The lack of resources for Icetex prevented the institution from opening the call for training credits for the 2025-2 semester, e Today there are more than 200 thousand young people who don’t know whether they will be able to renew and access credit for next year or not.
According to the criteria of
However, Icetex has already made it known that the billions of pesos that are missing from what was requested as an allocation of The Nation’s General Budget will not concern all its users, but a large part of them.
In this order of ideas, users have expressed doubts about who will be affected and who will have guaranteed studies.
This explains the real effects that users would have depending on the credit line.
Those who would not have been affected
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People who would not be affected would be those who have own-funded credit lines that Icetex manages with external sources, what the entity calls its own resources.
These programs do not provide any benefits, nor tariff subsidies, nor support subsidies, nor capital forgiveness.
The president (e) of the explained it Icetex, Patricia Abadía: «The resources that are committed are those of subsidized credits, which are those financed by the State. There is another non-subsidized line (those in which users do not receive benefits), this is financed with its own resources, so it is not at risk.”
At this point, the You Choose medium and short term credit lines are suitable, which are those that present the following conditions:
Choose medium term (30-70): This is a line intended for people of all social strata, the main condition of which is that the student pays 30% of the fee during the degree course and the remaining 70% at the end of the degree in an equivalent period of up to 1.5 times the time studied.
Choose short term: In this line, the student pays 100% of the tuition in installments during the studies.
Those who would be affected
The people who would be affected if the Government did not allocate the necessary billion pesos, and who correspond to the 200,000 young people recorded by the media, are those who belong to the credit lines that yes, finance the Colombian State.
These are, therefore, all those who enjoy some type of tariff concession, support, or who were told when managing their credit that they would have part of their debt forgiven.
In this case, there would be two main groups that would be affected, each in a different way, since, despite the lack of money, some could study and others could not.
These lines of credit are:
Choose the long term: It is the credit line intended exclusively for users of bands 1, 2 and 3, in which the student pays nothing during the degree course and 100 percent of the debt is paid off at the end of the studies. Depending on the Sisbén score, most benefit from a subsidized contribution, on which they pay no interest.
Constitutional protection line: This is the line that would be most affected, and these are credits intended exclusively for vulnerable indigenous populations, the Red Unidos, victims of the armed conflict, reintegrated people and Colombians with disabilities. In addition to the school aid, they receive, in some cases, a support grant and the remission of part of the debt (between 25 and 50 percent) if they manage to graduate. In these cases, all the resources come directly from the State, so if the resources were not approved, they would not be able to study the following year, or they would have to do it with their own money.
Furthermore, there are also other lines that may be affected, such as:
- Territorial Line Pay 0%
- First class reservists
- More Colombian than ever
- Partial college scholarship line of credit
- Being a Pilo pays - Latecomers
- Let’s go back to class
What awaits us for the Icetex 2025-2 tender?
The Government’s days are numbered to find a solution to avoid leaving Icetex users exposed. Anyway, EL TIEMPO was able to agree with the institution that the tender will be opened, but without these resources it would be different.
Therefore, if the billion pesos is reached, the tender will open as always and without any news other than the delay in its opening. Despite this, this is the option that seems least likely at the moment.
The second option is that Icetex opens the tender but only with credit lines from its own resources, i.e It ‘chooses’ both in the short and medium term, and would not be open for lines that have funding from the State.
However, the possibility of opening the long-term “You Choose” line, intended for layers 1, 2 and 3. However, if done, There would no longer be the benefit of the interest rate subsidy, nor would support subsidies be provided, nor would there be the possibility of obtaining forgiveness of part of the debt.
MATEO CHACÓN ORDUZ
Deputy Director Life – Education
What are the potential long-term impacts of reduced educational funding on Colombia’s youth?
Interview: The Future of Educational Funding in Colombia
Editor (Time.news): Welcome to our interview segment. Today, we have Patricia Abadía, the president of Icetex, here to discuss the critical situation regarding educational funding in Colombia. Patricia, thank you for joining us.
Patricia Abadía: Thank you for having me. It’s vital that we discuss these issues impacting our youth.
Editor: Indeed, the latest reports indicate that Icetex has been unable to open the call for training credits for the 2025-2 semester, leaving over 200 thousand young people uncertain about their academic futures. Can you elaborate on the root cause of this situation?
Patricia Abadía: Certainly. The main cause is the lack of resources from the National General Budget. Although we had requested sufficient funding to support our programs, the allocation fell short. As a result, many students who rely on subsidized loans are unsure if they can renew their credits for the upcoming semester.
Editor: It’s alarming that so many students are left in limbo. Who, in particular, will be the most affected by these funding cuts?
Patricia Abadía: The impact will primarily be felt by those enrolled in credit lines that receive state financing. These include students who enjoy tariff concessions and those offered debt forgiveness. Specifically, we’re looking at individuals in vulnerable categories, such as those under the Constitutional protection line, which includes indigenous populations and victims of armed conflict, among others.
Editor: And what about the groups that are less affected?
Patricia Abadía: Students utilizing our credit lines financed by external sources, or our own resources, will not be impacted significantly. These programs do not provide any subsidies. For instance, those enrolled in the ‘Choose Medium Term’ and ‘Choose Short Term’ programs still have the option to pay their tuition in manageable installments during their studies.
Editor: So, there’s a silver lining for some, but the uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of students remains concerning. How does Icetex plan to address the doubts expressed by users?
Patricia Abadía: We’re committed to transparency. We’re currently working with government officials to advocate for the necessary funding and resolve the uncertainty. We understand concerns around who will be impacted and are doing our best to clarify the situation as it evolves.
Editor: Many young people might feel apprehensive about their future studies. What message do you wish to convey to these students and their families?
Patricia Abadía: I want them to know that we are doing everything possible to secure the funding they need to continue their education. Education is a right, and we believe that we must find a way to support all students, particularly those in vulnerable situations. We encourage them to stay informed and remain hopeful as we negotiate for the necessary resources.
Editor: Thank you, Patricia, for shedding light on such an important issue. It’s crucial that these conversations continue, and we hope for a swift resolution to the funding challenges facing Icetex so that all students can pursue their educational goals without fear.
Patricia Abadía: Thank you for having me. Awareness and discourse around this issue are the first steps toward change. Let’s keep the conversation going.
Editor: Absolutely. Thank you once again for your insights, and we wish you the best in your efforts.