It is expected that up to 10,000 university students in Iceland will be unable to find summer jobs after the current term ends in May, 6,000 of whom study at the University of Iceland (HÍ). Yesterday, students proposed summer courses as a solution.
Reykjavík University. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
The problem is that students are neither entitled to student loans nor unemployment benefits in summer—at least not benefits high enough to cover living expenses. Without employment, this group is looking at a difficult three months of summer vacation, mbl.is reports.
Bergthóra Snaebjörnsdóttir, chairwoman of the HÍ student association Röskva, said students are desperate to find a solution. They have proposed that classes continue on into the summer so that they can stay on student loans and speed up their graduation.
Students have been calling for answers from university authorities since December, which have still not explained how they intend to react to this situation.
Click here to read more about unemployment in Iceland.
