Emergency Financial Support for Students
Studying without Worry: Technion Steps up Financial Support for Students
Technion, renowned for its extensive students support programs, has announced a series of extraordinary steps to alleviate financial difficulties during the current crisis: interest-free loans of up to NIS 20,000 per student, additional scholarships, flexible tuition payment schedules, and dormitory refunds
Credit: Rami Shlush, Technion Spokesperson’s Office
Technion is helping its students get through the current crisis by offering additional financial relief, including the postponement of loan repayment until after graduation, additional scholarships, flexible tuition payment schedules, refunds for dormitories not in use, and refurbished computers at a token price. These unprecedented steps are the result of a collaborative effort by the Technion Management, the Dean of Students, and the Technion Students Association (TSA).
“We have always offered attractive student loans, but they were means-tested,” says Prof. Boaz Golany, Executive Vice President and Director-General. “As a result of the current crisis, we have introduced a special loan package of up to NIS 20,000 per undergraduate student, including those in their sixth year of medical or architecture studies. The students are permitted to repay the unlinked and interest-free loan after they graduate. This special loan is part of our emergency student aid program and positions Technion as the number one Israeli university in terms of the support available to its students to cope with the financial ramifications of the corona crisis.”
“It was obvious that we needed to find solutions for this unique situation,” says Prof. Ayelet Fishman, Dean of Students, “and we made some far-reaching decisions so that our students would be able to continue focusing on their studies without excessive financial worries. As expected, the students responded enthusiastically to the new loans and stipends on offer. In March alone we approved loans totaling over half a million shekels, and the scope of Technion scholarships has doubled compared to last year, amounting to over NIS 700,000. We also received special permission to grant additional scholarships from several external funds, which will enable us to assist even more students.”
“The issues that most worry all Israeli students are tuition and dorm fees,” says Linoy Nagar-Shaul, TSA Chair, “and therefore we dealt with these subjects first. Regarding tuition, we notified the students that a delay in tuition payment would be acceptable this semester; and that students who left the dorms during the corona crisis will receive a refund for this period. In spite of the situation, at the beginning of the spring semester (March) new students moved into the dorms, and, as a result of the pandemic, Technion allocated apartments to students required to self-isolate. As part of the “Melech” (Computers for Everyone) project, we are offering students refurbished computers for a token price of NIS 100, and in cases of severe economic hardship, we also provide students with food donations. If you are a Technion student and have encountered financial difficulties, we invite you to contact us (social@asat.technion.ac.il) and we will help in every way that we can.”
The Dean of Students service units are currently functioning in a reduced capacity, but they respond to all inquiries― and provide online psychological and emotional counseling via Zoom lectures about reducing anxiety, career planning, tips for distance learning, relaxation exercises, and more. The Student Aid Unit offers help to students with extenuating needs, and in particular, students who are alone in Israel, ultra-Orthodox students, and students from the Israeli-Ethiopian community.
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Credit: Rami Shlush, Technion Spokesperson’s Office