Financial support for UCLA students
Dear Students:
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, the financial hardships and mental health toll that it has wrought on many of our students and their families have mounted, as has the urgent need to provide relief and support during these trying times.
To that end, on behalf of the chancellor and executive vice chancellor and provost, I am pleased to share that UCLA will use a portion of the funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide a $200 universal impact award to all eligible students.
In addition to the universal impact award, some of the CARES Act funding will go toward supporting thousands of undergraduate and graduate students who are eligible for need-based federal financial aid. These students will receive increased grant support ranging from $200 to $1,850, depending on their financial need.
In accordance with our firm commitment to the principles of inclusion and equity, and our commitment to all students during these unprecedented times, UCLA will use campus resources to provide some level of support to students who have been impacted by COVID-19, but who are not eligible for CARES funding, such as our undocumented and international students. All impacted students who are not eligible for CARES funding will receive a $200 universal impact award from the university’s private and institutional grants. These students also have the opportunity to apply for need-based financial support from appropriate university resources.
The universal impact award came at the recommendation of a task force, which was inclusive of undergraduate and graduate student leader representatives, who reviewed a number of options in making their recommendations on the criteria for fund distribution.
Additionally, at the suggestion of student leaders on the CARES task force, we have incorporated an opt-out option that allows students to donate their share of the universal impact award to their peers who may be in greater need. Funds from the opt-out option would be used to provide grant aid to the most impacted students. We want to thank the student leaders who were on the task force for their thoughtful contributions to the decision-making process and for ensuring that student voices were heard.
We are also grateful to the federal government for providing UCLA $18 million in CARES funding to specifically support student needs, and an additional $18 million for more general institutional support, which UCLA plans on using to help preserve jobs to maintain our teaching mission.
Please visit MyUCLA to initiate the process to receive a universal impact award and apply for need-based financial aid.
We are all one UCLA family, and we will continue to rely on each other to get through these trying times. In true Bruin spirit, we will do it together.
Sincerely,
Monroe Gorden, Jr.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
