NIU determines eligibility and has issued the following automatic grants to students:
- A technology assistance grant of $500 for newly admitted undergraduates for the Summer 2020 or Fall 2020 semester determined by NIU to have the greatest financial need, based on income information provided in the 2020-2021 FAFSA. These students did not receive grant funding in the spring and are enrolled in at least 6 hours for Fall 2020 and are Title IV eligible.
- An academic recovery grant for students who withdrew from one or more face-to-face Spring 2020 courses after March 13, were at least half-time in spring and are re-enrolled for Fall 2020 at least half-time.
- An $800 grant in Spring 2020 for undergraduate, graduate and law school students who were seeking degrees from the university and were enrolled at NIU at least half time for the spring 2020 term and were determined by NIU to have the greatest financial need, based on income information provided by the 2019-2020 FAFSA.
The US Department of Education has determined that CARES Act funds cannot be distributed to international or undocumented students. Full-time NIU employees, students who withdrew from all classes before March 13, and students who graduated in spring 2020 were also not eligible for an NIU CARES grant.
Please note the Fall 2020 CARES grant funds are limited and issued to students who met the eligibility criteria as of Sept. 24, 2020.
Updated 9/24/20