Dear Colleagues,
From April 9-13, 2020 the Graduate College surveyed all graduate programs regarding the impact of the COVID19 pandemic on graduate students. We learned that many graduate students are expressing concerns about unanticipated financial challenges during the summer months. In response to these concerns, the Office of the Provost has developed a Supplemental Summer Block Grant Program (SSBG) that will provide additional funding to graduate programs to support graduate students in need of financial assistance during the summer of 2020. The program will be administered by the Graduate College.
Graduate programs will be allocated funds which must be applied towards graduate student support in the form of summer fellowship grants. The program is intended to support students who have incurred financial hardship as a result of the COVID19 epidemic. Departments will be expected to prioritize the allocation of fellowships on the basis of student need. Approximately $4.6 million dollars in SSBG funding will be available for graduate students support. Funding will be available from May 16, 2020 and must be expended by August 15, 2020.
The funding received by each department will be determined on the basis of both graduate program size and the level of external funding which accrues to a program to support graduate students.
The minimum departmental award will be $44,470.
The maximum departmental award will be $125,000.
Departments will be notified of the amount of their award in the next few days.
Graduate Student SSBG Fellowship Funding Options:
Departments are responsible for selecting SSBG Fellowship recipients on the basis of need. The following funding options are available;
- Students with no additional source of assistantship or fellowship funds will be funded for two summer months at a rate of not less than $1,111 per month for two months, up to a rate of not more than $2,083 per month for two months. The SSBG fellowship is accompanied by an 87% subsidy of the summer health insurance fee and a tuition waiver, both these benefits apply to the entire summer.
- Students who have already accepted a summer graduate appointment (assistantship, fellowship, or traineeship) will be eligible for a supplemental award that will increase their summer compensation up to the equivalent of a maximum of $2,083 per month for two summer months. Students receiving combined assistantships and SSBG fellowships are eligible for an 87% subsidy of the summer health insurance fee and a tuition waiver.
- Students in self-supporting or cost recovery graduate programs are not eligible to participate in the SSBG program, however, these students may apply for funding under the COVID19 Emergency Grant mechanism.
Additional details regarding how to submit notices of awards are available online.
If you have questions about this program, please contact the Graduate College Fellowship Office at GradFellowships@illinois.edu (217) 333-0036.
Sincerely,
Andreas Cangellaris
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost