Dear Georgetown Student,
As an institution dedicated to cura personalis, care of the whole person, we are committed to supporting our community through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Georgetown is one of just a few institutions of higher education across the country that reduced tuition for Fall 2020, while also waiving the student contribution from summer earnings. We will also consider requests for reconsideration of aid eligibility resulting from the reduction of 2020 income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to achieve these steps, the university will devote an additional $65 million in financial aid and tuition discounts for Fall 2020 alone.
In addition to the increased financial aid support provided by the university, we are writing today to provide information about an additional funding resource available to students experiencing COVID-19 related financial hardship during this time.
Georgetown COVID-19 Relief Fund
The COVID-19 Relief Fund provides grants to assist with emergency expenses not already met by need-based financial aid the applicant is receiving from Georgetown or other sources. For example, an allowance for the average cost of books, food or the costs for travel to/from campus are already included in need-based financial aid awards and would not be considered for funding from the COVID-19 Relief Fund. This fund can only assist our current enrolled students and is unfortunately not able to assist with familial expenses.
Who May Apply:
- All current undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at least half-time during the Fall 2020 semester in degree programs on the Main Campus, School of Continuing Studies and School of Nursing and Health Studies who are experiencing immediate financial hardship as a result of the pandemic;
- All students must be degree-seeking (certificate program enrollment is excluded from eligibility); and
- Any student who fits the above, regardless of citizenship status;
Applicants must have completed a need-based financial aid application to be considered for assistance from the COVID-19 Relief Fund. Please refer to the How to Apply for Financial Aid Undergraduate Students and How to Apply for Financial Aid Graduate pages for more information on how to apply if you have not already.
Please note that Georgetown Law students and medical students can apply for support through separate application processes on their respective campuses. Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP) students should apply for COVID-19 grant funding through the GSP Necessity Fund.
The maximum amount of an individual grant will be $600. These grants are not loans and are not expected to be paid back.
Eligible Grant Categories (related to the COVID-19 emergency, including but not limited to):
- Computing costs for virtual learning (e.g., purchase or repair costs for laptops, PCs, tablets, monitors, printers, scanners, hot spot equipment, etc.);
- COVID-19-related testing, doctor visits, medications and hospitalizations not covered by insurance; and
- Other COVID-19 related expenses, not to include expenses already covered in the cost of attendance (i.e., books, travel, meals, etc. are included in cost of attendance and will not be considered for the COVID-19 Relief Fund)
Students can submit an application by Tuesday, September 15 to apply for funds for Summer and Fall 2020 costs. Applicants will receive updates on the status of their grant applications via their official university email accounts.
We 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. Though many of us are not physically together, Georgetown remains a community dedicated to each person’s flourishing. Please know we are thinking of you and here for you.
Sincerely,
Todd A. Olson, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Patricia A. McWade
Dean of Student Financial Services