First Funds for Students Affected by COVID-19
In the end of April this year Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) has established a support fund for students who experience financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund aims to support university students and their families who experience financial difficulties because of the lockdown. For more information about the fund, please visit this link.
The financial support is allocated for the students from the university’s own funds or collected by legal persons. Some of it was also acquired as support given in the form of 2 percent of the personal income tax. Forms of financial support for those affected by COVID-19 are following:
- Tuition fee concessions;
- Accommodation fee concessions;
- Partial reimbursement of expenses on provided services;
- One-time scholarships.
A university student who wishes to receive financial support related to COVID-19 has to submit a free-format request to the VMU Rector specifying a valid reason (situation) for allocation of financial support and present the documents that support it.
On May 8th, 2020, the first meeting of a commission for support for students who experience financial difficulties, was held. During this meeting all the requests, that were submitted by April 30th, 2020, were reviewed and evaluated. By this deadline university has received four requests and accompanying documents of University’s students:
- On the first request student was applying for reimbursement of expenses on plane tickets, which were purchased months ahead for travelling to VMU international bilateral traineeship, which was cancelled due to COVID-19 situation. Commission has made a decision to suspend the request until additional documents will be provided: payment slip which proves that the payment for tickets has been made; copies of tickets; and the information/response of the airlines on cancellation of the flights and refund for purchased tickets.
- On another request student was applying for reimbursement of additional expenses (plane tickets for cancelled flights, accommodation services) during the Erasmus+ study period. Student, who has submitted this request, has been granted an extension of payment of a VMU Mobility scholarship, which will cover accommodation expenses. For reimbursement of expenses on plane tickets, request was suspended until additional documents of the airlines on cancellation of the flights and refund for purchased tickets will be presented.
- On the third request student was applying for support due to significant reduction of family income. After taking into account social status of the family and the fact that student was already granted a tuition fee concession, commission has made a decision that addition support out of the fund for students affected by COVID-19 outbreak, will not be allocated. Student was advised to apply for social scholarship allocated by the State Studies Foundation.
- The fourth request of a student was applying for support due to significant income reduction of a family of three children. After taking into account social status of the family and presented documents, commission has made a decision to allocate a scholarship of 4 BSB out of University’s income received of 2 percent of the personal income tax.
We want to remind that applications shall be submitted by e-mail to studentas@vdu.lt until the end of each month. Applications that were submitted during the month of May will be reviewed in the beginning of June. At the beginning of each following month, decisions are made regarding the applications and each applicant is informed about this individually by e-mail.
