Copyright maltatoday
Budget 2026 targets young people with higher stipends, free gym memberships, digital grants, and new support for Gozitan students. Increased stipends for students Young people are set to benefit from an extension of the free gym membership scheme and an increase in stipends, making them one of the main targets of the budget. Students attending post-secondary institutions, such as MCAST and the University of Malta, will see their stipends increase by 15%, translating to an increase of between €17 and €58 per month, depending on the course they are following. Junior college students or those pursuing vocational courses at MCAST will be eligible for an extra €17 per month, as will students enrolled in degrees with a general classification. Students following proscribed courses—such as certain bachelor’s courses at both MCAST and University—will receive an additional €29 per month, while the greatest beneficiaries will be those pursuing high-priority degrees, who will see an increase of €58 per month. Proscribed courses are programmes identified by the Maltese government as important for national development, including healthcare, education, and technology, whereas high-priority courses are a select group of studies deemed critical to Malta’s future skills needs. Digital grant for younger students Another measure targets younger students aged 14 and 15, providing a €500 digital grant for those in Form 4 and Form 5 (Years 10 and 11), primarily to help families access digital learning tools. Free gym membership for Gen Z All young people aged 16 to 21, born between 2004 and 2009, will benefit from a six-month free gym membership. This is an extension of last year’s initiative that applied only to those born between 2005 and 2007. This health-oriented measure is likely to be particularly popular among fitness-conscious youth. Support for Gozitan students Gozitan students studying in Malta are set to receive a new monthly grant of €280 to help cover travel and accommodation costs, an increase of over €100 from the current €166.60 monthly support. This measure targets students over 18 who are permanent Gozo residents and enrolled in Maltese educational institutions. Around 1,000 full-time Gozitan students are expected to benefit, at an estimated cost of €5 million. Encouraging youth entrepreneurship Legal amendments have also been introduced to allow young people between the ages of 16 and 18-years-old to become entrepreneurs in a secure, regulated framework, enabling them to carry out commercial acts and operate bank accounts appropriate for their age. Housing support for young adults In a bid to address housing affordability, the minimum age for applying for the equity-sharing scheme has been lowered to 25 years, specifically targeting the 25–30 age group who previously struggled to secure loans or deposits. Youths who give up their car license The budget foresees grants of up to €5,000 per year for five years for youths up to age 30 who renounce their car license. Political implications A MaltaToday survey conducted last month showed the PN leading among the 16 to 35-year-old category, even though Abela remained the most trusted leader in this group, with the PN also making inroads among Gozitan voters. These new measures could boost Labour’s support among both categories of young voters.
