IN TIMES OF NEED: THE UNIVERSITY'S SOCIAL SERVICE

In the previous issue of The Voice, we took a dive into the nature of the financial problems international students cope with. As a next step, some solutions to those monetary troubles are put forward. Most students know that the Social Service of K.U.Leuven is the place to be for financial advice; but for many it is unclear in which cases they can effectively ask monetary support.

Before coming to study in Leuven, international students are informed about the average costs of living in their new environment. Brochures with a detailed overview of all possible costs assure that they know what they’re dealing with. (In the brochure ‘Studying in Leuven’, the monthly living costs are estimated at 623 euros for a single person) The government asks international students to prove their ability to provide the necessary amount of money as a precondition to enter Belgian Universities. Nevertheless, lots of foreign students cope with financial deficits during their stay. Where does it go wrong? According to the staff of the Social Service, some structural problems exist that cannot be tackled easily. Many Philippines, for example, sent part of their allowance to their family in their home country. Nonetheless, these students are not able to maintain themselves in Leuven with only a share of their initial budget left. It is not easy to combine taking care of a family with full time studies. Students who bring their family with them to Leuven are very aware of that. The scholarship that is awarded to those students often is calculated to what one person needs but is inadequate to cover the expenses of a whole family. A lot of students coming to Belgium assume that they will be able to increase their tight budget by getting a student job. This, however, is an unrealistic assumption, as the offer of jobs for English speakers is very limited. The structural problems mentioned here cannot be solved by one single intervention; that is why, in those cases, the Social Service can do nothing but give advice.

SAVING THE DAY

Nevertheless, when a student has sufficient means to his or her disposal, but gets into troubles due to unexpected misfortune, the Social Service can intervene and correct the situation. A very common problem experienced by foreign students is a delay of the payment of their scholarship. When the delay lasts for quite some time, students who solely live of their scholarship are forced to take a loan. The interest payments that come with this loan, make it even more harsh to straighten out their financial situation. Another frequently occurring problem is the inability of students to pay for additional tutoring. For students with insufficient academic background, a couple of extra hours can make the difference between failing or passing the exams. It is not tolerable that some students are able to make use of tutoring, and consequently finish their studies successfully, while less fortunate students are not. Other unexpected events, such as a computer that breaks down, an accident and the high medical cost that can come with it, or an unforeseen travel home, can cause serious deficits in a student’s monthly budget. In these cases, paying a visit to the Social Service can help a great deal. During the academic year 2007-2008, some 20% of the questions coming from international students, concerned financial issues. Over 50 foreign students were supported financially, the majority of them received an allowance to be able to pay medical costs. It is important for international students to know that whether or not they can apply for monetary support depends on personal circumstances. In any case, it is a good idea to pass by the Social Service and listen to their suggestions. The facilities are there, now we only can hope that the people who need it the most will easily find their way to appropriate aid.

For questions concerning practical, legal or financial matters, you can stop by at the Social Service, Van Dalecollege, Naamestraat 80. (Every workday 2 PM - 5 PM) |