COVID-19 Impacts on Financial Aid

If not already done so, file the 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)  as soon as possible for consideration of financial aid for the 2021-22 academic year. Information regarding summer aid is available here.

If you and/or your family have experienced a recent job loss or a significant reduction in income and you already  filed the 2021-22 FAFSA, please review and complete the 2021-22 Appeal for Income Reduction Form, which will be available by July 1, 2021.

The Appeal for Income Reduction Form allows the UK Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to reassess your federal financial aid eligibility and possibly make financial aid adjustments to your financial aid package. This will not impact academic scholarship eligibility. 

Before completing the Appeal for Income Reduction Form and submitting any supporting documentation, please consult with your financial aid counselor. 

If you have other special circumstances regarding your ability to pay for your educational expenses, please reach out to your financial aid counselor. 

The ARP Grant provides grant funds to enrolled students to assist with paying for costs associated with college attendance or emergency costs that arise due to the coronavirus pandemic — such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health) or child care. Institutions are directed to prioritize students with exceptional need, such as students who receive Pell Grants or undergraduates with extraordinary financial circumstances, in awarding emergency grants to students with ARP funds. Beyond Pell eligibility, other types of exceptional need include students who may be eligible for other federal or state need-based aid or who have faced significant unexpected expenses, such as the loss of employment (either for themselves or their families).

Undergraduate and graduate/professional domestic students who have exceptional financial need (as demonstrated by the results of the FAFSA) and who met other criteria were automatically considered for the ARP Grant. ARP Grant offers to undergraduate students began in June and continued through September 2021. An ARP Grant Request process will open on September 14, 2021 to collect additional information needed to provide consideration for all other groups of students (both FAFSA and non-FAFSA filers including international students) who were not automatically considered for the ARP Grant.

Q. How do I request consideration for an ARP Grant?

The ARP Grant Request Form has opened on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 and will close on Sunday, September 26, 2021. Priority consideration will be given to students who are eligible for Federal Pell Grant and demonstrate high unmet financial need.  

Information gathered from the ARP Grant Request Form will be combined with your enrollment, billing, and financial aid information available from UK's student records systems to consider your eligibility. Requests will be reviewed beginning on September 27 and decisions will be made by October 12, 2021. You will receive an email regarding the decision of your request.

Q. How will I receive my ARP Grant funds?

If you have been identified as a recipient of an ARP Grant, you will receive an email that provides you a link to the ARP Grant Student Payment App.  Qualified students who have been informed that they will be receiving an ARP Grant must use the ARP Grant Student Payment App to choose how they will access their ARP Grant by selecting one of the following options:

1. Apply to your UK student account to cover any balance due (any remaining credit will be deposited to your bank account) or
2. Direct deposit to your bank account

Additionally, you will be asked to update your bank details.

Please note that if you select "2. Direct deposit to your bank account," the funds will reside in your UK Student Account one to three business days until the funds are electronically deposited to your bank account. 

The amount you will receive is determined by multiple factors, including financial need and cost of attendance. Be sure to monitor your UK email account for this information. The email you receive will list your ARP Grant amount.

Several factors will impact whether you receive funds from this grant. It is possible that you may not receive funds from ARP even if you qualified for CARES or CRRSAA funds, and vice versa.

No. This funding is made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP). UK will distribute these funds to eligible students.

The Appeal for Income Reduction Form allows the UK Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to reassess your federal financial aid eligibility and possibly make financial aid adjustments to your financial aid package. This will not impact academic scholarship eligibility. It is recommended you consult with your financial aid counselor before you complete  and submit the Appeal for Income Reduction Form with accompanying documentation.

If you have other special circumstances regarding your ability to pay for your educational expenses, please reach out to your financial aid counselor. 

If you are in need of immediate help meeting basic needs, please access the Student Emergency Fund using the Center for Support and Intervention referral form.

We know the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic can be a difficult time for everyone. If you need someone to talk to confidentially for any reason, you may contact the UK Counseling Center (859-257-8701) to speak to the on-duty counselor. 

Other resources to assist you can be found here: http://learnanywhere.ngskmc-eis.net/student-services.

The latest round of federal coronavirus relief aid temporarily expanded benefits for the Federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federal nutrition assistance program that provides recipients the means to purchase eligible food in authorized retail stores. Students who are enrolled at least half-time and who either have an estimated family contribution of $0 as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or who are eligible to participate in Federal Work-Study may receive SNAP benefits if they meet all other eligibility criteria. To apply or to find more information, please visit SNAP Student Provisions in the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 – Q & As.   

We also encourage students who are experiencing immediate food and/or housing insecurity to reach out to the University of Kentucky Center for Support and Intervention (CSI).

If you have any questions about withdrawing and your financial aid, please contact Cole Grannis, assistant director for the Office of Student Financial Aid: cole.grannis@ngskmc-eis.net. 

If you have a question about academic scholarships, please email academicscholar@lsv.ngskmc-eis.net. For all other questions about your financial aid, please email OSFAS@ngskmc-eis.net.