One major reason for the revision is the persistent budget overrun. In 2024, the FOBOS scheme at the University of Twente had a total budget of 962 thousand euros, while the final amount paid out turned out to be €1.14 million — a discrepancy of around 200 thousand euros. Another reason to simplify the system was the relatively cumbersome application process and the heavy workload on the Committee for Personal Circumstances — some applications were up to forty pages long.
Because the FOBOS scheme was broadly applicable, it sometimes resulted in compensation for situations that had little to no real impact on academic progress. The university hopes that this new scheme will offer clearer boundaries.
EEA vs non-EEA students
A point of debate was the distinction made between students from within and outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Non-EEA students, for example, will only be eligible for a maximum of six months’ compensation, whereas EEA students can receive support for up to eighteen months. Additionally, non-EEA students will no longer receive direct payments, but compensation in the form of a tuition fee discount. According to UReka council member Ivan Potkin, this was unfair and demotivating for non-EEA students to take on board responsibilities.
University President Vinod Subramaniam stated that the UT is bound by legislation and the available budget. He also noted that the UT is, in principle, not obliged to offer support to non-EEA students, and that, compared to other Dutch universities, the UT is already applying a relatively generous policy. He added that if the university’s financial situation were different, more might have been possible.
After a closed session, the University Council eventually gave its approval.
Transition period
The new StOF scheme is set to take effect on 1 September 2025. Applications submitted before that date will — in consultation with the student counsellor — still fall under the old FOBOS rules until 1 September 2026. This also applies to board, student team and participation activities that began in the 2024–2025 academic year.
During the University Council meeting, it was confirmed that the renewed scheme will be reviewed after one year to assess whether any changes or improvements are needed.
StOF at a glance: what’s new?
The new Student Support Fund (StOF) consists of four parts: personal circumstances, educational circumstances, top-level sport/culture, and board grants.
Personal circumstances
This includes, among other things, illness, pregnancy and family-related matters. To qualify for StOF compensation due to personal circumstances, the issue must have lasted at least one month — a lower threshold that did not exist under FOBOS.
Educational circumstances
An example of this is when a programme is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances or loses its accreditation. In the former case, the student must be able to prove that the delay was genuinely the university’s responsibility. If so, the relevant faculty will bear the costs. Unlike FOBOS, this has now been clearly defined as a separate section in the scheme.
Top-level sport and culture
Top-level athletes and culture practitioners applying for StOF will, in future, need to demonstrate that their extracurricular activities are actually causing study delays. To monitor this, they will be required to meet annually with a top-level sports coordinator.
Board grants
This section mainly concerns students taking a board year or joining a student team. The budget for student teams has been halved, and extra or one-off grants will be significantly limited to address the overspending issue.
