Student Life in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Approaches from the Perspective of Financial Aid

Abstract

 The COVID-19 outbreak has affected all societies, including universities. In particular, there are concerns that students with financial difficulties will be unable to do part-time jobs due to the pandemic, and that their situation will become more challenging. This study aimed to examine whether financial aid helped improve students' situations and reduce their levels of stress. Data from a national university student web survey conducted in Japan in March 2022 were used in this study. We subdivided the usage of financial aid, examined the actual situation of student life, investigated how students were affected by the pandemic, understood their worries, and examined the ideal form of financial support. Findings revealed that students with financial difficulties tended to use student loans, but those who did not use them due to a lack of information or psychological burden accounted for about 10% of the total sample. Furthermore, a certain percentage of students in low-income brackets also exists. The rate of the usage of grants is fairly low. Both users and potential applicants of student loans suffered considerable financial damage due to the pandemic. Despite student loans and grants, students still experience substantial academic, economic, and psychological anxieties.