SOME Cypriots claim lower incomes to secure financial help and scholarships for the education of their children abroad, the head of the Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation (IKYK) said yesterday.
Income criteria exists for both scholarships and grants to ensure that the money goes to those who need it the most, IKYK head Thasos Michaelides told the Mail yesterday.
“But when you get a company director claiming he earns €7,000 while his employee earns €8,000 and this for a company of eight, something’s wrong isn’t it?” Michaelides said.
IKYK has caught 72 false statements since getting set up in 2009. All have been referred to the police who are investigating, Michaelides said.
In one statement an applicant failed to mention he owned an apartment block and only said he lived in an apartment within that block, Michaelides said.
A businessman owning three hotels in Ayia Napa also tried to get a scholarship for his child. Another one said he owned a plot worth €50,000 when it was worth €300,000.
“Cypriots are honourable people. Doing this doesn’t suit them,” Michaelides said.
IKYK has two schemes set up: income and grade-based renewable scholarships and income-based financial help.
“Some people really need that money,” Michaelides said. All successful IKYK applicants would in any case receive a state student grant worth at least €1,700.
An income cap in this was recently introduced as part of the 2012 budget.
The amount of IKYK grants varies but €3,500 is standard.
For financial aid packages, families need to have an income of €12,000 or less per family member. A family of three for example, can only claim the money if they earn at most €36,000.
In addition to good grades, families are meant to declare their whole income, including profits from rents and other revenue. Applicants get priority points removed for earning over certain amounts and get priority points for excellence. In effect, the more a family earns the less likely it becomes that they will get a scholarship.
“So some people gave in false statements,” Michaelides said.
Scholarships can be renewed “so they can be a great help for poorer families,” Michaelides said. Students can start applying for financial help as of next month, Michaelides said.
“I hope those who can afford to don’t apply, so the money goes to those entitled and we don’t waste time chasing up false claims,” Michaelides said.
