Students who receive a study grant for living away from home, while they are actually living with their parents are a problem for the Government. Those students cost the government at the moment forty to fifty-five million Euros per year. Minister of Education Van Bijsterveld, sent a law-proposition to the Lower Chamber in which she insists on more controle.
It is assumed that thousands of students give notice of the post address of an acquaintance to be reported as ‘living away from home’ and therefore receive more money from the government. If Van Bijsterveld’s proposal is accepted and carried out, one fifth of all suspected students can expect a visit at home. Students are for example suspected when they report to be living in the same street as their parents.
At the moment, DUO (Education Services) is only checking whether data from the systems is similar to data from the local government. This checking is rather easy to deceive, because students can change their post address into the address of a relative or acquaintance. If a student commits fraud this way, DUO changes the type of grant, and the student has to pay back the extra money.
According to the new proposition, students will get a heavy fine, besides paying back the extra money. Those who get caught for the second time while committing fraud, will be prosecuted and have to pay back the double.
