Augusta University receives $8.8 million from the American Rescue Plan to assist students
By Preston Hall | Staff writer
Augusta University has received $8.8 million from the governments American Rescue Plan in May 2021 to help students that qualify with educational finances.
President Biden has signed the American Rescue Plan into law which is created to try and help the United States recover quicker from the world-wide COVID-19 pandemic.
The state of Georgia as a whole has received $4.25 billion to be allocated to schools ranging from K-12 as well as colleges.
Students must complete the 2021-2022 FASFA to be qualified as well as being degree seeking.
Once students have verified that they have qualified they will learn how much money they will be awarded. The grant’s aid will range from $275 to $850. The same amount will be awarded in the spring semester of 2022.
Students receiving these funds can use them to help alleviate stress related to financial aid and other things like technology, since a lot of classes moved to online based learning when schools opened back up.
“I hope that it will help those who are experiencing financial hardships as the result of layoffs, more distance learning and other issues that have affected them,” said Gina Thurman director of student advocacy.
The money given to AU required that half of the money be given to the students that qualified for it, the rest of it will be split up and used for different things around AU.
“After the grant, we will have some additional ‘emergency’ funds for students who either didn’t qualify or have additional financial educational needs. The other part of the funds is used by the University to assist with additional expenses from the pandemic, such as cleaning, signage, and safety precautions,” said Thurman.
These funds are meant to help out students and they are grants which means that students are not required to pay them back unlike loans for school.
When asked if this grant will help out, AU student Chris Rickerson said, “Initially it really relieved some stress off of me, even though I have other things to pay for and bills the money will help me a ton.”
If students qualify for the funds and the reward exceeds the balance to the school, the student will receive a refund on September 3, 2021
Contact Preston Hall at prhall@augusta.edu.
Pictured at the top of the page is Fanning Hall on Augusta University, which hosts the financial aid office on campus. (photos by Preston Hall).
