Students cheated to obtain over NOK 20 million in support

Student.Photo: pixabay.com

After an inspection, the State Educational Lending Fund (Lånekassen) has revealed that 1,600 students have received NOK 24 million in financial support that they were not entitled to, writes the newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.

The students reported that they were not living at home last year, while in reality they were lived at home with their parents. The students will now be required to re-pay this amount as a portion of their loan.

In addition approximately 400 of them will lose the right to financial aid for either part of or all of the next academic year.

During the last inspection, in 2015, Lånekassen revealed 2,200 students who falsely reported information in order to obtain a scholarship – and currently there is a new on-going inspection where 3,000 students who are studying close to where their parents live, will be asked to document that they are not living at home.

– We want to reduce the number of cheaters. We believe too many are abusing an important welfare scheme, says CEO of the Loan Fund, Marianne Andreassen.

Andreassen believes that they provide clear information on the application for stating the correct residence.

– This is not an information problem, this is an attitude problem. It is a deliberate attempt to cheat, she says about students who are living at home but have indicated that they are not living at home, she says.

 

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

1 Comment on "Students cheated to obtain over NOK 20 million in support"

  1. William James | 28. October 2017 at 19:09 |

    In my opinion the students were prompted to cheated because of the weak control mechanism of NAV. I am not sure if NAV employees are doing their job well. I know they keep a close eye on refugees, if they have done the same inspection with Norwegian students they could never be able t cheat. When the students claim they are living alone and asked for a stipend or loan they should have been asked to present a house rent contract. This is the basic shortcoming. Finally, are NAV employees accountable for their errors which costs the government billions of cash? I think something should be done before it is too late.

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