Dear Students,
In order to address the urgent needs of students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am writing today to provide updates about funding resources available to students experiencing financial hardship during this time.
Georgetown COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund for Students
Last month the university established a COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund for Students. The fund has received contributions from alumni, parents, friends, faculty and staff, and provides grants to students who require assistance covering emergency expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
All current undergraduate and graduate students in degree programs on the Main Campus, School of Continuing Studies and Georgetown University Medical Center (School of Medicine, Biomedical Graduate Education and School of Nursing and Health Studies) are eligible to apply. The Law Center has its own separate fund, and law students can apply for support through the Georgetown Law Student Emergency Fund.
Georgetown’s COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund is intended to provide one-time, short-term relief for degree-seeking students, regardless of U.S. citizenship status, experiencing immediate financial hardship. The maximum amount of any individual’s grant will be $1,000. The grants are not loans and are not expected to be paid back. Grants will be made to help recipients pay for expenses related to the COVID-19 emergency, including but not limited to:
- Computing costs for transition to virtual learning (examples might include purchase or repair costs for laptops, PCs, tablets, monitors, printers, scanners, hot spot equipment, etc.);
- Emergency travel to/from Georgetown, and/or from study abroad to home;
- Moving and storage costs incurred as a result of the COVID-19 emergency;
- COVID-19-related testing, doctor visits, medications and hospitalizations not covered by insurance; and
- Individual student’s rent/utilities/food not covered by their family/guardian, and incurred as a result of the COVID-19 emergency.
Unfortunately, grants cannot be given to meet non-student expenses or educational expenses that were already included in the student’s cost of attendance, such as tuition or university-provided housing. Students should apply for consideration for funding when they have exhausted all other resources.
Students can submit applications immediately and on a rolling basis through the fall 2020 semester.
Federal CARES Act Funding
With funding provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Georgetown will make direct emergency grants to eligible students. The amount Georgetown received is based on the number of students with high financial need and the university’s total student enrollment.
A portion of the CARES Act funding will be allocated to eligible graduate students based on certain criteria. Information for eligible graduate students will be communicated to those students in the days ahead.
As an institution dedicated to cura personalis, care of the whole person, we are committed to supporting our community through this crisis. I would like to thank our generous alumni and friends who are helping to provide this support to the members of our community who are facing hardships during this time.
Sincerely,
Todd A. Olson, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs