Since the first weeks of the health emergency, we have moved to meet the needs of students in financial difficulties. Unfortunately, the difficult situations have increased and become more serious. It seemed necessary to give more than one answer to this need and therefore we worked hard to find the right financial hedges.
During the Permanent Student Commission (CPS) on Monday 13 July 2020, Lista Aperta request was approved for which funds of approximately 1 million euro were allocated to students. This figure is the sum of several contributions: € 250k allocated by the Board of Directors on May 26, € 140k from renunciations to cultural activities of students and associations, € 140k from the Rectorate funds and approximately € 500k arriving from a University ministry fund for the ‘digital divide’. For these funds we must thank the Rector and the managers who have shown themselves to be very available, but also all the student associations that have renounced funds already allocated for some of their activities so as to complete the funding.
With this million Euros we have decided to finance:
- Refund of meal vouchers – DSU students;
- Increase in the extraordinary contributions fund – post-covid contribution;
- Funds for the digital divide;
- No tax Area and interventions on student contributions.
Refund of meal vouchers – DSU students
Thanks to the funds made available by the University, we have approved the refund of 50% of the flat-rate portion of DSU meal vouchers for all 5 months of emergency (March-July), consequently the monthly repayment will be equal to 32 euros*.
All students awarded the scholarship for the academic year can apply 2019/2020, including students who graduated in the graduation sessions of April, June and July 2020.
DSU students are entitled to a refund for the months in which the meal voucher has never been used.
Refund procedure: at the end of July a section in which to apply will be opened in online services and once ascertained non-use, the refund will be paid, realistically in September.
*the annual fee for DSU meal vouchers foreseen in the Integration to the Call for the Right to Study 2019/2020 is € 708, which divided by the approximately 11 months of validity of the voucher corresponds to approximately € 64 per month. The reimbursement fee at 50% is therefore € 32 per month, that is: € 160 if the voucher had not been used in any of the 5 months subject to reimbursement; € 128 if it has not been used for 4 months; € 96 for 3, etc.
Increase in the extraordinary contributions fund – post-covid contribution
The remaining part of the University funds is destined to triple the fund for Extraordinary Contributions which will serve to respond to the growing needs of students economically affected by the Covid emergency, whatever their ISEE bracket.
You can find HERE all the info, in the meantime we highlight that the contribution must be requested by presenting adequate reasons that have led to a significant deterioration of the economic situation and that the contribution can reach up to € 1600 for students at home and € 2200 for Offsite. We believe it is an excellent answer to meet the most varied economic needs of students in difficulty, starting from returning to live in Milan for off site rentals.
Funds for student contributions and for the digital divide
Funds are included in the Raising Decree to support student contributions for the next academic year and to combat the digital divide. In particular, 165 million are provided for taxation and 62 million for the digital divide to be added to the 50 million previously allocated in the decree-law of 17 March.
Since the funds for the digital divide can only be used in a specific area, our goal is to make bonus contributions for the purchase of hardware, computers, PCs, tablets or tools that the student may need to attend the mixed teaching. These grants would be disbursed in cuts of around € 250 each and addressed to students in difficulties, both because of the emergency and pre-emergency. We will have the certainty of how we can provide these approximately € 500k only in September but, in our opinion, they are also a valid support for the difficult period we are experiencing.
No tax area
Again in the Raising Decree, the no tax area was expanded by law to 20,000 ISEE (it was 13,000 for our university) and a lower rate for incomes of up to 30,000. This means that next year (2020/2021) students with ISEE up to 20,000 will pay no tuition fees, while between 20 and 30 thousand will pay much less.
It will be covered for the most part by ministerial funds but also requires the commitment of PoliMi to ensure that all suitable candidates can actually benefit from the no tax area.
Furthermore, as it is a temporary measure (foreseen for only one year), we will continue our work at national level to ensure that this measure becomes structural and that no steps are taken in the right to university study. At the same time, the funds made available by the government must guarantee the coverage of all scholarships to prevent universities from guaranteeing this measure with their own funds.
Our commitment will continue on the economic front!
Continue to follow us to stay updated and do not hesitate to write to us for any doubt.
Have a good session and happy holidays!
Lista Aperta team
