestag about their plans.

At the same time, he criticized the fact that a loan creates breathing space in the short term, but does not solve the financial worries of many students in the long term. "Ms. Karliczek should also give direct grants to students in particular financial need," demanded Brandenburg.

Conference call on April 17th

The Green Science Ministers of Hesse, Baden-Württemberg and Hamburg as well as the university spokesman for the Greens in the Bundestag, Kai Gehring, had requested Corona aid from the federal government the day before to support students.

A five-point paper says that the student loan should be temporarily opened or that a federal emergency fund should be created. The Federal Ministry of Education said that the Joint Science Conference of the federal and state governments would discuss the topic on April 17th at a conference call. (jr / dpa)

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