“I thought about prostitution to pay my bills”

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On the Esplanade de Montbenon in Lausanne, with views of Lake Geneva and the Alps, you see a group of students arguing enthusiastically. You just came back from a lesson. If you can, treat yourself to a small beer later on the terrace.

Light heartedness is deceptive. Many students worry about how to make a living. “When I go out, I feel guilty. I say to myself that I shouldn’t spend that much money. Especially with the rising prices,” says Lidia Jovanovic, a literature student at the University of Lausanne (UNIL). The 22-year-old actress is in trouble. She owes almost 5000 francs. hits.

Do anything to make your dream come true

To fully appreciate the enormity of Jovanovic’s situation, it is necessary to go back to 2018. He found himself on the street when he was still young, after his parents divorced. In her final year before graduating from high school, her first scholarship application is rejected on the grounds that her family’s income is insufficient. Lidia’s mom is about to apply for the serum. His father, who works in agriculture, earns a little less than 3,400 francs a month (tax excluded). Problem: Dad is threatened with deportation from Switzerland.

He also takes a part-time job at a gas station, as he reports. “I have friends who work to buy clothes or vacations. On the other hand, I always had to work to survive.” The Vaud native decided to go to university after graduating from high school: “I didn’t want to give up on my dream, even if everything turned against it.”

22 year old in debt

Today, the Serbian student lives with his sister and children in a 3.5-room apartment in Roche VD. “At least right now I only pay 500 francs a month in rent. After that, it depends on whether the side costs will increase or not.” His salary depends on the number of hours he finds a job as well as his studies. In good months he earns more than 1,500 francs. In bad months – exam times, for example – he has to make do with 600 francs. On average, their income is 1,300 francs.

Blick confirmed that although he has health insurance benefits and a tuition fee reduction, his income is not enough to pay all his bills. He uses his summer vacations to work more jobs at the gas station to pay off some of his debts. It’s a stressful situation. The young woman had a nervous breakdown last year.

I thought of everything possible

It is a fact that low-income people are more affected by rising living costs. Today, Lidia is at the gas station checkout and is “overwhelmed” by inflation. No more meat and only promotional items. Still, the shopping cart became about 20 francs more expensive. He may forget new clothes. He’s running from the doctor.

“If this continues to rise, I don’t know how to deal with it,” he complains, occasionally dragging a cigarette he has fallen into. “I thought about becoming a prostitute. I even signed up for a website. But I finally gave up. I told myself at 22 it was not right to let it get this far.”

Inflation overhead

It is difficult to predict how many students will be affected by poverty in Switzerland in 2023. According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO), 6.9 percent of 18-24 year olds lived below the poverty line before the pandemic. As a reminder, this threshold is CHF 2,279 per month for a single person. During the corona pandemic, many young people studying had to use up their meager savings, especially as their jobs in the catering trade and non-essential shops were closed.

Emilie Rosenstein, head of the poverty unit at the Lausanne School of Social Work and Health, says the rising cost of living is only adding to the pressure. “Students are particularly at risk. They face accumulated challenges: they have no assets, low and uncertain incomes, and have to balance their education with their own uncertain future.”

UNIL estimates that the average student spends 1,950 francs per month. This includes accommodation, meals, insurance and study material costs.

“I hardly ever have a day off”

After all, 73 percent of students have a job, as determined by the BFS. “We are far from the public image of students who are fully supported by their families,” comments the researcher. The majority (68 percent) work more than two days a week. This also applies to 25-year-old Francesco*, who prefers to remain anonymous. She studies at the University of Social Work in Geneva and has always had to work part-time. “I almost never have a day off,” the tall, bearded man says.

The time he spends working is the time he cannot devote to his studies. “Working requires an open mind, and that’s not always the case for people living in precarious conditions,” says Emilie Rosenstein.

simple life

Now, Francesco has finally found a “well-paying” job in his own words, in a kindergarten. March is looking forward to his salary – about 900 francs. Because his bank account is empty. However, he manages to cope with the rising cost of living “for now” in his own words. Unlike Lidia Jovanovic, Francesco can count on the financial support of his family, with whom he has lived since the beginning of first grade. But he pays everything out of his own pocket, except rent and grocery: tuition, insurance, car… “I have a simple life, inflation affects my spare time the most. If there is no more money, I will not go out anymore. I invite my friends to have a beer at home.”

Every savings helps. He hardly ever drinks alcohol. And she found a trick for her outfits: “Lucky, I love ’90s fashion. Sitting on the crowded terrace of an old bistro near Plainpalais at the end of April, Francesco laughs.

Less than 2000 francs per month

Be creative and manage with the resources you have. This is the truth of Ani*, who does not want to reveal her surname. She is registered with UNIL for her Master of Film. Unlike Lidia and Francesco, if you believe the FSO figures for 2020, she gets a cantonal scholarship like only 4 percent of students in Switzerland. When Blick was contacted, the French-speaking cantons reported a generally stable trend. Figures for 2022-2023 are not yet available.

Universities and colleges may also provide financial assistance to people in need in the form of grants, fee reductions or one-off support. The surveyed institutions reported a slight increase in the number of buyers since the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak.

In addition to the cantonal grant, Ani also receives financial support from UNIL. The mother pays her child pocket money. The 24-year-old Vaud native works as a student assistant at 10 percent to supplement his pocket money. She receives a total of 1,967.50 CHF per month. She pays nearly all of her studio, utilities, grocery shopping, cell phone subscription, tuition, and medical expenses, Blick confirms.

think twice

“I’m not in bad shape because I’m not afraid to seek out all the help I can get,” says a young woman in a cafe in Lausanne. “But it’s very stressful.” And rightly so: “Getting a scholarship is difficult. The processes are complex and very selective,” says Emilie Rosenstein.

And delays in payment are common. But how can you survive when you have little or no savings? “You will succeed,” the Lausanne woman replies. Inflation worries him even more. The cost of shopping carts has also increased. He notices this especially in eggs, whose price is almost doubled.

Now she has to think twice about her biggest passion, going to the movies or taking the train from Lausanne to Geneva to visit her friends. To save money, she prefers to ride a bike rather than using public transport. And if he has no other choice, he escapes the charge.

The burden of uncertainty

Abruptly worries about how to proceed. His 25th birthday is in June. After this threshold, they will no longer be eligible for cantonal grants or child benefits. “This is about 60 percent of my budget and it will go away in a snap. I don’t know if I can continue my education.” His hope is to receive a grant from a foundation to do research abroad. Uncertainty gnaws at him.

In a wealthy country like Switzerland, students worry about inflation. It’s a paradox: “Education is more affordable in Switzerland by international comparison,” analyzes Emilie Rosenstein of the poverty centre. Theoretically, almost everyone has access to it. “But in reality, there are huge differences due to the very high cost of living and the amount of material resources required to maintain one’s studies.”

Renunciation Sacrifice your little pleasures. Think twice. In the face of inflation, students in unstable conditions have to make decisions. And a simple pint on the patio can make a big splash at the end of the month.

*Name known to editors

Source :Blick