Edinburg, Texas (KVEO)—The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley announced on Monday they will provide a total of $1,000 in CARES cash grants for eligible students.

According to the university, eligible students will receive $1,000 for the fall semester.

The “Fall Relief Package” is meant to provide UTRGV students with more financial support this coming semester.

Each CARES Act eligible undergraduate and graduate student enrolled for Fall 2020 will receive two $500 CARES cash grants that can be used for personal or education-related expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic.   

The CARES cash grants are direct payments to students that will not need to be paid back, according to the university.

“Our constant focus is to do all we can to ensure the safety and well-being of our students, and to do all we can to ensure their academic success,” UTRGV President Guy Bailey said. “We know the pandemic continues to affect many of our students and their families financially. To help enable your success, and recognizing that everyone’s needs might be different right now, we have improved our Fall Relief Package to provide you with even more financial support.”    

The university says the Fall Relief Package will consist as follows,

  • A few weeks before the start of the Fall 2020 Semester, all eligible students enrolled with UTRGV by Friday, August 7, will receive the first $500 in cash grants.
  • The second $500 in cash grants will be received after the 12th class day of the Fall 2020 term. This additional $500 payment will be distributed starting on September 10 and will only go to those eligible students who are still enrolled with us on that date.   

  In addition, $500 tuition relief packages are available for non-CARES Act eligible students, including:      

  • Incoming freshmen who graduated from high school in or after May 2020 and are enrolled full time (at least 12 credit hours) at UTRGV.   
  • All continuing graduate students enrolled full time in fully online programs. Non-CARES Act qualifying students will receive tuition relief after current federal and state aid (like Pell Grant and Texas Grant), scholarships, and other gift aid is applied. 

For more information click here.