SHANGHAI, May 22 -- Millions of university and vocational students from low-income families will be entitled to financial assistance next year as the government plans to double its student aid program.

Central and provincial governments will spend 30.8 billion yuan (US$3.95 billion) to provide financial aid to colleges and vocational school students beginning in September 2008, Deputy Finance Minister Zhang Shaochun announced yesterday in Beijing.

That's up from 15.4 billion yuan this year and 15 times more than was provided to low-income students in 2006 when the student assistance program gave out 1.8 billion yuan, Zhang said.

The central government will allocate 20 billion yuan to the program while provincial-level governments will be expected to supply the remainder.

The augmented fund will be used to offer higher grants and scholarships to more students in need.

The value of national scholarships for postgraduate students will also be doubled to 8,000 yuan a year beginning in September, said Zhang. He also said the number of students receiving the scholarships will jump to 50,000.

Twenty percent of college undergraduates are now entitled to student aid granted by the program, up from just three percent in 2006. This year qualified students can receive 2,000 yuan a year, an increase of 500 yuan from the previous year.

University tuition fees are about 5,000 yuan a year and student accommodation is about 1,200 yuan a year. It's estimated it costs the average student some 10,000 yuan a year to attend university.

In September 2008, millions of students are expected to receive financial aid, but the exact number has yet to be established.

This year assistance has been provided to 90 percent of secondary vocational school students, up from the previous five percent, with each entitled to receive 1,500 yuan, up 500 yuan from the previous year, according to Zhang.

A total of four million undergraduates and 16 million secondary vocational school students are expected to receive financial assistance this year, Zhang said.

The government also plans to expand the state student loan program to provide greater access to bank loans to students from low-income families.

Premier Wen Jiabao told the National People's Congress in March that the improved financial assistance program will promote fairness in education.