Fee-paying students from outside the EU are calling on the Swedish government to help postpone and reduce their tuition fees to take the effects of the coronavirus into account.
The pandemic has hit hard on economies around the world, and for many international students, this has affected their ability to pay tuition fees. Students from outside the EU pay between 80,000 and 270,000 kronor per year to study at a Swedish university.
Over the past couple of months, many have lost their extra jobs in Sweden, or their families back home have been hit by economic hardship due to the virus. This means many find it hard to meet the deadline for paying this autumn’s fee, which for some is already at the end of this week.
A petition that has been signed by over 1,500 people is now calling for more time to pay the fee, and for more flexibility when it comes to the re-application of the student visa.
Radio Sweden spoke to Sarah DeArruda from the US and Muhammad Mafizul from Bangladesh, who initiated the petition. They are both half-way through their master’s degree at Gothenburg University.
Source: Sveriges Radio
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