Auburn University at Montgomery offering more than $11 million in assistance to students
With the COVID-19 pandemic creating financial hardships for college students and families nationwide, Auburn University at Montgomery has committed an all-time high of more than $11 million in scholarships and other forms of student support as it prepares to resume face-to-face classes for the fall semester.
Scholarships account for $8.5 million of that total funding, while AUM expects to return $2.5 million to students through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The university will also offer free laptop computers to freshman students enrolling for the Summer and Fall 2020 semesters.
In addition to the increased scholarships, which range from $1,000 annual Opportunity Scholarships to the four-year, $40,000 Outstanding Scholars Award, AUM has temporarily waived ACT and SAT scores as admissions conditions for freshmen due to the postponement or cancellation of testing dates. AUM is not charging an application fee for prospective students.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created unexpected financial hardships for many students and their families,” AUM Chancellor Carl A. Stockton said. “We are certainly sensitive to that and want to do all we can to help students remain on track academically during these uncertain times.”
To assist transfer students from community colleges and four-year institutions, AUM will offer a Transfer Opportunity Scholarship worth $1,000 annually for student with grade point averages between 2.0 and 2.74. AUM has also launched a Golden Anniversary Transfer Scholarship in recognition of its 50 years of service to students that will award $2,000 per year to students with GPAs between 2.75 and 2.99.
“In light of the present circumstances, it’s important to meet students where they are and to understand their unique needs,” Stockton said. “We are working to ensure that we can re-open campus for fall safely, in accordance with guidance provided by public officials, and to also address the financial needs many students are experiencing right now.”
While AUM remains committed to offering courses remotely through the end of its summer semester, it recently announced the formation of a university task force to address how to safely re-open campus for face-to-face classes for the fall.