KEARNEY – A new round of grants totaling nearly $5.7 million is being distributed to University of Nebraska at Kearney students as part of the American Rescue Plan.
Just under 6,000 students are qualified to receive the funds, and they will be allocated amounts ranging from $300 to $1,500 based on their enrollment and financial aid status.
Students who are recipients of Pell grants will receive the first round of disbursement from the Office of Financial Aid beginning this week. Full-time Pell grant recipients will receive $1,500, and students at less than full time will receive grants ranging from $375 to $1,125. A second round of disbursement in October will go to non-Pell-eligible, degree-seeking students, and those grants range from $300 to $950 depending on how many credit hours students are enrolled for. Students will need to log in to their “MyBlue” account to accept their grant.
In the spring and fall semesters of 2020 and spring semester 2021, UNK distributed grants to students totaling about $3.8 million as part of the U.S. CARES Act/Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. In May, the U.S. Department of Education made available $36 billion in American Rescue Plan funds to support postsecondary education. The funding provides emergency financial grants to support students with exceptional need, and relief funding to retain and re-engage students. A portion of the funds also were available to institutions to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and to support expenses and lost revenue during the pandemic.
“The federal funding to support universities, and particularly the grants directly to students, is helping keep students in their programs and advancing to degree completion,” said Kelly Bartling, vice chancellor for enrollment management and marketing. “The distribution of these funds is good news not only for UNK students but for the greater community, where university students live, work and make purchases.”
Bartling said students should receive communication about the grants in their Loper email and through their MyBlue portal. Information and questions can be directed to finaid1@unk.edu or 308-865-8520.
