Students’ Financial Fears in Uncertain Coronavirus Times
Students have been engaging in online study for the last month since Bloomsburg University announced canceling all classes and activities, including work-study and on-campus student jobs following the BU administration and governmental rules related to COVID-19.
For many students, this is a big financial problem that affects both themselves and their families’ financial plans. Some students are struggling to pay tuition and fees, as well as their day-to-day expenses such as rent, utility bills and food, especially international students who, under the new rules, are not allowed to work off-campus. Some others are trying to acquire jobs at home to maintain finance flow.
“After two weeks when our school announced [canceling] all classes I decided to come back home. Actually, this is my last year at Bloomsburg, but because of corona I went home earlier. Classes are canceled, [my] job is temporarily stopped—I had no way to stay longer,” shared Tianhao Sheng, a Chinese student at BU.
In the technology office or Writing and Literacy Engagement Studio, student workers are employed at home, offering online consulting services through Zoom for the rest of the semester to maintain a work schedule.
Some universities have offered options to support students in this difficult time. “
As long as the institution continues to pay its essential faculty and/or staff and continues to meet its institutional wage share requirement for the federal work-study program, it may pay students FWS funds for hours the students were scheduled to work, but could not work as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak,” an article by National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators claimed.
Many students support their college life expenses with on-campus jobs. However, they are unfortunately not receiving those incomes in this moment if employed through a third-party. They do not receive supporting finance help because their job relies on taxes and it belongs to another job management at school. They turn to something else to have financial help.
Moving classes online affects Bloomsburg students’ finance sources in particular and other college students in the United States in general. For some students, who have to find other jobs outside campus, this probably affects their health.
For any student assistance, the Bursar Office is here for help with the Immediate Emergency Aid Committee.
