KYK scholarships fall short: Students trying to survive on 30 TL a day

University students continue to struggle with the cost of living in the face of the economic crisis and rising living costs. While the scholarships and loans provided by the Credit and Dormitories Institution (KYK) remain insufficient to cover basic needs, the annual increases are being eroded in the shadow of inflation.

INCREASED TO 3 THOUSAND TL

With the latest update in December 2024, KYK scholarships and loans were increased to 3 thousand TL. However, according to a report by BirGün, after covering housing, transportation, and food expenses, students are forced to survive on only 902 TL per month. This amounts to an average of 30 TL per day.

HOUSING AND FOOD EXPENSES ARE BURNING A HOLE IN POCKETS

Following a 50 percent hike in KYK dormitory fees, dormitory costs have risen to as much as 517 TL, with the highest dormitory fee reaching 855 TL. For students who cannot secure a place in state dormitories, private dormitory and rental housing options are much more expensive.

The cost per meal in university cafeterias has also shown an increase. A meal at Istanbul University costs 49 TL, 40 TL at Boğaziçi University, and 39 TL at Yıldız Technical University. This has caused the monthly food expenditures of students eating on campus to exceed 1,200 TL.

Students express that scholarships and loans are insufficient in the face of rising costs and that they are struggling to meet even their basic needs such as housing and nutrition.

News Source: 12punto