DSW: State financing share now only 8.7%

• Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW) with new figures on financing of the Studentenwerke
• Grants or financial aid from the Federal States in 2019 at 8.7% of total revenues
• Before Corona, Studentenwerke generated 62% of their income from dormitories and university gastronomy

Berlin, 2. November 2020. The state financing share of the 16 Federal States for their Studentenwerke and Studierendenwerke is at 8.7% of their income, a similarly low level as in previous years. This is reported by Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW), which brings together the 57 Studentenwerke and Studierendenwerke. The association demands a greater financial support from the States.

According to the new DSW publication "Studentenwerke im Zahlenspiegel 2019/2020", grants and financial aid from the Federal States will account for 8.7% of the total income of the Studentenwerke in 2019. At the beginning of the 1990s, the States contributed around 24% of the income of the Studentenwerke.

"The Covid-19 pandemic is causing severe financial losses for the Studentenwerke and Studierendenwerke. This occurs at a time when the tasks of the Studentenwerke and Studierendenwerke are growing steadily, with almost 2.9 million students by now. The only thing that does not change is the low financial involvement of the Federal States - that must change," demands Achim Meyer auf der Heyde, the Secretary General of Deutsches Studentenwerk (DSW).

"In addition, the States must compensate at least part of the loss of income through Covid-19, so that the Studentenwerke and Studierendenwerke do not end up in excessive debts through no fault of their own due to the pandemic," Meyer auf der Heyde continues.

The Studentenwerke themselves generated 62% of their total income of 1.812 billion euros last year, through sales revenues from their dormitories as well as dining halls and cafeterias. The semester fees of the students now account for 19%, more than double the income of the Studentenwerke than the funds of the 16 States.