Students: Who is eligible for the 600 euro meal allowance

Students enrolled in Greece's Merchant Marine Academies (AEN) are eligible for a meal allowance of up to 600 euros per academic year for the 2025-2026 educational period, according to a recent Joint Ministerial Decision published in the Government Gazette.

The allowance is disbursed every semester. For semesters involving mandatory sea practice, the conditions differ, and the amount is set at 300 euros. The distribution is structured across the years of study: first-year students receive 300 euros per semester, second-year students receive 300 euros for the third semester (excluding their sea practice semester), third-year students receive 300 euros each for the fourth and fifth semesters, and fourth-year students receive 300 euros for the sixth semester (excluding their second sea practice semester).

Interested students must submit an application with necessary supporting documents to their academy's secretariat. Applications should be filed within three months of the decision's publication for those currently studying, or within six months for those undertaking their sea practice at the time of publication.

Key documents include an application form, a student certificate or enrollment certificate for first-year students, tax clearance certificates, a declaration stating the allowance has not been claimed for the same academic year, and bank account details (IBAN). Income thresholds are in place: for dependent students, the total family income, including the student's personal income, must not exceed 30,000 euros, with an additional 3,000 euros for each dependent child beyond the first. For independent students, the annual personal income must not exceed 18,000 euros.