Students Welcome Positive Loan Changes

The recent announcement that the threshold at which part-time tertiary students qualify for a full interest write-off will rise to $24,596 has been welcomed by the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association.

"The prospect of massive student debt is one of the biggest disincentives to tertiary study, anything the government is willing to do to ease some of the financial burden placed on students will be welcomed," said Chris Hipkins, VUWSA President.

"It's great to finally have a government that are doing nice things to students. Under the previous National government students braced themselves for more bad news every time Max Bradford opened his mouth,"

"We look forward to working with the government over the coming months to find other ways they can assist struggling students,"

Chris Hipkins said the amount students at Victoria University of Wellington had been forced to borrow to cover the cost of their education had steadily increased over the past eight years and the interest changes would help to ease their burden.

In 1992 2969 students at Victoria collectively borrowed $12,692,235. By 1998 that figure had grown to 6430 students who borrowed $37,160,900.

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