DBJ: Wright State issuing more than $5.2M in federal funds to thousands of students

Excerpt

Wright State University’s Dayton Campus

Wright State University will begin distributing more than $5.2 million in federal funds next week to help students with emergency costs related to the pandemic.

The Fairborn-based university said it will begin issuing grants March 8 to more than 6,750 students who are enrolled in classes during the spring 2021 semester. The process should be complete by March 19.

Degree-seeking students who are enrolled at least half-time and are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens will receive grants. Funds may be used to help students with emergency costs caused by the pandemic, including tuition, food, housing, course materials, technology, healthcare and childcare.

“We believe these funds will provide some financial relief to a broad range of spring 2021 students who experienced hardship as a result of COVID-19,” Kim Everhart, director of financial aid at Wright State, said Friday in a release.

Nearly 43% of the eligible students will receive the maximum grant of $1,100. The university will allocate grants based on each student’s FAFSA.

Eligible students will receive the grants automatically, and students will receive an email explaining the details of the funding.

Funds cannot be awarded to non-degree students or international students, including undocumented and DACA students, WSU said.

The funding was allocated to Wright State through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II — part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 passed by Congress in December.

It’s the second round of federal assistance provided to WSU to help with coronavirus-related costs. The first round, outlined in the CARES Act, enabled the university to distribute about $4.8 million to more than 5,700 students last year.

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