In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, special measures have been taken to accommodate students who were enrolled in a higher-education study cycle eligible for the AideFi during the 2019–2021 summer semester or the 2020–2021 academic year.
These measures introduce one additional so-called 'COVID bonus' semester for all the students specified above, and postpone the check of their results scheduled to take place after 2 years of study.
Note that students may make use of only one 'COVID bonus' semester during their higher-education studies, and only if they have not made use of a similar measure in their country of study, such as an extension of the scheduled time to complete their higher-education programme.
Thus, students enrolled:
- in the 1st cycle may receive grants and loans for a number of semesters of study exceeding the official duration for the completion of the study cycle in which they are enrolled by a maximum of 3 units;
- in the 2nd cycle may receive grants and loans for the number of semesters of study officially scheduled for the completion of the study cycle in which they are enrolled. This number is increased:
- by 3 units, if the student has completed the 1st study cycle within the time officially scheduled for the completion of this study cycle; or
- by 2 units, if the student has exceeded the time officially scheduled for the completion of the 1st study cycle by 1 unit; or
- by 1 unit, if the student has exceeded the duration officially scheduled for the completion of the 1st study cycle by 2 units;
- in a single cycle, may receive grants and loans for a number of semesters of study exceeding the official duration for the completion of the study cycle in which they are enrolled by 3 units;
- in the research training cycle, may receive grants and loans for a maximum duration of 9 semesters.
When students who have made use of the so-called 'COVID bonus' semester – or a similar measure in their country of study – would like to complete their 1st cycle, their 2nd cycle or their single study cycle that is unfinished, they may receive all of the AideFi in the form of a loan for an additional semester.
Regarding the postponement of the check of results, students who were enrolled in a higher-education study cycle eligible for the AideFi during the 2019–2020 or 2020–2021 academic year and who did not change to another study programme after the 2020–2021 academic year, must satisfy one of the following criteria to receive the AideFi in the 4th year of their 1st cycle:
- have obtained at least 60 ECTS credits during the first 3 years of study in the same higher-education programme;
- have obtained at least 30 ECTS credits after the 3rd year of studies, at the latest, provided that they changed to another study programme after the first enrolment in a higher-education programme;
- be enrolled in the 2nd year of the higher-education program, which is defined in terms of length of study.
The effects of these measures are applied automatically to the students concerned, who must file an application for the AideFi by the stipulated deadline.