Government strengthens support for housing displaced higher education fellows

The government announced this Friday an 8-38% increase in support for additional housing for displaced scholarship students in most higher education cities, representing an annual increase of €240.20 to €1,321.21.

In a statement, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education said that living support will increase to 456.41 euros in the municipalities of Lisbon, Cascais and Oeiras and to 432.39 in Porto, in these cases an increase of 120.11 euros.

In Faro, living support increases to 360.32 euros, in Funchal (Madeira), Setubal and Almada – to 336.30 euros, in Ponta Delgada, Aveiro, Braga, Odivelas, Matosinhos and Amadora – to 312.28 euros, and in Coimbra, Évora, Portimão, Vila Nova de Gaia, Maya and Barreiro for 288.26.

“The currently approved increase increases the support allocated for the accommodation of displaced scholarship students to 38%, representing an increase in annual support for students remaining away from home by an amount of €240.20 to €1,321.21,” it states note.

Thanks to this strengthening, the ministry said, displaced scholarship holders living outside the state hostel will receive between 2,642.40 and 5,020.51 euros per year in support to cover living expenses.

The government says it has “approved a significant increase in the accommodation premium for displaced tertiary students to ensure that the premiums paid are in line with the average price of private accommodation charged in various cities across the country.”

According to the ministry, since September 2022 alone, the accommodation premium has increased four times, rising from 17% to 63%, which exceeds the dynamics recorded in private housing prices.