Student benefit: who will receive up to 2500 euros

The amendment to the bill on strengthening the state university and the basis for the functioning of non-profit branches of foreign universities establishes living allowance for all students public universities, high schools of tourism education and merchant marine academies of Greece, as well as schools of Cyprus included in the national examination system, at the level of 1500 euros.

If the recipient of the benefit lives with another student in the same rented premises, the benefit amount is 2000 euros.
For universities outside Athens and Thessaloniki, the €1,500 allowance increases to €2,000, and in the case of shared residence, to €2,500. The text of the amendment is as follows:

For undergraduate students of higher education institutions (HEIs), high schools of tourism education and merchant marine academies of Greece, as well as schools of Cyprus included in the Panhellenic (Panlines) examination system, citizens of Greece or other European Union countries an annual housing allowance of one thousand five hundred (€1,500.00) euros is provided.

In the event that a student lives with another student in the same rented house, an annual housing allowance of two thousand (€2000.00) euros is provided. Students pursuing a second degree are not eligible for this benefit.

The annual housing allowance is provided under the same conditions to students of state schools of higher vocational education.

The benefit referred to in the first paragraph is set at two thousand (€2000.00) euros exclusively for beneficiaries studying in higher education institutions outside the Attica region or the Thessaloniki regional entity. Exclusively in the case of a beneficiary studying at AEI outside the Attica region or the Thessaloniki regional unit and living with another student in the same rented house, an annual housing allowance of two thousand five hundred (€2.500.00) euros is provided.

A joint decision of the Minister of Education, Religion and Sports, the Minister of National Economy and Finance, and the ministers responsible for the matter determines the adjustment of the amount of the housing allowance, the academic years of payment, the procedure and method of payment of the above-mentioned allowance, the time of payment, the necessary documents, the authority or authorities for control and settlement of expenses, the body or bodies for their payment, the method of accounting calculations, as well as any other issue related to the implementation of this article.

In case the beneficiaries are studying in institutions controlled by the Ministry of Education, Religion and Sports (universities of higher education, Α.Ε.Ι.ΑΣΠΑΙΤΕ, Α.Ε.Α.), consideration of their applications and authorization of expenses are carried out by these institutions.

The same authorities shall verify and authorize the costs of those applications that have not been verified by the date of entry into force of this regulation, without prejudice to the provisions in force regarding the limitation period and taking into account the conditions in force at the time of submission of the beneficiary’s application.

To carry out calculations and settle expenses, the above bodies receive a subsidy from budgetary allocations included in the budget of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, which are transferred to a separate budget code number.

Expenditure obligations associated with beneficiaries who are students of schools of the Ministry of Tourism, Maritime Affairs and Island Policy are charged to the budgets of these ministries.

In particular, for 2017, the covering of these expenses by the above ministries will be carried out by transferring appropriations from the registered budget appropriations of the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs.

For those wishing to learn more, link to law published on the website of the Greek Parliament.

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