Students commit millions worth in fraud with study grants

The education research office DUO detected a total of 4.5 million euros in fraud committed by students with their study financing in 2012 and 2013. Over those two years almost 3,400 students wrongly received the grant for a student living away from home, while they in fact still lived with their parents. This is according to information released by DUO on Monday after a request under the Freedom of Information Act, NOS reports. The 4.5 million euros of detected fraud is only a small part of the actual fraud committed. The actual amount is estimated between 12 and 22 million euros per year. In 2011 the fraud was estimated between 40 and 50 million euros. In 2012 DUO performed almost 3,500 inspections and caught 1,570 students wrongfully receiving the student living away from home grant. A year later more than 4 thousand inspections were carried out and 1,800 students were caught committing fraud. The caught students had to repay the wrongfully obtained amounts as well as a penalty of half the amount borrowed. DUO expects that the amount of fraud will decrease in the coming months, partially due to the introduction of the new loan system in September.