Social benefits during entrance and education in higher education institutions in 1945-1953 (on the example of the Lower Volga region)

The article analyzes the benefits granted to the applicants and students of higher education institutions of the Lower Volga region during post-war period. The benefits were classified by certain criteria. The first type of benefits is the right to free entrance to higher education institutions. The second type is free education. The third type is lunch tickets which could be used in institutes' dining halls. The fourth type is rent-free inhabitation in institutes' dormitories or rented accomodation. Moreover, the system of increased scholarship was established. The reasons that formed each group of welfare recipients were analyzed. The importance of these reasons for post-war Soviet socio-economic space was determined. The author pointed main historical periods which influenced the process of applying different benefits. The process of advantages and factors transformation was shown. The subjects of privilege's policy toward students and entrants were analyzed. The author showed the degree of their influence on decision-making process in the context of socio-economic regulation of students' life. Main social and economic difficulties which prevented the activity of institutes' administration, were viewed in detail. The author determined the specificity of different institutes according to their localization in region. The factors that influenced the local transformations were pointed. The authors make conclusion about the degree of efficiency of students' privileges in post-war period. All theses were confirmed by numerous factual materials which have an archival origin and have never been published in such historical research works.