CARES Act funding on its way, will go to KU students with greatest needs

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World File Photo

Strong Hall on the University of Kansas campus is shown on Sept. 13, 2018.

The University of Kansas will soon have $7.5 million in federal stimulus funds to distribute directly to students who have faced financial hardships as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chancellor Douglas Girod announced Thursday that KU will award the money in two ways: to students receiving Pell Grants — and therefore already identified by the federal government as having a demonstrated need — and to other students through a short application process.

Of the $7,594,823 available for the university system, $6,789,086 is earmarked for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, while $805,737 is reserved for students at KU Medical Center.

To be eligible for a grant, a student must also be eligible to apply for normal federal student aid, commonly known as FAFSA. That requirement is a directive from the Department of Education and is outside KU’s control.

Also required in the CARES Act is that any grants students get must be used to recoup losses suffered from how their campus disrupted operations. Girod’s campus message Thursday suggested food, housing, course materials, health care, child care, technology-related expenses and transportation as categories students may have suffered losses in during the pandemic.

Details on KU’s application process are not yet finalized, Girod said, but KU does not expect to receive the money from the federal government before the week of May 4. KU says it can’t yet know how much students will receive and can’t guarantee it will accept every application due to limited funds.

The emergency grants will be processed through KU’s student accounts system. Students with a direct deposit account on file will get the money in their bank account. Those without a direct deposit account will get a refund check in the mail, Girod said.

Students who have an outstanding account balance can still partake in the grant allocation process, and KU won’t garnish any of the money to pay the balance. The grant also will not affect any future financial aid a student is eligible for since it was provided on an emergency basis by the federal government.

If students aren’t eligible to file a FAFSA form, they still have the option of applying for emergency relief through KU’s separate emergency relief funds. KU Endowment launched a dedicated COVID-19 fund shortly after the pandemic began.

In a message to faculty members announcing the grant allocation, Girod thanked staffers for their support of students during challenging times.

“We know the hardships presented by this crisis continue to be felt deeply by many of you and your families, as well as our students,” he said. “Thank you for your commitment to students’ well-being and your efforts to help them navigate this pandemic so they can continue to pursue their goals at KU.”

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