SWANSEA Erasmus students in danger of losing their exchange funding have been thrown a lifeline by the university.
The European Council recently announced the Erasmus programme, which provides funding for postgraduate study, did not have enough money to pay all the grants EU students applied for this year.
According to Dennis Abbot, European Council spokesman, by the end of September, only seven out of ten students received the economic aid the programme should have provided, as its budget had a “worrying shortfall” of 90 million euros deficit (£73 million).
As as result it is estimated that 81,000 out of 270,000 Erasmus students are not sure to get the support that the Erasmus scheme entitles them to.
Alain Lamssoure, a member of the European parliament (MEP) said, “The European social fund is bankrupt and some social welfare schemes such as Erasmus need additional contributions from states in order to hold on this year.”
“Commission needs extra £73 million from EU states. Otherwise, there may be a decreasing of the grants offered, or they might provide less economic support”.
Swansea University Eramus students, however, are in less danger than others in the UK.
The International Development Office at Swansea University has said that Erasmus students will receive the economic support they need to study abroad.
“Swansea University is committed to promoting student mobility. A range of opportunities are currently available, with new opportunities being developed on an ongoing basis.
“While the Erasmus tuition fee waiver has been abolished in Wales, Swansea University remains committed, and therefore has pledged to not charge tuition fees to students on the Erasmus program this year or next.”
Nevertheless, like all the universities across Europe, Swansea has not yet received information about the Erasmus grant for next academic year.
Emanuel Alfranseder, International Erasmus Student Network (ESN) president, told The Waterfront: “Member states must agree in order to ensure Erasmus’s future. I am optimistic though. Even if the economic situation is critical, Commission wanted to increase by 70% the education funding in the years coming. I’d suggest students to keep applying for it.”
More than 2.5 million students have flown the nest since Erasmus program began 25 years ago. Swansea student Maria Otamendi is one of them.
Erasmus student Maria Otamendi
She said: “I am really worried. My home university in Spain told me I will get my grant, but if EU doesn’t invest more on education, lots of students may have problems in the future, and that makes me sick”.
