Student loans may have an invisible cost.

Student loans may have an invisible cost.

The Erasmus Alumni Fund has supported a new study concerning the student loan system in the Netherlands (which is called the ‘sociaal leenstelsel’ in Dutch). The research focuses on the impact this system has on the mental health of the students who use it.

Student loans are intended to make life easier for students and give them a foundation from which to build their futures. Students, however, have reported stress, burnout and depression in relation to the loan system. No scientific study has investigated this phenomenon yet. Understanding the negative effects student loans have on mental health (and the costs of those repercussions) will help develop a loan system that is both beneficial for the students who use it and for society.

The study is spearheaded by Arjan Non, an economics lecturer and researcher at Erasmus who has published articles about economics and psychology. The study is the first scientific investigation to be supported by the Erasmus Alumni Club’s named fund; this research was made possible thanks to alumni from the Erasmus who have donated.

So to all who have donated: a huge thanks! With your help, we can make the university and student life better for future generations.

Lastly, thanks to the Erasmus Trustfonds we were able to finance the first project from our Erasmus Alumni Fund.