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Students working more but feeling financial heat

Austrian students at higher-educational institutions are working more but also coming under more financial pressure, according to the newspaper Die Presse.

It reported yesterday (Weds) that the percentage of students with jobs had risen from 58 per cent in 2006 to 62 per cent in 2009 and that the percentage who worked an entire semester had gone up from 40 to 45 per cent during that period.

Students worked an average of 19.7 hours a week last year, 0.6 of an hour more than in 2006.

At the same time, their financial situation worsened. Whereas 15 per cent said in 2006 their financial situations were difficult, that percentage rose to 26 per cent in 2009.

Students� budgets averaged 1,040 Euros monthly in 2006 but declined to 980 Euros last year. Male students� budgets that averaged 1,012 Euros monthly were higher than female students� budgets that averaged 953 Euros monthly in 2009.

Students are also studying fewer hours than four years ago. Whereas they studied an average of 33.5 hours a week in 2006, they studied an average of only 30.3 hours a week in 2009.

The information provided by the newspaper comes from a census of students. The science ministry that is responsible for higher education has had the Institute for Higher Studies (IHS) conduct a census of students every three years since the 1970s to find out about changes in their work and study habits

New People�s Party (�VP) Education Minister Beatrix Karl will present details of the census in Parliament after receiving a final report on the census next week. A science ministry spokesperson said it was important that "study conditions reflect students� real lives."

The Student Union (�H) has claimed the double burden of work and study is the reason for the longer time students need to graduate and for the rising number of those who drop out of school.

�H deputy leader Thomas Wallerberger said new census results showed "quite clearly that financial support for students is full of holes."

The Socialist Students Association (VSSt�) has claimed that students from less well-off families are forced to work and called for more financial assistance for students.

Austrian Times

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