• Student
  • 17/04/2025
  • Nederlands

“Stop charging tuition fees to student board members”

Because of their limited budgets, fewer and fewer students are willing to take on board positions at associations or serve on the participation body, according to a manifesto presented to the Lower House on Tuesday. At TU/e, there is no option yet for students to serve in a board position without paying tuition.

by
photo Marleen Melisse

In the manifesto, the Dutch National Student Association (ISO) – which has its roots in the participation body – and the National Federation of Student Associations (LKvV) call on politicians and educational institutions to make “tuition-free board positions” possible.

Since 2016, educational institutions have no longer been required to charge tuition fees to students who are no longer taking courses while serving on the participation body or on the board of a study, student or sports association. Because they stay enrolled as students, they can still take out loans through DUO and use their student travel entitlement. This makes it more affordable to take up additional activities alongside their studies.

However, an inquiry by ISO and LKvV reveals that a large number of universities and universities of applied sciences do not implement this regulation. As a result, board positions are increasingly becoming something reserved for the “happy few.”

Eindhoven

At TU/e, there is no option yet for students to serve in a board position without paying tuition, reports Jules van Gisteren, president of the Federation of Study Associations (FSE). “A new system for board grants is currently being developed, but it does not yet include tuition-free board positions. The reason for this is that TU/e wants to encourage board members to take courses alongside their board year. It’s not uncommon to take a course in addition to your board work, even if it’s just for a resit from the previous year.”

Van Gisteren sees both advantages and disadvantages to tuition-free board positions. “It will definitely be financially attractive to many board members, but others will want to keep the option to register for a course or exam. So opinions on the matter are divided.” The umbrella organization for Eindhoven study associations did not sign the manifesto, though dozens of other organizations did.
“Student board members contribute to a connected student community and that is not something you should economize on,” says ISO chair Mylou Miché.

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