Illustration of students in a classroom.
Michigan State will be awarding students approximately $15 million in emergency financial aid grants, through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.
According to an email from MSU President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., the grants will be referred to as the “Spartan Relief Fund2.”
The act was enacted Dec. 27, 2020, and is providing a second round of pandemic-related relief funding to MSU. Students may use these financial aid grants for any component of their cost of attendance or for emergency costs such as tuition, food, housing, health care, which includes mental health care or child care.
MSU plans to award $10 million in block grants to students within certain categories, based on the student’s FAFSA on file for the 2020-21 academic year. After a student receives their block grant, funds will be refunded using either direct deposit or paper check.
Undergraduates with exceptional needs who are eligible to receive Pell Grants can receive $1,000.
Those who are not eligible to receive Pell Grants and have an expected family contribution of $10,000 or less may receive $800. Those with an EFC of more than $10,000 but no more than $15,000 may receive $500, according to Spartan Relief Fund2.
In total, $5 million in variable grants will go to students through an application process which can be found in StuInfo. Students will be sent a decision within a week after their application is received. In two to three business days an approved request will appear as a credit on the Account Detail link in StuInfo. The funds will be refunded to students using either direct deposit or paper check.
“Our goal is to get help to those students who need it most, so that they can continue their studies with some peace of mind,” Stanley said in the email.
The U.S. Department of Education has not yet specified if undocumented, DACA or international students may receive their emergency financial aid grants. In the email, Stanley says the university believes all students deserve support during this time.
For those who may not qualify non-federal funds can be found through the Office of Financial Aid.
According to the university’s 2020-21 budget, MSU was able to increase financial aid by 4%.
In late September 2020, state appropriations were finalized, keeping higher education at the same level of state funding as the previous fiscal year.
According to Stanley at the March 16 faculty senate meeting, Michigan State will be also be awarded approximately $80 million through the American Rescue Plan Act, with about $40 million of that going to student aid.
As of March 29, MSU has offered a total amount of over $1,569,675,208 in financial aid for Fall 2021 and Spring 2022, according to financial aid.
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