os andIndigenous students approved in the specific Unicamp 2019 Entrance Exam who need some type of scholarship will be assisted in a collective effort scheme by the Student Support Service (SAE). The service will be on February 20th, the date of confirmation of in-person registration for the modality, in the afternoon. A team of social workers will occupy Basic Cycle 2 rooms to carry out the social assessment process on the same day.
“The idea is that students in need and able to receive a grant to help with their installation and another for exemption from food fees in the cafeterias”, says Bruna Mara Wargas, administrative supervisor at SAE. According to Bruna, interested parties will receive guidance, and there will be a screening, with document verification and an interview. Social workers will assess each case on a case-by-case basis. 72 places were offered for the Indigenous Entrance Exam and 66 students have already completed the first stage of online registration. In addition to indigenous people, other entrants will also go through the social selection process, a routine procedure, in the immediate period after confirmation of enrollment.
Anticipating an increase in the number of interested students, a significant increase in scholarships was approved by the University Council. R$40.735 million from the 2019 budget are reserved for the Unicamp Scholarship Program, according to data published by the Economics and Planning Advisory (Aeplan). From 2018 to 2019, the Housing Assistance Grant increased by 22,40% and the Installation Assistance Grant (BAI) increased by 36%. In 2018, the Food Tax Exemption Benefit was also implemented, which guarantees free access to the university restaurant for all students with a gross per capita income of less than 1,5 minimum wages. In the period from 2016 to 2019, there was a 97% increase in the benefit of housing grants.
Undergraduate Dean Eliana Amaral explains that the money allocated to the social scholarships that Unicamp offers comes from the institution's budget, which requires the student to be regularly enrolled. Amaral commented that the selection of students who are entitled to the benefit requires confirmation of income and the study of family social conditions during the selection process. “We are encouraging the formation of support groups to receive and also accompany our new students and we have seen a great movement of solidarity and a lot of creativity to respond to this necessary initial support,” she said.
To facilitate the social selection process, Unicamp is sending an email to all students who passed the entrance exam requesting that those who are interested in a benefit access the Unicamp website. SAE with all the detailed information about the scholarships and necessary documents and come prepared for the interviews and submission of documentation.
With the new profile of 2019 entrants, which includes students approved in the indigenous entrance exam, the Unicamp entrance exam, and those selected by Enem, quotas and medalists, there is concern about possible financial, academic and adaptation difficulties to the university environment. "Unicamp, through the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and its bodies and services, has held meetings and discussions with teaching and student representatives to clarify the procedures and possibilities", highlighted Amaral.
