Core Points - The press conference held on July 31 focused on the interpretation of the 2025 student loan policy in Zaozhuang City [1] - The conference was led by Han Mei, Deputy Director of the Zaozhuang Education Bureau, who provided detailed insights into the new policies [1] Summary by Category Student Financial Aid Standards - The national student financial aid standards have been continuously improved, with significant increases in living subsidies for economically disadvantaged students across various education levels [3] - Starting from the spring semester of 2024, the living subsidy for economically disadvantaged boarding students in primary education will increase from 1000 yuan to 1250 yuan, and for junior high school from 1250 yuan to 1500 yuan [3] - For high school students, from the spring semester of 2025, all eligible vocational school students will be included in the national scholarship program, with the average scholarship amount increasing from 2000 yuan to 2300 yuan [3] - In higher education, from the fall semester of 2024, the average national scholarship for undergraduate students will rise from 3300 yuan to 3700 yuan [3] Student Loan Policy - The student loan policy is a crucial part of China's higher education financial aid system, with the source of loans being the Development Bank of China and other financial institutions [4] - The maximum loan amount for full-time undergraduate students is set at 20,000 yuan per year, while for graduate students it is 25,000 yuan [4] - The loan repayment period is the remaining study period plus 15 years, with a maximum of 22 years, and interest during the study period is subsidized by the government [4] Financial Aid Distribution - From 2024 to the present, Zaozhuang City has distributed a total of 270 million yuan in student financial aid, benefiting approximately 297,900 students [5] - In 2024, 14,739 university students applied for the source-based student loans, with a total disbursement of 203 million yuan, effectively supporting the basic educational and living needs of economically disadvantaged students [5]