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Coronavirus Information

New COVID relief funds for JHU students

June 16, 2021

Dear Students and Faculty, 

Over the last fifteen months, the federal government has extended more than $76 billion in relief funds to American colleges and universities and their students. The funds are designed to mitigate the hardships experienced by these institutions in responding to COVID-related shocks. As a consequence of the latest round of COVID relief, we are now able to provide $10 million in new grants directly to approximately 12,000 undergraduate, residential full-time master’s, PhD, and MD students in all of the university’s divisions, including international students. These new funds are in addition to the $13.1 million in institutional financial aid already provided to 2,600 undergraduates to help with unexpected financial changes related to COVID, and to $2.5 million in emergency grants and other assistance.  

The Office of Financial Aid will begin notifying potentially eligible students later today and will provide more information on how to receive the funds. The overall distribution plan is as follows:  

  • All students enrolled in a PhD or MD program in spring 2021 are eligible for a grant of $1,000. 
  • All full-time residential students enrolled in a JHU master’s program in spring 2021 are eligible for a grant of $500.  
  • Undergraduates enrolled in spring 2021 who have an estimated family contribution of less than $22,100 and received need-based financial aid in the fall 2020 term are eligible for a grant of $1,000. 

To receive these relief grants, eligible students must attest that they were affected financially by the pandemic. These funds are additional to any other stipends, grants, or awards a student is receiving. 

We know that the pandemic has posed many new challenges for our students, from changes in family economic circumstances to delays in travel and fieldwork necessary for dissertations, to interruptions in bench research. We are determined to make sure these difficulties do not prevent students from meeting their goals or continuing to make academic progress safely during the pandemic.  

You have done so much to pursue your work while advancing Johns Hopkins’ mission and keeping yourselves and others safe, and we remain committed to supporting you during these difficult times. 

Sincerely, 

Ronald J. Daniels 
President 

Sunil Kumar 
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs