It is against the law to demand any form of payment from students studying under state order. The education expenses of such students are covered by the state budget, and no financial burden can be imposed on the student regarding this.
This was reported to Medianews.az by the State Agency on Science and Higher Education.
It was noted that in this regard, the private status of the educational institution does not change the legal regime established by the state regarding the financing of students admitted under state order. The institution's internal financial planning, management of allocated funds, or situations arising from unused funds at the end of the year do not create additional obligations for the students. The student is not responsible for the consequences of improper financial management by the university.
Regarding the issue, a request from the relevant higher education institution was reviewed in accordance with legislative requirements and an official response was provided. It was stated that according to Article 19.5 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Budget System, it is not possible within the authority of the Ministry of Science and Education to return unused funds transferred to the unified treasury account at the end of the year.
It should be noted that the day before yesterday, a group of students studying at Western Caspian University under state order contacted our editorial office and stated that they were being demanded to make payments and would not be allowed to take exams otherwise. In a statement from the university, it was explained that the funds intended for the education of these students had expired last year, were returned to the state budget, and for this reason, payments were demanded from the students.