University of Groningen to repay long-term student penalty as quickly as possible

Students who have paid the long-term student penalty will be repaid their money as soon as possible. The University of Groningen is working as hard as it can on implementing the necessary administrative adaptations. The University aims to repay the money before the end of the month.

About three thousand students at the University of Groningen had to pay the long-term student penalty. Some paid in one instalment, others chose to pay in several instalments and paid the first, and others registered but chose to wait before paying the penalty.

After discussions with the Netherlands Association of Universities of Applied Science (HBO-raad) and the Association of Universities in the Netherlands (VSNU), state secretary Halbe Zijlstra announced on Friday that, in advance of the law being revoked, the implementation of the long-term student regulation would cease as soon as possible. ‘We are now busily working out what the consequences will be, because it has to happen in a controlled way’, he said.

The Dutch House of Representatives approved the 2013 subbudget today. This makes it possible for the State Secretary to implement his plans.

President of the Board Sibrand Poppema is extremely glad that there is now clarity. ‘The measure was unfair because it was introduced without any transition period’, he said. ‘It hit students who could not have anticipated it and taken measures to avoid it. I hope that they can now continue their studies with renewed enthusiasm.’